Evidence Informed Clinical Reasoning in Physiotherapy

Postgraduate | 2026

Course page banner
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
REHB 5010
Course ID icon
Course ID
204841
Level of study
Level of study
Postgraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
5
Study abroad and student exchange icon
Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
No
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
No
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
No
alt
Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

The aim of this course is to develop knowledge and skills to access, evaluate and critically apply allied health research evidence within a biopsychosocial clinical reasoning framework. Students will learn allied health research evidence including, frameworks for asking an answerable clinical question, acquiring the evidence, exploring foundations of research and data, exploring different types of research (quantitative and qualitative), exploring secondary research evidence, evidence dimensions (including critical appraisal), interpreting, implementing and communicating the evidence. Students will learn clinical reasoning including critical thinking, introduction to the biopsychosocial model of health, focus of reasoning, the clinical reasoning process (cues, inferences) categories of clinical judgments, reflection, metacognition and reasoning errors.

Course learning outcomes

  • Describe the biopsychosocial model of practice and the inter-relationship of biological, personal and environmental/social factors on clients' health and disability.
  • Describe principles, philosophies and processes which underpin evidence-based practice.
  • Frame an answerable research question to inform clinical practice.
  • Access relevant library databases (black literature) and other relevant resources (grey literature) to answer clinical research questions.
  • Critique, synthesise and summarise relevant data from the biomedical, physical and behavioural science literatures that are relevant to a clinical case scenario.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and reasoning skills required in the analysis to implement effective biopsychosocial practice.

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A