Reflections on Leadership Retention in Physical Therapist Education Programs

Abstract

Martha Hinman, Clair Peel, and Ellen Price, with associated commentary by James GordonAs a mostly retired academician and clinician, I maintain an inter- est in the educational community and regularly read the Journal of Physical Therapy Education. As a retired department chair of a physical therapist educational program and a physical therapist assistant educational program, I read the article on leadership retention with interest. The problems today, unfortunately, are similar to the prob- lems of 20 and 30 years ago and will probably continue to be problems 20 years from now. There are excellent suggestions in both the article and the commentary. The suggestions to try an increase the supply of competent educational leaders through mentoring and workshops are important. I remember the Education Section addressing those prob- lems through past workshops for both faculty and leaders. However, one should not try to increase the pool on one hand and close the door on the other. I must take exception to Dr. Gordons suggestion that accreditation criteria should require that the head/director/chair of a physical therapist educational program have at least 5 years of ac- ademic experience. As a retired educational leader who went directly from full time clinical practice to creating and leading an educational department that eventually was home to 3 different programs for the physical therapist and the physical therapist assistant, I don't believe that previous academic experience should be a requirement.Certainly, established programs should look carefully within their own ranks to fill the position of leader. Some institutions rotate the leadership position among the existing faculty with success. Leaders exist in many areas of physical therapy practice and the qualities of an effective leader are reflected in the indi- vidual's achievements in any of these areas. To limit educational leaders to those already within the academic arena could serve to limit creativity and innovation.I entered the educational area because I was not satisfied with the capabilities of the graduates I was hiring in the clinic. While they were full of knowledge, they lacked in clinical rea- soning, diagnosis (a barred word in the 1960s and 70s), and adjusting to the individual. Yes, I obtained a doctorate in educa- tion to prepare myself for that world, but my lack of previous academic experience allowed me to look at curriculum design, teaching methods, and content organization without the bur- den of past procedures. The first 3 faculty members I hired were also expert clinicians who were open to a different approach to physical therapist education. To require that all educational leaders come from within academia would serve to limit such opportunities. I am sure there are other successful educational leaders who came from the clinical world. While it is admitted- ly difficult to evaluate effective leadership from the perspective of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), it is not impossible. Effective leaders come in many configurations and our educational programs are stronger be- cause of that variety. To try and define criteria too tightly could lead to a smaller pool of potential leaders and possibly, less cre- ativity and innovation which is so important to effective educa- tion.Response to Letter to EditorDr. May raises an important issue in her thoughtful letter: How do we ensure a high quality of physical therapy academic programs through accreditation while at the same time not stifling creativity and innova- tion? Indeed, there is an inevitable tension in accreditation between over-regulation (all programs must fit into a formula) and underregulation (anything goes). Finding the right balance will never be easy and will require a willingness to look at every program as a unique case. I think it is fair to say that the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) has a history of allowing and even encouraging innovation. …