Efficacy of facilitating reflective practices on reflective capacity, learning and clinical competency of under-graduate Physiotherapy students: A longitudinal study.

Reflection has been defined as an active process of reviewing, analysing and evaluating experiences, drawing upon theoretical concepts or previous learning, in order to inform future actions. It is deemed an essential skill for future practitioners to learn and perform, providing the framework for transferring and applying learning (theory) into different practical scenarios. Researchers have reiterated the role of reflective practice to improve patient care, bridging the gap between knowledge and practice. A self-aware professional is the one who knows how to self-monitor and self -regulate. Reflection is a skill which is not necessarily easily

developed or practiced. It is often ignored due to more focus on technical aspects during clinical training along with the time constraints encountered in busy clinical environments. There is hardly any practice of using journal as a tool of promoting reflections in Physiotherapy health science universities in India. There is a paucity of Indian literature associated with Reflections in Physiotherapy in the academic realm.Limited empirical evidence of reflective practice through journaling in Indian Physiotherapy both in academic and clinical realm warrants the need for further research. Information obtained from this study would guide academic curriculum development and promote right use of journals to facilitate self-directed learning which in the long run will improve patient outcomes and address the need of the society.