Perceptions of the educational environment among undergraduate physical therapy students in a competency-based curriculum at the University of Chile.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the educational environment (EE) among students in a physical therapy undergraduate program, to identify patterns in EE perceptions among the students by year, and to determine issues that should be addressed. METHODS: The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used to explore the relationships among the total mean score, subscales, and items in a competency-based curriculum in the physical therapy program at the University of Chile. The DREEM questionnaire was filled out by 166 of 244 students (68.03%), of whom 56.6% were men and 43.4% were women, with 75.9% between 19 and 23 years of age. RESULTS: The total mean score (120.9/200) indicated that the EE was perceived as 'more positive than negative.' There were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (113.41), who reported the lowest total mean score, and fourth-year students (126.60), who had the highest total mean score. Students rated their EE favorably on each subscale except social self-perceptions, which second-year students rated as 'not too bad,' and for which first-, third-, and fourth-year students gave a rating corresponding to 'not a nice place.' On the perceptions of teachers subscale, there were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (28.05/44) and fourth-year students (32.24/44) and between second-year students (28.72/44) and fourth-year students (32.24/44). On the academic self-perceptions subscale, there were significant differences (P<0.05) between first-year students (18.12/32) and second-year (21.68/32), third-year (22.33/32), and fourth-year students (21.87/32). CONCLUSION: Physical therapy students at the University of Chile had positive perceptions of their EE. First-year students rated the largest number of items as problematic. Improvements are required across the program in the specific subscales mentioned above.

Release with or without reconstruction of the transverse carpal ligament for severe carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.

The objective of this study is to compare the clinical effectiveness of two surgical techniques in patients with severe unilateral idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. A total of 117 patients were randomized in two groups. In the experimental group ( n = 59) reconstruction of the transverse carpal ligament was performed after open retinaculum release (TCL reconstruction group). In the control group ( n = 58) only retinaculum release was performed (TCL release group). The primary outcome measure was grip strength; secondary outcome measures were pain and response to the Boston questionnaire. Significance was analysed using the t-test or Mann-Whitney test. At 6 months, the experimental group showed clinical and statistically significant improvement in grip strength and decrease in symptom severity. Retinaculum release with reconstruction of the transverse carpal ligament results in improvement of grip strength in the medium term when compared with open retinaculotomy in patients with severe unilateral idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.