When everyday clinical decisions feel mentally demanding, organization matters.

Foundational Concepts in Clinical Reasoning is an 8-week, mentorship-based online program that supports physiotherapists in organizing how they think through cases — so decisions feel clearer, more intentional, and more manageable in everyday practice.
People working around computers

What Clinicians Say

"Before working with Meghan, my mind felt scattered. I would do multiple courses at once, watch physio videos, and listen to podcasts, hoping something would 'click.' But I kept running into the same problems: struggling with clinical reasoning, not knowing how to build effective treatment plans for complex cases.

Learning a structured clinical reasoning process with Meghan changed everything. I don't panic when a case is complex anymore. My focus changed from 'what can I do for this client?' to 'what does this client need to reach their goals?' I'm more confident, more engaged, and I'm seeing better outcomes."

— Taha B, Physiotherapist

Why this program exists


Many physiotherapists feel that building their practice means accumulating techniques and tools, yet are rarely taught how to organize decisions in complex, real-world cases.  

Over time, the challenge becomes less about learning what to do and more about deciding when, why, and how to apply what is already known. Without an organized approach to clinical reasoning, decision-making can feel effortful, uncertain, and mentally fatiguing, even for capable and motivated clinicians.

This program exists to support clinicians in developing structure around how they think through cases, bringing clarity and direction to everyday clinical decisions and supporting professional growth over time.


What this program focuses on

  • Organizing clinical reasoning in everyday practice

    Emphasis is placed on how clinicians interpret information, prioritize what matters most, and navigate complex or uncertain cases with greater clarity.

  • Integrating skills, evidence, + patient context

    The program supports thoughtful integration of existing skills and research evidence within real-world clinical contexts, rather than adding new techniques.

  • Developing clarity through reflection + mentorship

    Clinical reasoning is strengthened through guided reflection, discussion, and mentorship that supports learning over time, not just performance in the moment.

What changes over eight weeks


Over the course of eight weeks, participants often notice a shift in how they approach clinical thinking and decision-making more than merely what they do. Decision-making becomes more intentional and less reactive, with greater clarity about why certain paths are chosen and when to adjust or pause. As clinical thinking becomes more organized, uncertainty becomes easier to navigate, mental load is reduced, and clinicians often experience greater confidence—not because they have more answers, but because they trust the process they use to arrive at them.


Course curriculum

    1. 0.1 Welcome to the Program

    2. 0.2 Navigating the course player

    3. 0.3 Course outline & deliverables

    4. Course Outline

    5. 0.4 Live Event Schedule

    6. 0.5 Maximizing the experience

    7. 0.6 Expectations & Goal setting

    8. 0.7 Final instructions

    9. TASK | Schedule your 1:1 Intake Interview

    10. ACTIVITY | "What is your learning style?"

    11. SHARE | Your Learning Style

    12. ACTIVITY | Warm-Up Case

    13. COMMUNITY | Tell us a bit about you

    14. FEEDBACK | Live Session Summary + Take-aways

    15. RECORDING | Live Session - 30 Sep 2022

    16. POST-MODULE | Survey

    1. TASK | Schedule your 1:1 Mentorship session

    2. 1.1 Introduction

    3. 1.2 Clinical Reasoning: Models, frameworks and concepts

    4. 1.2 - Part 1 | What is Clinical Reasoning?

    5. 1.2 - Part 2 | Models + Frameworks

    6. 1.2 - Part 3 | Sources of Error

    7. 1.2 - Part 4 | Supporting your development

    8. 1.3 Exploring the elements of clinical decision making

    9. 1.3 - Part 1 | Knowledge + Skills

    10. 1.3 - Part 2 | Clinician Experience

    11. 1.3 - Part 3 | The Patient Narrative

    12. 1.4 Understanding the evidence for clinical application

    13. 1.4 - Part 1 | Evidence-Informed Practice

    14. 1.4 - Part 2 | Reliability, Validity and Detecting Change

    15. 1.4 - Part 3 | Levels of Evidence + Study Design

    16. QUIZ | Applying the evidence to clinical practice

    17. 1.5 Advancing our clinical reasoning | The role for deliberate practice in expertise

    18. 1.5 - Part 1 | Deliberate Practice

    19. 1.5 - Part 2 | Critical Thinking

    20. 1.5 - Part 3 | Reflective Practice

    21. 1.5 - Part 4 | Mentorship

    22. 1.5 - Part 5 | Expertise

    23. ACTIVITY | Components of Clinical Reasoning

    24. JOURNAL CLUB | What makes an expert?

    25. JOURNAL CLUB | Hip MWM and Hip OA - Let's appraise the evidence

    26. RECORDING | Live Q+A - Week 1 (07 Oct 2022)

    27. OPTIONAL | EBP debate at Physiotherapy UK 2015

    28. POST-MODULE 1 | Survey

    1. TASK | Schedule Group Mentorship session

    2. 2.1 Introduction

    3. 2.2 The Patient Interview

    4. 2.2 - Part 1 | Subjective History

    5. 2.3 Understanding the patient narrative

    6. 2.3 - Part 1 | Communication

    7. 2.3 - Part 2 | Patient Autonomy

    8. 2.3 - Part 3 | Motivational Interviewing

    9. Optional activity: 'A lesson in empathy'

    10. 2.4 Goal Setting + Participation

    11. 2.4 - Part 1 | ICF Model

    12. 2.4 - Part 2 | Rehabilitation Problem Solving Form (RPS-Form)

    13. 2.4 - Part 3 | Goal Setting

    14. 2.5 Mapping the pain experience

    15. 2.5 - Part 1 | Types of pain

    16. 2.5 - Part 2 | The radar plot

    17. 2.5 - Part 3 | Domains + Pain drivers

    18. 2.6 Screening: Flags, contraindications and risk factors - Intro

    19. 2.6 - Part 1 | Red Flags

    20. 2.6 - Part 2 | Yellow Flags

    21. 2.6 - Part 3 | Work considerations

    22. 2.6 - Part 4 | Contraindications + Risk factors

    23. CASE | Primary Case Introduction

    24. ACTIVITY | Radar Plot

    25. ACTIVITY | Goal setting

    26. ACTIVITY | Quick Reflection

    27. RECORDING | Group Session - Week 2 (10 Oct 2022)

    28. JOURNAL CLUB | A new clinical model for pain assessment

    29. POST-MODULE 2 | Survey

    1. TASK | Schedule Group Mentorship session

    2. 3.1 Introduction

    3. 3.2 Developing a clinical hypothesis

    4. 3.2 - Part 1 | Biases + Assumptions

    5. 3.2 - Part 2 | Generating from the problem list

    6. 3.3 Hypothesis categories

    7. 3.3 - Part 1 | The person

    8. 3.3 - Part 2 | The pathology

    9. 3.3 - Part 3 | The plan + prognosis

    10. 3.4 Interpreting the information: The role of prediction rules

    11. 3.4 - Part 1 | What are Clinical Prediction Rules?

    12. 3.4 - Part 2 | Applying CPRs

    13. 3.5 When to refer: Identifying flags and utilizing a team-based approach

    14. CASE | Primary Case + Outcome Measures

    15. ACTIVITY | Complete the Anatomy Star

    16. ACTIVITY | Generate a problem list + your hypotheses

    17. JOURNAL CLUB | Evaluating diagnositc accuracy of "red flag" screening questions to inform a diagnostic rule.

    18. JOURNAL CLUB | International Framework for Red Flags for Potential Serious Spinal Pathologies

    19. POST-MODULE 3 | Survey

    20. RECORDING | Live Q+A Session - 21 Oct 2022

    1. TASK | Schedule Group Mentorship session

    2. 4.1 Introduction

    3. 4.2 Organizing the clinical exam + creating the exam strategy

    4. ACTIVITY | RPS Form

    5. ARTICLE | Applying ICF + RPS Form

    6. 4.3 Applying the evidence: Clusters and diagnostic validity

    7. 4.3 - Part 1 | Review of key concepts

    8. 4.3 - Part 2 | Applying clinical tests

    9. 4.3 - Part 3 | Clinical clusters

    10. ACTIVITY | Apply a Cluster to a Clinical Scenario

    11. 4.4 Considering the patient: Exam tolerance and adapting strategies

    12. ACTIVITY | Quick reflection

    13. JOURNAL CLUB | Clinical classification in low back pain: best evidence diagnostic rules

    14. RECORDING | Group Session - Week 4 (24 Oct 2022)

    15. POST-MODULE 4 | Survey

    16. RECORDING | Live Q+A Session - 28 Oct 2022

    1. TASK | Schedule your 1:1 Mentorship session

    2. 5.1 Introduction

    3. CASE | Primary Case Objective Findings

    4. 5.2 Refining the hypothesis

    5. ACTIVITY | Primary hypothesis

    6. 5.3 Establish a management plan

    7. 5.3 - Part 1 | Using the problem list

    8. 5.3 - Part 2 | Plan strategy

    9. ACTIVITY | Choosing outcome measures

    10. JOURNAL CLUB | Best evidence rehabilitation for chronic pain | Part 3: Low Back Pain

    11. 5.4 Patient education: Communication + Language

    12. 5.4 - Part 1 | Clinician language

    13. 5.4 - Part 2 | Communication strategies

    14. 5.4 - Part 3 | Communicating Risk

    15. 5.5 Patient education: Knowledge Translation

    16. 5.5 - Part 1 | Creating a resource

    17. PROJECT | Knowledge Translation + Resource Creation

    18. 5.6 Patient education: Patient expectations and satisfaction

    19. JOURNAL CLUB | Patient expectations of benefit from interventions for neck pain

    20. 5.7 Patient education: Informed Consent

    21. 5.8 Patient education: Mechanisms of manual therapy

    22. 5.8 - Part 1 | Mechanisms explained

    23. 5.8 - Part 2 | Applying the theory to practice

    24. POST-MODULE 5 | Survey

    25. RECORDING | Live Q+A Session - 04 Nov 2022

Foundational Concepts in Clinical Reasoning

  • 7.5 hours of video content

Spring 2026 Cohort: 27 March - 22 May

Registration closes February 20 at 6pm (PST)

Enrollment is limited to 20 participants to support meaningful mentorship.

  • 00 Days
  • 00 Hours
  • 00 Minutes
  • 00 Seconds
Register now

How learning + mentorship are supported

  • Self-paced Learning + Reflection:
    Weekly modules introduce foundational concepts related to clinical reasoning development, evidence use, and bias in practice. Participants have access to full-text literature and a curated resource library to support reflection and application in their own clinical contexts.

  • Live Discussion + Case-based Mentorship:
    Weekly live Q&A sessions and group mentorship discussions create space to explore questions, examine clinical reasoning, and apply course concepts to real-world cases in a collaborative and supportive environment.

  • Individualized Mentorship + Ongoing Support:
    Built-in 1:1 mentorship sessions provide tailored support for integrating learning into practice, including discussion of complex cases and individual clinical challenges. Participants have ongoing access to mentors through scheduled office hours, email, and discussion forums throughout the program.

  • Professional Mentorship Recognition:
    Mentorship is provided by FCAMPT physiotherapists registered with the Orthopaedic Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Mentorship sessions may count toward direct mentorship hours required for Advanced Manual Therapy programs.

  • Continued Access + Community:
    Participants retain access to course content, discussion forums, and member-only learning opportunities beyond the formal program to support ongoing professional development.

Why mentorship matters


Clinical reasoning develops most effectively through experience combined with reflection and guidance. Mentorship provides a supportive environment to slow down thinking, examine decisions, and organize complex information. Through structured discussion and collaborative learning, clinicians are supported in refining decision-making processes over time.


 "My biggest challenge was wanting to diagnose the injury and panicking if I had multiple hypotheses. I would get caught up on smaller details or over-test in my objective assessments.

Working with Meghan allowed me to think outside the box and determine 2-3 hypotheses for a case. It gave me confidence that with complex cases, I didn't have to solve and diagnose immediately. I learned to not chase perfection in every assessment. I used to be very worried about getting it 'wrong'!"

— Steph J, Physiotherapist

Who this program is for

This program is designed for physiotherapists who:

  • Feel confident in their skills but uncertain in complex cases

  • Want decisions to feel clearer and less mentally demanding

  • Are early-career clinicians building foundations

  • Are mid-career clinicians refining their approach

  • Value mentorship, reflection, and thoughtful professional development

Foundational Concepts in Clinical Reasoning



SPRING 2026 | 27 MAR - 22 MAY

FALL 2026 | 25 SEP - 20 NOV

Duration: 8 weeks
Investment: $1495 + Tax
Location: Online


KEY DATES + DETAILS:

Spring 2026 Cohort: Registration deadline FEB 20
Fall 2026 Cohort: Registration opens MAY 2026

  • Intake interview helps tailor the program to your goals & needs
  • Flexible 1:1 Mentorship session availability
  • Self-paced Module content released weekly
  • Live Q&A sessions weekly
  • Time commitment per week: ~3-5 hours

    Learn more about the Program

SPRING 2026 | Registration

Choose your payment plan:

Stay up-to-date with upcoming courses and exciting EVOLVE updates!

* indicates required