Entry-Level Doctoral Degrees in Physical Therapy: Status as of Spring 2000

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Physical therapist education has entered a new phase of development with the initiation of the first entry-level doctoral degrees in the early 1990s. This study determined the status of the professional (entry-level) doctoral degree in physical therapy as of the spring of 2000 and described factors affecting decisions and influencing change toward the entry-level doctoral degree. Method. A mailed survey of program administrators at all 178 accredited physical therapist education programs was conducted. Results. A response rate of 80% was achieved. Of the 84 respondents (59%) who reported discussion about the entry-level doctoral degree, 36 decided in favor of offering an entry-level doctoral degree, 16 decided against, and 32 had a decision pending. Major factors reported to be affecting decisions and influencing change were competition, practice needs, curricular factors, institutional factors, faculty qualifications, and opinions of the clinical community. More than half of program administrators (52%) believed the Education Section should endorse the doctoral degree as the preferred degree for entry-level education. Programs offering or changing to the entry-level doctoral degree tended to be housed in private institutions, have a longer history of graduatelevel education (10.0 years versus 2.6 years), a larger faculty (11.8 faculty members versus 8.5 faculty members), and a larger proportion of doctorally prepared faculty (0.55 versus 0.42) than institutions reporting no discussion of doctoral education. Conclusion. Many physical therapist programs are making the transition to entry-level doctoral education, particularly at private institutions, at institutions with mature graduate programs, and at institutions with larger numbers of doctorally educated faculty.