A training session is essential to learn how to administer the MFM and the marking principles. It can be provided by an already trained colleague, or by taking part in a one-day training session with video support. MFM user training sessions are open to physiotherapists and to doctors. The training is also proposed to occupational therapists. The significant use of video during the training sessions limits the access of therapists with visual deficiencies. From June 2004 to April 2008, 394 therapists - mainly physiotherapists, occupational therapists and doctors - undertook MFM training, and 358 of them passed the training validation test. At present the training courses are distributed only in French.


Initial training

The organisation of the training courses is managed by l’Institut International Supérieur de Formation des Cadres de Santé (IISFCS) of the Hospices Civils de Lyon (HCL), in connection with the Départment des Affaires Médicales of the AFM. The IISFCS is an ongoing training institute registered with the Préfet de la région Rhône-Alpes under the n° 8269P470869. A training course lasts one day. Two sessions are organised in Lyon each year. On-site training is also possible. The minimum number of participants is 7, with a maximum of 18. The person in charge of teaching is Dr. Carole BERARD and the trainer is Françoise GIRARDOT, physiotherapist health executive of the l’Escale HCL service. At the beginning of the session each participant receives the MFM user’s manual, 2 MFM scoring sheets, and various educational documents. The training provides the means to discover the MFM and use it reliably and effectively. It rests on the analysis of filmed sequences of children and adults affected by neuromuscular diseases. At the end of the training course a control of the correct use of the MFM is carried out with the validation test. Success in this test is imperative to use the MFM in the context of clinical research.


Updating skills

Before each clinical study, it is desirable to update skills if the MFM is used as evaluation criteria. An updating session is organised prior to the start of the study, and all the investigators participating in the study are invited to take part.


Projects

• A CD of score training is under development.
• Online skills updating will soon be available on this English version. Starting now, go to the French version of the web side for training sessions.