Importance of Terminal Academic Degreed Core Faculty in Physical Therapist Education

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Recent changes to the standards of accreditation implemented by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education require that a minimum 50% of all core faculty must hold an academic doctoral degree such as a PhD. Enforcement of these requirements will begin in 2020. Clearly, these changes will present challenges to the growing need for qualified faculty in physical therapist education programs. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a brief review of recent changes in the academic credentialing requirements for core faculty members and to offer our rationale for supporting these new standards. Reasons to Support the New Standards: The importance of maintaining the new requirements is supported by a recent decline in full-text scholarly products from core faculty across the profession, with faculty relying much more on presentation abstracts to meet accreditation requirements. The collective effect of decreased publication of full-length articles suggests that the generation of scholarly products in the field of physical therapy is at risk. In addition, a lack of scientific dissemination is likely to reduce the profession's ability to advance the profession through translational science. The minimum 50% core faculty with earned academic degrees standard also serves to aid in longevity and resultant stability of a core faculty through increased rates of successful promotion and tenure. Finally, recently published studies on methods of proposed excellence in physical therapist education suggest the need for continuing emphasis on physical therapist education in increased depth and breadth of foundation knowledge is needed to prepare graduates for a more complex health care environment. Faculty who possess terminal academic degrees in the field of physical therapy and foundational sciences are best prepared to take on this challenge. Summary: The practice of physical therapy is changing, and the education of entry-level students must adapt to keep current with those changes. We, as academic leaders in the profession, must insist on retaining, and possibly even strengthening, the requirement of a minimum 50% mix of terminally academic degreed faculty within our core faculty.