Learning Meets Adventure: A Spy Mission to Master Clinical Skills

Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students recently stepped into the world of espionage for a one-of-a-kind learning experience—a spy-themed escape room designed to sharpen their clinical skills.

The challenge, created by faculty and clinicians, tasked students with practicing a range of motion and manual muscle testing in preparation for an upcoming skills check. Working in randomly assigned teams, each group partnered with a faculty member to tackle a series of spy-inspired cases. For each case, students determined which joints to measure and which muscles to strength test.

Success unlocked clues and new cases, and completing all cases earned teams a cipher to decode the final message: "Congratulations! Great work. Have a great break. You are free to leave!"

The interactive format blended problem-solving, teamwork, and hands-on practice, making clinical review both engaging and memorable.

“We wanted to create something that was not only educational but also fun and collaborative,” said Brittany Jones, PT, DPT, GCS, Faculty Development Resident. “Seeing students work together and enjoy the process while reinforcing key skills was incredibly rewarding. We can’t wait to do it again next year!

Pictured (from left to right): Teoma LeShawn (Faculty Development Resident, PT, DPT, MDiv), Matt Harville (Faculty Development Resident, PT, DPT), Brittany Jones (Faculty Development Resident, PT, DPT, GCS), Marcus Roll (Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Core Faculty, PT, DPT), Nick LeBlond (Instructor and Medical Center-Associated Faculty, PT, DPT, ATC, LAT, OCS, FAAOMPT), Jeff Hoder (Director of Student Affairs and Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, PT, DPT), and Sean Carlucci (Faculty Development Resident, PT, DPT).