Interpreting Physical Therapy Research: Beyond the abstract and the authors’ conclusions Determining clinical relevance: what P-values don’t tell you

November 12, 2011

8 a.m.–Noon | 2002 Health Science Center, UW-La Crosse
$85 includes materials and refreshments | ($75, UW-L Physical Therapy alumni)
4 contact hours

A goal in physical therapy is to apply the best available evidence to improve patient care. Keeping up with current evidence can be a challenge but gaining awareness of the value of clinical studies and clinical prediction rules can be fun and rewarding (for clinician, patient, and an employer’s bottom line). This half-day course is designed to renew skills and improve confidence in the ability to critically read and apply the best evidence on the basis of published research.

Learning Objectives

  • Compare and contrast levels of evidence represented in physical therapy literature
  • Determine the clinical relevance of randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews – are the results meaningful?
  • Understand when to trust the results of a randomized controlled trial
  • Explain the derivation, validation and implementation of clinical prediction rules to clinical practice

Instructor:

John Willson, Ph.D., PT, is an assistant professor in the Physical Therapy Program at UW-L. Wilson graduated from the UW-L physical therapy program in 1998 and practiced in orthopedics until he graduated from the University of Delaware with his doctorate in biomechanics in 2007. He has over 20 publications in several journals and textbooks relevant to orthopedic physical therapy, sports medicine, and biomechanics. Willson is the primary instructor for coursework on evidence-based practice in physical therapy and foundations of clinical research.

Please note: A complementary lunch is provided for those who also register for the Nov. 12 afternoon program, "Grounding Your Practice."

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