Clinical PT Talks
Clinical PT Talks
Dr. Mark White, PT, DPT, BA, OCS
The fallacy of n-of-1 thinking. How it limits your ability to improve as a clinician, and what to do instead.
18 minutes Posted Jan 26, 2026 at 9:40 pm.
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18:37
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Show notes

Physical therapists love to report the wonderful results they have achieved with their patients. And rightly so. Singular cases stand out. The clinician is happy, the patient is happy, and sharing success with colleagues, patients, and anyone who will listen is fun and can be informative. Inevitably, however, someone is always quick to point out what seems obvious: "But remember, that's only an n-of-1." As if you have cherry-picked your remarkable example from an otherwise unremarkable bunch. How could you be so naive? Join me as I discuss a different perspective on n-of-1 thinking, one that reveals powerful evidentiary options that n-of-1 observations give rise to if properly understood.  

REFERENCE

https://sites.duke.edu/cemmt/2025/12/24/why-individualized-treatment-effects-matter-more-than-averages-in-musculoskeletal-care/