Feedback from alumni strongly suggested that clinical reasoning, the foundation of Australian Approach, made the greatest impact on their ability to manage patients.
As described by Barbara Stevens: “Even in the beginning of the program when McKenzie’s influence as well as Norwegian philosophies were taught; the faculty realized that teaching multiple approaches was not working due to the lack of a concrete manner of thinking and teaching.”
In the 1980’s, Joe Farrell and Margaret Anderson joined the faculty. Joe Farrell had earned his master’s degree in manipulative therapy in Australia and Margaret Anderson had studied with Maitland in Australia. The Australian Approach was adopted as the primary teaching philosophy with integration of other OMPT approaches, therapeutic exercise and self-management concepts.
