Variability in the Length of Full-Time Clinical Education Experiences: The Relationship with Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Characteristics.

UNLABELLED: Clinical education experiences (CEEs) in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs vary widely in duration, despite accreditation standards requiring a minimum of 30 weeks. Limited evidence exists to support this benchmark or guide optimal CEE length, contributing to inconsistent practices across programs. OBJECTIVE: This study explored how DPT program outcomes, costs, and structure are related to the total length of full-time CEEs and the length of terminal full-time CEEs. METHODS: Data was collected from program websites of all accredited programs in the US. Pearson and point-biserial correlations assessed the relation¬ships between program outcomes, costs, and structure with CEE lengths. Backward regression identified the unique contribution to the variance in total and terminal CEE durations. RESULTS: Complete data was available for 207 programs (76%). DPT curriculum CEE credit hours had a moderate, positive (r=0.33; p<0.01) relationship with total length of CEEs, and the inclusion of CEEs in the didactic curriculum had a large, positive (rpb=0.52; p<0.01) relation¬ship with the length of terminal CEEs. Regression models explained 20-32% of the variability CEEs lengths. CONCLUSION: This study provides new evidence that indicates the number of CEE credit hours and the integration of CEEs into the didactic curriculum have the strongest relationships with CEE lengths. These findings highlight the relationship between curricular design and clinical education structure.