Factors Contributing to Physical Therapists’ Job and Career Satisfaction in the United States: Results From a National Survey

Abstract

Introduction. Mentoring and professional development opportunities influence job and career satisfaction. Review of the Literature. Job and career satisfaction are multifactorial. The purpose of this study was to compare job and career satisfaction between physical therapists (PTs) who were residency trained and PTs who were neither residency nor fellowship trained and between PTs who were fellowship trained and PTs who were neither residency nor fellowship trained. Subjects. Licensed PTs in the United States. Methods. An online survey was distributed asking questions regarding job satisfaction and career satisfaction. Respondents were categorized as completing a residency, fellowship, both, or neither. Responses were respectively summed, then compared between groups: residency versus nonresidency/nonfellowship and fellowship versus nonresidency/nonfellowship. Frequency analyses and Mann–Whitney U tests were performed. Results. A total of 3,080 survey responses were analyzed. Residency-trained PTs had an overall higher job satisfaction score (P = .03) and higher career satisfaction score (P = .05) when compared with non–residency-trained or non–fellowship-trained PTs. Fellowship-trained PTs reported higher job satisfaction (P < .001) and career satisfaction (P = .001) compared with non–residency-trained or non–fellowship-trained PTs. Residency-trained PTs rated the importance of their work being interesting and learning/improving in their work of greater importance to their job satisfaction compared with non–residency-trained or non–fellowship-trained PTs (P < .05). Whereas, fellowship-trained PTs rated factors such as their jobs being positively challenging, fulfilling, and interesting, having sufficient independence, and were learning/improving in their work of greater importance than non–residency-trained and non–fellowship-trained PTs (P ≤ .004). Discussion and Conclusion. Results from the study support previous evidence that PTs overall have high job/career satisfaction and residency/fellowship training may further enhance job and career satisfaction. Findings provide valuable insight and are relevant to all PTs as well as stakeholders involved in professional and postprofessional physical therapy education and those making hiring decisions and potential employment opportunities.