Changes in Clinical Competence of Novice Physical Therapists During Their First Year of Employment: A Single Center Retrospective Observational Study in Japan

The total score was significantly higher after 3 months. The participant's clinical competence may have improved because they participated in an educational program related to "knowledge," "clinical reasoning," "skills," and "communication" at an earlier stage in the first year. However, their progress was comparatively slower in other areas, suggesting that the content might not have been sufficient. This study revealed the effectiveness of the educational program on novice PTs' clinical competence at a single institution in Japan. Positive outcomes were obtained for several parameters. Furthermore, the results reveal the need for content modifications within the educational program to improve PTs' performance across all evaluated items.