Deciding Together : Patients and Physiotherapists Transforming Arthritis Care

Abstract

Maribeth Anne Gelisanga was a semi-finalist in the 2026 UBC Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. Maribeth presented the research titled “Deciding Together: Patients and Physiotherapists Transforming Arthritis Care.” Arthritis is a long-term condition that often involves ongoing pain, changing abilities, and shifting personal goals. Thus, people living with arthritis must regularly make decisions about their care together with their physiotherapist. Shared decision-making is a collaborative approach that supports these conversations by integrating clinical evidence and clinician's expertise with patient's preferences and values. This study aims to explore how shared decision making currently happens in physiotherapy and how it can be better integrated into care for people with arthritis. Maribeth Anne Gelisanga is completing a MSc in Rehabilitation Sciences in the Rehabilitation Sciences program under the supervision of Dr. Linda Li. #3MT is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience. For more information or to participate in UBC’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT) visit https://3mt.grad.ubc.ca.