Capstone Requirements

Planning for your capstone and EBP II

The first step in planning for your capstone is to have an interest area that you want to learn more about. You’ll focus on this topic in Evidence Based Practice II in the fall of your third year (or second year if you’re a transitional student).

• It could be a question that relates to something you’ve seen clinically,
• a need that you’d like to address on a service learning trip you’re planning to attend,
• an educational piece you’d like to develop for an upcoming clinical or for entry level students who will follow you,
• or could be related to a research project that you want to help faculty as a research experience.

There is a fair amount of flexibility. Look at projects on this site. The project is often done solo – but sometimes students work in pairs.

As you’re working in the EBP II course you should be thinking  “How can I apply what I’ve learned?

• However, an important question is – Is there a need? First, confirm – “you bet there is a need!” for what you’re planning
  • Consult with future center coordinators for a rotation to tailor your content to an inservice they will love
  • Find a local facility that wants your video or patient brochure
  • Make sure the topic fits with your research advisor’s needs for their project
  • Identify an instructor/course that needs a module developed for the EDPT program.
  • Double check the needs for the service learning trip you’re going on
  • Survey potential users or stakeholders to confirm there is a need

Sooner is better than later to confirm that need!! You might think that your topic is the most. interesting. ever. Only to find that the patients with that diagnosis are never seen in the clinic where you’d plan to do an inservice. A good match is good for everyone!

The final assignment for EBP II is a short summary of how you plan to apply what you’ve learned to clinic, to teaching, to service, to something.

• Share the connections you’ve already made with a clinical site or other way to apply the info.
• If feedback for the assignment suggests people to contact or possible clinical partners make those contacts BEFORE BREAK.
• Return in January with the way paved for a stress free capstone, advised by willing partners who are also excited about what you are doing.

Spring semester requirements

Sometimes students need to “reboot” on their initial project idea. This is often because the scope was too big or there was insufficient need for what they were proposing to do. If this is the case, a short description of the plan for a revised project idea may be submitted early in the spring semester. This can be avoided by doing the necessary legwork in the fall during EBP II.

Project approval forms can be submitted anytime after the initial project concept is approved (end of fall for most students, beginning of spring for a few).

Since the capstone is about application of information, there are several ways that we observe how you apply what you’ve learned. Below are common requirements for all projects, although the specifics of how these things are carried out varies with some projects.

• Some form of NEW literature review OR NEW knowledge synthesis – you read a limited number of articles for EBP II, increase the depth of your knowledge in the area as guided by your advisor via
  • Development of (a) new evidence table(s) – may be related to previous topics, but must be separate and distinct from previous work, or additions to previous evidence table to update/round out literature mastery
  • OR additional learning experience related to the topic
•  Development of product(s) that demonstrate your learning
•  Health literacy assessment of any consumer or peer products
•  Review of educational pieces to ensure use of media is optimal (especially powerpoint presentations)
•  Evaluation component (for a presentation or online module, for product(s) you develop, etc.)
•  Posting of project on dptcapstone.web.unc.edu
•  Response to classmates/faculty questions
•  Communication with faculty and committee members
•  Adherence to deadlines for all project components
•  Self-reflection that demonstrates your ability to evaluate your own work

You’ll get into the specifics of each of these with your advisor as you go along. Your timeline must take into account any shifts from the standard project due dates in order to meet service learning project deadlines or other timing requirements.