The experience of pedagogical training on postgraduate rehabilitation health professionals: A qualitative study

Introduction: Health professionals that act as lecturers in higher education necessitate the acquisition of pedagogical skills along with clinical ones. Consequently, pedagogical training courses have been introduced as part of professional development or within university curricula. While several studies explored the experiences of attending courses on pedagogical methodology, there is a notable gap in the literature within the rehabilitation field. Hence, this qualitative study explored the experience of Italian postgraduate health professionals in rehabilitation about the experience of attending pedagogical methodology courses in their postgraduate education.

Materials and methods: A qualitative focus group study was carried out. Specifically, the authors purposefully recruited participants with different professional backgrounds (physiotherapy, speech therapy, and others) with or without lecturing experience. Recent graduates and students of the Master of Science in 'Rehabilitative Sciences of the Health Professions' at the University of Verona (Verona, Italy) were recruited. The focus groups were analysed following a 'Reflexive Thematic Analysis' by Braun & Clarke within a social constructionist framework.

Results: Three focus groups were conducted with seventeen Italian participants (age: 33 ± 9; 71% women, n = 12; 29% men, n = 5). The analysis identified three main themes: 1) "A Brave New Pedagogical World," reflecting participants' exposure to innovative teaching approaches; 2) "Becoming a Cutting-Edge Lecturer," highlighting skills acquired for delivering inspiring lectures; and 3) "Something Beyond Pedagogy," where participants reported skills applicable to other professional contexts, including clinical practice.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that pedagogical courses provide a positive learning experience for rehabilitation health professionals, helping them develop relevant pedagogical skills. Although our findings suggest the potential benefits of these courses in preparing healthcare professionals for teaching roles, further studies are needed to evaluate their direct impact on educational practices and patient outcomes.