Consultative and educational roles of a physical therapist in a family practice residency.

Many medical schools and primary care residencies provide little formal instruction in musculoskeletal examination skills. Physical therapists are well qualified by knowledge and experience to teach these skills to students and residents. The authors present educational objectives that have been utilized since May 1988 in the physical therapy teaching portion of a sports medicine rotation in a family practice residency, and they describe the educational and consultative roles of a physical therapist in the residency. The therapist demonstrated the portion of the musculoskeletal examination that is important for the differentiation of contractile and inert tissue involvement, and she reviewed problems unique to athletes. The therapist's presence exposed students, residents, and faculty to the appropriate use of physical therapists as consultants and clinicians.