Some characteristics of therapy and rehabilitation students' communicative competence (Bogomolets National Medical University)

AimCommunicative competence of physical therapists is a key component of their professional activity. The communicative competence skills are critically important for their professional development and effectiveness, and these characteristics should be shaped during their undergraduate training. The aim of study is to determine the main characteristics of the physical therapist's communicative competence and propose teaching methods of improving it.Material and methodsA survey with 193 Bogomolets NMU physical therapy students of study years 2-6 was conducted using the author’s questionnaire. This form aimed to define the level of their communicative competence, as well as rank the importance of competence for respondents, self-assessment of the competence level, and the respondents’ experience of communicative competence classes. Participation in the survey was voluntary, by the consent of the respondents.ResultsThe results indicate that the students possess communicative strategies and ethically correct approaches to behavior, high self-esteem, high levels of self-awareness, and self-confidence. Numerous students showed good and excellent characteristics of communication, which indicates their ability to choose best communication strategies. The students' self-assessment of communication skills, mostly positive, indicates a high level of self-awareness and self-confidence in their communication abilities.ConclusionsThe physical and occupational therapy students are aware of communicative strategies and ethically correct approaches in behavior, which results from their undergraduate study. However, the communicative competence skills should be emphasized during the undergraduate studies, regarding the interactional character of therapists’ job.