Doctor Of Physical Therapy Degree Research Articles

Imposter phenomenon in physical therapists: A cross-sectional observational study.

Imposter phenomenon (IP), or perceived fraudulence, describes an ongoing fear of exposure as a fraud or imposter, despite objective successes and accomplishments. Although there is a growing interest of IP in medicine, IP in the physical therapy profession has been minimally examined. We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of IP among licensed physical therapists in the United States. This cross-sectional observational study utilized an online survey to assess levels of IP using the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale. We assessed degrees of emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction and collected professional and demographic information. A multivariable logistic regression model examined factors associated with IP presence. The mean IP score was 60.3 (SD: 15.1, range: 19-95). Fifty-five respondents (10.7%) had low IP, 196 (38.1%) moderate, 215 (41.8%) frequent, and 48 (9.3%) intense IP. The prevalence of IP, defined as frequent or intense IP, was 51.2%. Having manager/supervisor experience (odds ratio [OR] = 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.34-0.90) was associated with a reduced odds of IP presence. Holding a bachelor's or master's degree (vs. Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT); OR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.07-5.00), a history of or current mental health diagnosis (OR = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.69-4.54), and emotional exhaustion (moderate vs. low: OR = 5.37, 95% CI = 2.11-13.69; high vs. low: OR = 14.13, 95% CI = 5.56-35.89) were each associated with an increased odds of IP presence. IP is highly prevalent among licensed physical therapists. Seasoned clinicians with managerial roles seemed to be less susceptible to IP, whereas those with mental health diagnoses, emotional exhaustion, and those without a DPT degree may be more susceptible. Given its high prevalence and potential negative impact on burnout and career advancement, it is crucial to increase IP awareness and provide education on management strategies.

Knowledge, awareness and use of current practice of palliative care amongst physiotherapists.

Recently, there has been a marked increase in the incidence of cancer, HIV, and other noncommunicable diseases globally. Thus, the demand for palliative care (PC), including end-of-life care, continues to grow worldwide. Physiotherapy has an important role in PC as it aims to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life by optimising independent levels of function. To assess the level of knowledge, awareness and current practice of PC amongst Nigerian physiotherapists in clinical practice. Our study used a cross-sectional descriptive census-based method and recruited practising physiotherapists in Nigeria. An electronic questionnaire was used to collect data over 12 weeks, comprising 36 semistructured questions in four domains: personal information, knowledge, awareness and current practices regarding PC. Data were analysed using a pragmatist paradigm. Of the 426 physiotherapists who participated, 50% (n = 213) had a postgraduate degree, 49.5% (n = 211) had a bachelor's degree and 0.5% (n = 2) had a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. The results also indicate that 73.9% (n = 315) of the participants had sufficient knowledge about PC, 80.5% (n = 343) had a sufficient level of awareness about PC and 66.7% (n = 284) were using current clinical practices in the rehabilitation of critically ill patients or those with chronic conditions. It was concluded that most Nigerian physiotherapists had sufficient knowledge and awareness about PC and were involved in the management of patients requiring PC physiotherapy. It can be understood that a large proportion of Nigerian physiotherapists have clinical experience managing patients requiring PC, despite inadequate formal training in this field.

Long-Term Career Earnings in Academia Might Offset the Opportunity Cost of Full-Time PhD and Postdoctoral Education for Physical Therapists Who Hold a Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree.

Rigorously trained physical therapy researchers are essential for the generation of knowledge that guides the profession. However, there is a current and projected dearth of physical therapy researchers capable of sustaining research programs in part due to perceived financial barriers associated with pursuit of a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, with and without postdoctoral training, following doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree completion. This study aimed to evaluate the financial impact of PhD and postdoctoral training, including opportunity cost, years to break even, and long-term earnings. Clinical and academic salaries were obtained via the 2016 APTA Median Income of Physical Therapist Summary Report and 2019 CAPTE Annual Accreditation Report. Salaries were adjusted to total compensation to account for benefits and compared over a 30-year period starting after DPT education. Total compensations were also adjusted to the present value, placing greater weight on early career earnings due to inflation and potential investments. Relative to work as a clinical physical therapist, 4years of PhD training result in an earnings deficit of $264,854 rising to $357,065 after 2years of additional postdoctoral training. These deficits do not persist as evidenced by a clinical physical therapist career earning $449,372 less than a nonmajority scholarship academic career (DPT to PhD to academia pathway) and $698,704 less than a majority scholarship academic career (DPT to PhD to postdoctoral training to academia pathway) over a 30-year period. Greater long-term earnings for PhD careers persist when adjusting to present value. Although there is an initial opportunity cost of PhD and postdoctoral training represented by a relative earnings deficit, advanced research training results in greater long-term earnings. The findings of this study allow physical therapists interested in pursuing PhD and postdoctoral training to be better informed about the associated financial ramifications.

Practical Applications of Intangible Ironies: Investor Mispricing of Company Assets on and off Its Balance Sheet

<b>Background and Purpose:</b> The peer-reviewed journal article is the basic unit by which scholarship is defined. Few studies have examined peer-reviewed publication productivity in academic physical therapy programs. In this study, the publication productivity in academic physical therapy programs in the United States and Puerto Rico from 1998 to 2002 was documented, and publication productivity was examined in the context of selected program characteristics. <b>Subjects and Methods:</b> A total of 194 programs listed on the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Web site in the spring of 2004 were examined. The databases were searched for bibliographic citations of journal articles attributed to particular programs. The program characteristics of faculty size, offering of a research doctorate, and listing in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (Carnegie Classification) were compared with the number of citations. <b>Results:</b> A total of 169 programs had at least 1 attributed citation, 50.3% of the programs had fewer than 5 citations, and 3% had 44 or more citations. Rankings based on the number of citations changed when adjusted for faculty size. Of the 38 programs offering a research doctoral degree, 16 had 20 or more citations. Five programs with 44 or more citations were all categorized by the Carnegie Classification as doctoral intensive or extensive. <b>Discussion and Conclusion:</b> A few programs had a large number of attributed bibliographic citations, but the majority of programs had limited publication productivity in the 5 years studied. These results may provide a baseline for studying the effectiveness of the relatively new CAPTE standards mandating scholarship by physical therapy faculty over time and the impact of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree on research in physical therapy.

Benchmarking in Academic Physical Therapy Using the PT-GQ Survey: Wave 2 Update With Application to Accreditation Reporting.

The Benchmarking in Academic Physical Therapy study uses the Physical Therapist-Graduation Questionnaire (PT-GQ) survey to develop comprehensive performance benchmarks for physical therapist education. These benchmarks facilitate interprofessional comparisons and have application to accreditation self-study reporting. The purpose of this study is to report updated benchmarks from enrollment Wave 2 of the study, with an emphasis on curricular areas that align with accreditation standards. Seventy doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs (26.5% national sample) administered the survey to graduates during 2020-2021. Where possible, respondent data were contextualized by statistical comparison with published medical student data (Welch t test, Hedges g). There were 1894 respondents who participated in the study (response rate: 63.9%). The average survey duration was 32.9minutes. White-only, non-Hispanic/Latino/a/x individuals (78.8%) exceeded the 2020 US Census prevalence (60.1%), and only one-half of respondents perceived a benefit to their training from the diversity present in their programs. Over 94% of respondents indicated that their curricula were characterized by "problem solving/critical thinking" and "clinical reasoning," but nearly one-half indicated "busywork" was prevalent. High curricular satisfaction ratings clustered in content areas relating to profession-specific technical skills and low ratings clustered in foundational sciences. DPT respondents reported significantly lower tolerance for ambiguity, significantly more exhaustion, and significantly less disengagement than medical students. Respondents endorsed higher levels of "adaptive" perfectionism (striving for high performance) than "maladaptive" perfectionism (concern over negative evaluations). Respondents with loans (27.7%) had debt exceeding $150,000, the benchmark above which the DPT degree loses economic power. PT-GQ benchmarks revealed strengths (eg, curricula emphasizing problem solving/critical thinking and clinical reasoning) and challenges (eg, low diversity, problematic student debt) in physical therapist education. Programs can use benchmarking for quality-improvement efforts and as a data source for accreditation self-study reports. The ongoing study will refine national benchmarks and pilot items to address new research questions.

Benchmarking in Academic Physical Therapy: A Multicenter Trial Using the PT-GQ Survey.

Academic physical therapy has no universal metrics by which educational programs can measure outcomes, limiting their ability to benchmark to their own historical performance, to peer institutions, or to other health care professions. The PT-Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) survey, adapted from the Association of American Medical Colleges' GQ, addresses this gap by offering both inter-professional insight and fine-scale assessment of physical therapist education. This study reports the first wave of findings from an ongoing multi-site trial of the PT-GQ among diverse academic physical therapy programs, including (1) benchmarks for academic physical therapy, and (2) a comparison of the physical therapist student experience to medical education benchmarks. Thirty-four doctor of physical therapy (DPT) programs (13.2% nationwide sample) administered the online survey to DPT graduates during the 2019 to 2020 academic year. PT-GQ and Association of American Medical Colleges data were contrasted via Welch's unequal-variance t test and Hedges g (effect size). A total of 1025 respondents participated in the study (response rate: 63.9%). The average survey duration was 31.8minutes. Overall educational satisfaction was comparable with medicine, and respondents identified areas of curricular strength (eg, anatomy) and weakness (eg, pharmacology). DPT respondents provided higher ratings of faculty professionalism than medicine, lower rates of student mistreatment, and a lesser impact of within-program diversity on their training. One-third of respondents were less than "satisfied" with student mental health services. DPT respondents reported significantly higher exhaustion but lower disengagement than medical students, along with lower tolerance for ambiguity. Of DPT respondents who reported educational debt, one-third reported debt exceeding $150,000, the threshold above which the DPT degree loses economic power. These academic benchmarks, using the PT-GQ, provided insight into physical therapist education and identified differences between physical therapist and medical student perceptions. This ongoing trial will establish a comprehensive set of benchmarks to better understand academic physical therapy outcomes.

The Toll of Student Debt: Stress Among Health Professions Students and the Promising Role of Financial Self-Efficacy on Career Choices

Introduction. As the cost of higher education rises, the debt associated with degree attainment also increases, including that of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Research suggests that a relationship between financial debt and postprofessional career aspirations may exist, and financial self-efficacy could attenuate debt-related stress. These relationships have not been studied in the health professions outside of medicine. Methods. A total of 139 participants among 6 health professions programs housed in one public, academic medical center were surveyed. Surveys administered to participants provided Likert scale data for a multiple regression analysis. Results. Eighty-one percent of students reported having a medium, large, or extreme amount of stress from the total amount of debt they are accruing. More than 70% of student responses indicated that the amount of student loan debt they expect to accumulate will influence their posttraining career selection to some extent. The regression model indicated some predictive ability of stress from student debt. Two of the covariates, self-efficacy and career selection, were statistically significant. Self-efficacy accounted for 36% of the variance explained in students' self-reported stress from debt by itself. Students' career selection and stress were strongly associated, with career selection explaining 85% of the variance explained in students' self-reported stress by itself. Discussion. Health professions students in a public academic medical center had a “medium amount” of stress, on average, from financial debt. Stress was associated with the amount of student loans students expect to accrue and their financial self-efficacy. Students also appeared to base their postprofessional career aspirations, at least in part, on the stress they experienced from financial debt. Financial self-efficacy appears to be a promising moderator for debt-related stress. Conclusion. Stress appears to be associated with higher student loan debt, but financial self-efficacy may moderate this trend. Level of Evidence. IV, Cross-sectional descriptive survey design. What Is Known About the Subject? Costs of physical therapy programs continue to rise, requiring more physical therapy students to use loans to pay for their education. Other professions, including medicine, have noted that student loan debt can cause high amounts of stress and has the potential to influence career choices. What This Study Adds to the Existing Literature? Health professions students in one academic medical center appear to base their postprofessional career aspirations, at least in part based on the stress they experience from financial debt. Financial self-efficacy appears to attenuate the amount of stress students feel from student loan debt.

Exploring the Relationship of Race and Ethnicity to Other Characteristics Within Residency Applicants: An Analysis of RF-PTCAS Data From 2013 to 2018

Introduction. A centralized application process for applicants to physical therapy residency and fellowship education programs has been available through an online portal known as Residency Fellowship-Physical Therapy Centralized Application Service (RF-PTCAS) since 2013. None of these data have been described or analyzed to date beyond an initial internal report of applicant and application numbers. The purpose of this study was to analyze and describe applicants to physical therapist (PT) residency programs from 2013 to 2018, with a specific focus on race and ethnicity. Demographic and admissions research related to PT residency education is limited, and we are unaware of any existing data on residency applicants based on racial and ethnic identity. At present, we can look to existing data from past and current Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students to inform expected racial or ethnic composition of current and future residents. Both the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and PTCAS provide population demographics of PT students. Methods. A data set from RF-PTCAS was obtained for analysis of applicant data for the application cycles from 2013–2014 to 2017–2018. Applicants to residency programs through RF-PTCAS between 2013 and 2018 were included in this analysis (n = 4,373). Results. This growing applicant pool has remained relatively similar in applicant demographics from year to year over this 5-year period of analysis. The data show that applicants to residency are best characterized as: 26–30 years of age, female, White, graduated with their DPT degree within the same or the previous year of applying to residency, and living in a state in the Southern, Mid-West or Pacific-Coastal regions. Discussion. Overall, the race/ethnicity of White to non-White applicants has remained constant with little change in the growth of non-White applicants. Thus, despite the “call to action” among leaders in our profession, and an increase in other related health professions, we have had little change across 5 years of admissions data. Conclusion. Thus, despite the “call to action” among leaders in our profession, and an increase in other related health professions, we have had little change across 5 years of admissions data to residency programs.

Physiotherapy education is a good financial investment, up to a certain level of student debt: an inter-professional economic analysis.

What is the economic value of a physiotherapy career relative to other healthcare professions? Is the graduate debt reported for physiotherapy manageable according to recommended salary-weighted debt service ratio benchmarks? Net present value (NPV) is an economic modelling approach that compares costs and benefits of an investment such as healthcare education. An economic analysis using the NPV approach was conducted and reported in US dollars for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. Comparable calculations were made for a range of other healthcare qualifications. Debt service ratios were also calculated under a range of scenarios. Entry-level salaries and rate of salary growth were obtained from government databases. Student debt levels were obtained from published sources. Because no national estimate exists for physical therapy student debt, debt was modelled for recent Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) graduates and for several hypothetical debt tiers. The NPV modelled future physical therapy earnings less the cost of education and the opportunity cost of foregone earnings from alternate careers. At the debt level reported by recent graduates (US $86563), physical therapy NPV was higher than occupational therapy, optometry, veterinary medicine, and chiropractic but lower than dentistry, pharmacy, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, and all medical specialties. At $150000 debt, physical therapy NPV falls below all careers except veterinary medicine and chiropractic. Students with>$200000 debt may not achieve recommended repayment benchmarks. At high debt levels (>$266000), physical therapy NPV no longer exceeds that of a bachelor's degree. Physiotherapy education is a good financial investment, up to a certain level of student debt. Students should carefully consider the amount of debt they are willing to incur in order to pursue a physiotherapy career. Likewise, physiotherapy education programs should consider the role they may play in bolstering the economic value of their graduates' future careers. [Shields RK, Dudley-Javoroski S (2018) Physiotherapy education is a good financial investment, up to a certain level of student debt: an inter-professional economic analysis. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 182-190].

Current knowledge of scoliosis in physical therapy students trained in the United States

Methods A 10-question survey, which included knowledge of 2011 SOSORT Guidelines, was developed for this study. The sample selected for this study included 130 randomly selected physical therapy schools offering the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in the United States. Physical therapy program directors receiving the research study invitation were asked to forward the anonymous online survey link (Qualtrics Survey Research Suite, Provo, UT) to students meeting the inclusion criteria. The details of the number of students who actually received the study invitation are unknown. The survey link closed after 4-weeks of data collection.

Attainment of Doctoral Degrees by Licensed Physical Therapists: Perceptions and Outcomes of Graduates

Background and Purpose. The transition of professional (entry-level) physical therapist education to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree has occurred rapidly over the past several years. However, the percentage of licensed physical therapists (PTs) who have pursued doctoral degrees is lower than hoped for by the profession. The purpose of this descriptive study was to measure perceptions and outcomes of doctoral degree attainment by licensed physical therapists. Subjects. Subjects included 103 licensed PTs who had completed 1 of the following degrees: the DPT in a transition format (tDPT), Doctor of Health Science or Doctor of Science degree in physical therapy, or a Doctor of Philopsophy (PhD) degree in physical therapy between 2002 and 2006. Methods. A questionnaire was developed using QuestionPro online software. Content validity of the questionnaire was established by a panel of experts and test-retest reliability was established with 10% of the participants. The questionnaire included demographic information, characteristics of the education program, anticipated and actual outcomes, perceived benefits and value, and impact on professional credibility. The questionnaire included both Likert-scale and open-ended question formats. Subjects were recruited via an APTA Education Section listserv posting and e-mails to postprofessional doctoral program directors. Descriptive statistics were compiled with QuestionPro software. Pearsons Chi Square statistic was used to generate cross-tabulations between the Likert-scale items and type of doctoral degree. Results. The majority of participants agreed that they valued the doctoral degree (98.06%), the benefits outweighed hardships (93.13%), and the degree enhanced their use of evidence-based practice (87.37%). Fewer participants agreed that the degree enhanced credibility among third- party payers (27.72%). Significant relationships were found between type of doctoral degree and perception of employers' value of the degree and ability to practice in a direct access setting. Categories of open-ended comments included: Impact on Professionalism and Practice Roles, Impact on Clinical Skills, Credibility of the Doctoral Degree, and Confusion About Faculty Credentials. Discussion. Perceptions and outcomes of doctoral degree attainment were positive in most respects. Participants who earned the DPT in a transition format indicated uncertainty regarding the use of the degree as a credential for a faculty position. Conclusion. This study provides information that may be useful to PTs who are considering pursuing a doctoral degree and to educators who conduct these programs. Further study with a larger, random sample would be beneficial to confirm the trends identified in this study. Key Words: Doctoral education, Postprofessional education, Student outcomes. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Vision Sentence for Physical Therapy 2020, endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) House of Delegates in 2000, states that By 2020, physical therapy will be provided by physical therapists who are doctors of physical therapy, recognized by consumers and other health care professionals as the practitioners of choice to whom consumers have direct access for the diagnosis of, interventions for, and prevention of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities related to movement, function, and health.1 The specific elements of Vision 2020 include autonomous practice, direct access, doctor of physical therapy and lifelong education, evidence-based practice, practitioner of choice, and professionalism.1 Consistent with Vision 2020, the conversion of physical therapist professional (entrylevel) education to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree has occurred rapidly. According to the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), as of August 2010, 96.7% of currently accredited professional physical therapist education programs are authorized to award the DPT degree (written communication, Ellen Price, PT, MEd, August 2010). …

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Journal Publication Productivity in Academic Physical Therapy Programs in the United States and Puerto Rico From 1998 to 2002

The peer-reviewed journal article is the basic unit by which scholarship is defined. Few studies have examined peer-reviewed publication productivity in academic physical therapy programs. In this study, the publication productivity in academic physical therapy programs in the United States and Puerto Rico from 1998 to 2002 was documented, and publication productivity was examined in the context of selected program characteristics. A total of 194 programs listed on the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) Web site in the spring of 2004 were examined. The databases were searched for bibliographic citations of journal articles attributed to particular programs. The program characteristics of faculty size, offering of a research doctorate, and listing in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education (Carnegie Classification) were compared with the number of citations. A total of 169 programs had at least 1 attributed citation, 50.3% of the programs had fewer than 5 citations, and 3% had 44 or more citations. Rankings based on the number of citations changed when adjusted for faculty size. Of the 38 programs offering a research doctoral degree, 16 had 20 or more citations. Five programs with 44 or more citations were all categorized by the Carnegie Classification as doctoral intensive or extensive. A few programs had a large number of attributed bibliographic citations, but the majority of programs had limited publication productivity in the 5 years studied. These results may provide a baseline for studying the effectiveness of the relatively new CAPTE standards mandating scholarship by physical therapy faculty over time and the impact of the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree on research in physical therapy.

The Doctorate of Physical Therapy: Clinical and Academic Physical Therapistsʼ Perception of Appropriate Curricular Changes

Background and Purpose. The purposes of this study were (1) to examine what clinical and academic physical therapists (PTs) think should be added to physical therapist education curricula in order to produce autonomous professional (entry-level) physical therapist graduates, as physical therapist education programs make the transition from the entry-level Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) degree to the entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree, (2) to identify the changes physical therapist educators are making to curricula in order to meet the goal of producing autonomous professional physical therapist graduates, as programs transition from the entry-level MPT degree to the entry-level DPT degree, and (3) to analyze similarities and discrepancies between what clinical and academic PTs think should be added to the curriculum and the actual changes educators are implementing in their curricula as programs make this transition. Subjects. The subjects consisted of randomly selected physical therapists who were members of the American Physical Therapy Association (762), randomly selected academic PTs (318), and program directors of physical therapist education programs (194). Methods. A written questionnaire was distributed to 1,284 physical therapists, with a 54% return rate. One hundred ninety-four surveys were sent to program directors, with a 50% return rate. Data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, and chi-square tests. Results. Academic and clinical PTs indicated that all 12 curricular content areas should be added to the curricula as programs make the transition from the MPT degree to the DPT degree. However, significant differences in the level of agreement were found between academic and clinical PTs for the areas of reimbursement, legal issues, ethics, and managed care, with clinical PTs indicating stronger agreement. A majority of program directors indicated they were adding significantly fewer content areas than both academic and clinical PTs think should be added. Discussion and Conclusion. The results of this study indicate that both academic PTs and clinical PTs thought all 12 curricular content areas should be added to the curricula as programs make this transition. However, the results showed that there were significant differences in the level of agreement between these groups regarding the addition of reimbursement, legal issues, ethics, and managed care content to curricula. In all cases, clinical PTs indicated stronger agreement for the addition of these curricular content areas. These results are not consistent with what program directors are reporting they are adding to the curricula as programs make this transition.

Defining Core Faculty for Physical Therapist Education

Background and Purpose. With the rapid transition in professional (entry-level) educational preparation from the master's degree to the doctoral degree in physical therapist education, the need for doctorally trained faculty is likely to increase substantially. Several different doctoral degrees that may meet the academic qualifications expected of core faculty members currently are offered; however, these doctoral degrees vary widely in their educational focus, rigor, and philosophy. Such differences in doctoral preparation, combined with faculty shortages, have increased the debate over the necessary academic qualifications for people who serve as core faculty members in physical therapist education programs. The purpose of this article is to suggest that the ideal faculty team in professional physical therapist education should include a balance of people possessing terminal academic degrees in physical therapy or a closely related field, people possessing terminal professional clinical degrees with documented clinical specialization, and people possessing terminal academic degrees in foundational sciences with or without physical therapy degrees. Position and Rationale. A diverse core faculty with a balance of academic training in complementary fields will benefit an education program in many ways, such as providing breadth of expertise, serving to maintain academic standards in doctoral education, and meeting requirements established by accrediting agencies and home institutions. Discussion and Conclusion. For programs providing professional physical therapist education, a variety of doctorally prepared people should be actively recruited for core faculty positions. Once hired, these faculty members should be vigorously supported and mentored so as to ensure their success in meeting the faculty expectations established by their academic institutions and pertinent accrediting bodies. Key Words: Core faculty, Academic qualifications, Accreditation, Terminal degree. Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE At present, there are shortages of faculty in physical therapist education.1 This problem may be compounded by the transition to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) as the accepted professional credential. With such a transition, the need for core faculty members to be doctorally trained is likely to be substantially increased because of the need to satisfy both institutional and accreditation standards requiring that recipients of doctoral degrees be trained by doctorally prepared faculty. Determining how best to meet this need for doctorally prepared faculty has been complicated by several questions and is likely to be clouded by credentialing debates. Is it suitable for a core faculty member to hold any doctoral degree, or is a particular doctoral degree more appropriate? Does clinical expertise substitute for a doctoral degree, or can it be combined with a professional degree or a clinical doctoral degree to meet the expectations for core faculty members? One may begin answering these questions by considering the requirements necessary to be a core faculty member in physical therapist education. These are questions that must be viewed from several perspectives, including accreditation standards, meeting institutional tenure and promotion criteria, and educational and clinical perspectives. POSITION With regard to the qualifications expected of core faculty members in a DPT program, we consider the following notions: optimal matching of doctoral training with the chosen type of scholarly pursuits increases the likelihood of success for both the academic program and core faculty members, the ideal faculty team should include a balance of people possessing earned terminal academic degrees and terminal professional degrees with demonstrated clinical expertise, and the faculty should include a small number of members who possess a terminal academic degree in a foundational science and who may or may not possess a physical therapy degree. …

Professional (Entry-Level) Doctoral Degrees in Physical Therapy: Status as of Spring 2003

Background and Purpose. Since its inception in 1993, professional (entry-level) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree has been adopted by a rapidly growing number of programs in United States. The purpose of this study was to provide information on process and status of transition toward DPT in spring 2003, updating and extending a previous study completed in spring 2000. Subjects. Directors of 145 of 191 (76%) accredited physical therapist education programs participated. Method. An Internet-based questionnaire was sent to directors of 191 accredited physical therapist education programs in United States. Results. Of 144 respondents, 119 had made a decision regarding DPT, with 117 of those (98%) deciding in favor of offering DPT degree. Compared to public institutions, a higher proportion of programs at private institutions had decided to implement DPT. Substantially more programs were further along in higher-level approval process than in 2000. Desired characteristics of DPT students at entry were relatively unchanged compared to those desired by programs previously in place at respective institutions. According to questionnaire responses, clinical education characteristics have changed to include: more hours in clinical education, longer duration of each clinical experience, and facilitation of student roles beyond patient care. Almost 90% of DPT programs required either a group or individual culminating scholarly project. Programs' desired faculty characteristics have evolved and put a greater emphasis on a record of publication, establishment of a research agenda, and possession of a doctoral degree other than professional (entry-level) DPT. Discussion and Conclusion. Programs educating physical therapists in United States are transitioning to professional DPT programs at a rate that exceeds prior predictions. While there are still a higher proportion of programs at private than public institutions making transition, other characteristics that once differentiated programs with differing decisions are no longer factors. Key Words: Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, Physical therapist education. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Professional (entry-level) education for physical therapists in United States is rapidly changing to Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. Initially discussed by Johnson in her Mary McMillan lecture to American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in 1985,' first professional DPT class was initiated at Creighton University in 1993.2 Barely more than a decade later, Evaluative Criteria adopted by Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) indicated that DPT degree was preferred degree to be awarded for completion of a professional physical therapist education program.' The DPT degree is thought to match length and complexity of contemporary physical therapist education as well as provide appropriate preparation for clinical decision-making and diagnostic skills required within contemporary physical therapist practice. The transition to DPT degree has been moving at a pace that is difficult for refereed literature of profession to match. A study conducted by Task Force on Entry-Level Doctoral Education of APTA's Education section was undertaken in spring 2000 and published in 2002. This study, though dated by time of publication, provided insight into process of transition to DPT degree among accredited physical therapist education programs at institutions in United States, and predicted that up to 58 entry-level doctoral programs will exist by 2005.4(p65) However, even in 2000, these authors acknowledged volatile nature of education and practice environments(p61) and anticipated that the nature and pace of transition may undergo substantial change as it unfolds over next several years. …

Perceptions of College Students Regarding the Current Physical Therapy Profession and Professional Education Process

The purpose of this study was to determine how undergraduate college students, who are potential physical therapy students, perceive physical therapy as well as the new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. A survey form was created by the authors and was distributed to two universities in the central Arkansas area. Seven hundred and three forms were collected. Descriptive data and Pearson Chi Square (SPSS 10.0) were used for data analysis. Students thought physical therapy was a challenging (76%), physically demanding (72%), and well-paid (79%) health profession. The most commonly recognized interventions used by physical therapists were physical exercises (93%) and massages (77%). Over one-third of the surveyed students were not aware that physical therapy can relieve pain and promote health and well-being (35%). Only 40% of the surveyed students had knowledge of the doctor of physical therapy degree, among which most thought the public should have direct access to these practitioners (73%). Female students showed more awareness and interest in the DPT (p&lt;0.01). The results of this study suggest that students have a positive attitude toward physical therapy. College students also perceive the DPT as educating more competent practitioners. However, DPT programs should pursue efforts to advocate their programs not only on-campus but also off-campus. DPT programs and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) should promote more intensively to the public the changes that physical therapy is undergoing.

Association of Importance of the Doctoral Degree With Students' Perceptions and Anticipated Activities Reflecting Professionalism

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has identified the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree as 1 of 6 elements necessary to transition the physical therapy profession to a fully professionalized discipline. However, there have been no data to determine whether physical therapist students who place importance on the DPT degree perceive physical therapy to be more professionalized or anticipate participation in activities reflecting professionalism more than those who do not place importance on the DPT degree. The subjects were 919 professional physical therapist students. Faculty members at 34 physical therapist education programs distributed questionnaires to 1,172 professional physical therapist students and returned 919 questionnaires, for a response rate of 78.4%. The data were statistically analyzed using chi-square analysis and logistic regression. There were few differences between students who place importance on the DPT degree (DPT-I students) and those who do not place importance on the DPT degree (DPT-NI students) regarding how professionalized they perceive physical therapy to be relative to other health care professions or regarding their anticipated participation in activities reflecting professionalism. The one potential distinction found when controlling for other variables was that DPT-I students were more likely than DPT-NI students to anticipate becoming faculty members. When beginning their professional education, there are few differences between DPT-I and DPT-NI students' perceptions of the professionalization of physical therapy or anticipation of activities reflecting professionalism.

Physical Therapistsʼ Perceptions of Motivational Factors and Barriers to Pursuing a Transitional DPT Degree

Background and Purpose. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine physical therapists' interest in obtaining a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree; (2) to explore their perceptions of motivational factors, benefits, and barriers to enrolling in a transitional DPT (t-DPT) program; and (3) to collect their impressions about curriculum focus and program implementation. Method. A simple random sample of 600 American Physical Therapy Association physical therapist members from all 50 states was drawn. The survey instrument was arranged into 4 sections: demographics, perspectives on the t-DPT, curriculum content and program information, and expectations of the t-DPT Results. A total of 333 survey questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 56%. Nearly one third of the respondents were interested in obtaining a t-DPT degree. The desire to learn was the most common motivating factor to obtaining the t-DPT degree, with a greater knowledge base and a sense of selfimprovement as the main perceived benefits for the DPT degree. The greatest barrier to pursuing a t-DPT degree was a lack of time. The majority of respondents supported specialty areas tailored to practice needs as a core focus of the curriculum. Respondents preferred a classroom setting for instructional delivery. The strongest expectation for the t-DPT was that the degree is likely to enhance a physical therapist's ability to participate in direct access. Discussion and Conclusion. One of core theoretical elements underlying the respondents' motivating factors is therapists' seeking to enhance professional identity and role expectations. Self-improvement and enhanced patient care were perceived as the largest benefits. Respondents supported various options for mode of delivery that advanced knowledge, rather than upgrade current knowledge. This information may be valuable to those programs developing or implementing the t-DPT degree.