Residency Education as a Catalyst for Quality Amidst the Shifting Climate of Health Care

Abstract

Physical therapists continue to take on increased levels of autonomy within the medical field, often serving as points of entry into the health care system. The increased responsibility for diagnosis, referral, and supervision of patients requires that clinicians possess a depth of knowledge to effectively manage the patient. The expansion of specialty practice is necessary to meet the needs of a health care system that is increasingly focused on the value of delivered services. Residency programs are uniquely positioned to meet the demands of quality by providing intensive training for clinicians in a specialty area. The structure and learning environment of a residency program is conducive to the development and practice of advanced clinical reasoning skills and the organization of knowledge across the spectrum of patient complexity. By executing the delivery of care efficiently and effectively, residency graduates bring value not only to the patient but also to their organization, the specialty, and the health care system as whole. The purposes of this perspective article are (1) to examine the role of residency education within the context of the health care system, (2) to explore the relationship between value and residency pedagogy, and (3) to identify key components that drive quality in residency education.