The purpose of this study was to (1) assess whether physiotherapists in a large Canadian province support the offering of a clinical master’s degree programme; (2) identify what sector of this population is interested in participating in a clinical master’s degree programme; (3) identify the most common personal/professional reasons for enrolling; (4) identify the type of programme that would appeal; and (5) assess barriers to participation in such a programme.Methods: The survey and accompanying cover letter explaining the study were sent by postal mail to all 2,552 physiotherapists registered with the College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia (CPTBC). The response rate was 17%; 90% of respondents support offering this type of physiotherapy degree in BC, and 14% reported that they were likely to enrol. Orthopaedics/manual therapy (41%) was the clinical area of most interest.
There is strong support for a clinical master’s degree in orthopaedic manual therapy in BC. There is greater support for a part-time programme with an inter-professional component, using a combination of e-learning and classroom teaching to reduce travel time and time away from family.