This course is offered in collaboration with the 2026 OPTA Spring Conference, celebrating OPTA's 75th Anniversary.

In clinical education, the ability to engage in honest, constructive conversations is essential, but often challenging. This session, Courage to Communicate: Navigating Difficult Conversations in Clinical Education, is designed to empower clinical instructors, site coordinators, academic faculty and students with the tools and confidence to approach feedback and challenging dialogue with clarity, empathy, and professionalism.

Grounded in evidence-informed practice and literature, this session explores the psychological and relational dynamics that make feedback difficult, and introduces structured frameworks such as SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact), Pendleton's Rules, and the R2C2 model (Rapport-Reaction-Content-Coach) to guide effective communication. Participants will examine real-world clinical scenarios involving underperformance, misaligned expectations, and emotionally charged interactions, and will learn to apply feedback strategies that foster growth and maintain trust.

The session includes interactive components such as case-based discussion, and a feedback planning tool that attendees can use in their own settings. Participants will also receive three practical activities tailored to different roles: a peer feedback exercise for students, a feedback culture mapping activity for DCEs, and a roundtable discussion guide for clinical education faculty. These resources are designed to be immediately implementable and adaptable across diverse clinical environments.

By the end of the session, attendees will be equipped to lead and model courageous communication in clinical education, creating psychologically safe spaces where feedback is not only delivered, but welcomed. This session supports the development of leadership, emotional intelligence, and reflective practice, all of which are critical to advancing clinical education and professional growth.

Upon completing this session, participants will - 

• Understand the psychology of feedback and why difficult conversations are often avoided.
• Learn and apply evidence-based frameworks for giving and receiving feedback.
• Practice strategies for real-world clinical scenarios involving students, instructors, and coordinators.
• Build confidence in navigating emotionally charged or high-stakes conversations.

This course was originally presented at the 2026 OPTA Spring Conference, celebrating OPTA's 75th Anniversary.

Ethical challenges in physical therapy clinical education are inevitable as students transition from classroom to clinic, navigating complex relationships, competing responsibilities, and real-world pressures. This interactive session explores how educators, clinical instructors, and students can uphold ethical integrity within the clinical learning environment by grounding decisions in professional values and established frameworks.

The session begins with a review of foundational principles, including the APTA Code of Ethics, Core Values, and CAPTE Standards, highlighting how these documents embed ethical responsibility within professional and accreditation expectations. Participants will learn to distinguish professionalism, the observable behaviors expected of practitioners, from ethical reasoning, the deliberate process of decision-making when values conflict.

Building on these foundations, the session examines common ethical dilemmas in clinical education, such as balancing mentorship with evaluation, maintaining boundaries in student–CI relationships, ensuring fairness in placements, managing confidentiality and HIPAA compliance, and addressing patient safety concerns.

Real-world vignettes and polling activities will immerse attendees in practical scenarios, encouraging reflection and discussion.

Participants will then apply structured decision-making tools, including the RIPS Model (Realm, Individual Process, Situation), to analyze ethical tensions and determine appropriate courses of action. Through collaborative problem-solving, attendees will enhance their confidence in guiding students, supporting CIs, and aligning ethical behavior with patient-centered care.

The session concludes with practical take-home resources: a CI ethics checklist, student reflection prompts, and reference materials from the APTA, CAPTE, and OPTA Ethics Committee. By integrating ethical reasoning into supervision and instruction, educators can better prepare future clinicians to think critically, act compassionately, and uphold the profession’s highest standards.

This session combines lecture, discussion, and active participation to equip attendees with concrete tools for identifying, analyzing, and addressing ethical challenges in physical therapy clinical education.

Upon completion of this session, the attendee will be able to - 

• Identify key ethical principles and professional standards outlined in the APTA Code of Ethics, Core Values, and CAPTE expectations as they relate to clinical education.
• Differentiate between professionalism and ethical reasoning when navigating complex student–CI– patient interactions.
• Apply structured ethical decision-making frameworks (e.g., RIPS Model) to analyze and resolve common ethical dilemmas in clinical education.
• Develop strategies to foster open dialogue, reflective practice, and accountability among students, clinical instructors, and faculty in ethically challenging situations.