Terminal Degree Research Articles

COE Academic Terminal Degree

The American Occupational Therapy Association's position statement on the terminal degree for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants defines which doctoral degrees in occupational therapy or occupational science and related areas in academia are included.

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State of DNP education: Lessons learned from a novel academic fellowship in teaching and education.

We examine the gap between the current and desired state of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education from the perspective of postdoctoral (DNP) teaching and education fellows. In the assessment of the DNP Essentials framework, command of scholarly and scientific writing, ability to demonstrate critical thought, and significant variation in clinical experience among DNP graduates are top concerns. These inconsistencies are problematic to the professional and public value of this terminal degree in nursing.

What is the Preferred Educational Background of Forensic Scientists?

Forensic science is a broad and rapidly developing field where fundamental scientific principles and techniques are used to investigate crimes. As the field evolves, universities offering forensic science degrees are increasing in both number and diversity of curricula. Paramount to any discussion around forensic science education is an assessment of what educational degrees are preferred by those hiring both entry- and supervisory-level forensic scientists. Quantification of degree preference through surveys of hiring officials occurred in 1986 and 1996. Since then, the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission was established and has flourished, potentially enhancing the desirability of forensic science degrees. An updated survey was conducted to identify current educational background preferences within the field. The survey was distributed to members of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors and members of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists in hiring or leadership roles, yielding 221 responses. Results indicated a continued preference for a degree combination of master's in forensic science and a bachelor's degree in physical or biological sciences for both entry- and supervisory-level candidates. Holding only a bachelor's in the physical or biological sciences was also preferred for entry-level candidates whereas the preference for supervisory-level candidates was strongly influenced by the respondents' terminal degree.

Diversity trends in the leadership of the American Society for Laser Medicine And Surgery, 1996-2021.

To evaluate the temporal trends in diversity within the ASLMS board of directions from 1996 to 2021. A list of Board of Directors from 1996 to 2021 was obtained from ASLMS headquarters. Using a composite of publicly available resources through internet searches, board director characteristics, such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, terminal degrees, specialties/field of expertise, and current full-time affiliations, were recorded. One hundred forty-six unique individuals held 628 ALSMS board member positions from the years 1996-2021. The median age of the board members started with a median age of 43.0 years old in 1996 to 54.5 years old in 2021. The age spread between first and third quartiles (interquartile range) in each year in more recent years (2014-2019) was 17.0, 20.0, 18.8, 18.8, 18.0, and 15.3 years, respectively. Female representation started with 10.5% in 1996 to 30.8% in 2021. Diversity, by racial/ethnicity measures, has more representation of Asian (average across 1996-2010: 2.3% to 2010-2022: 19.0%) and Hispanic (average 1996-2010: 0.7% to 2010-2022: 4.4%) board members. No African American has held a position across these decades. MD holders (average 66.5%) and other degree holders (average 33.5%) have been relatively consistent across all years observed. From 2016 to 2021, dermatologists held board member seats at an average rate of 56.5% across these years, while prior, from 1996 to 2015, 67.3% of board member seats on average were held by members of other expertises. Most board members have full-time affiliations in private practice across most years observed (average 43.7% across all years observed). After analyzing the diversity trends across board members in ASLMS across 1996-2020, we have noticed overall trends of increased diversity over time that reflect a greater chance of bringing in new ideas and experiences to grow ASLMS. Although the leadership of ASLMS has become significantly more diverse over time, there remain opportunities to increase diversity further, including women, underrepresented ethnic minorities, and other experts of specialties other than dermatology.

An examination of gender difference in advancement and salary for Marriage and Family Therapy faculty members working in public universities.

Evidence for inequitable advancement and salary disparity for women in academia is compelling, but only a marginal amount of research has explored this in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) specifically. Current research provides preliminary evidence that women remain underrepresented at the Full Professor rank and are paid less than men MFT faculty. This study collected publicly available data for MFT faculty in public universities to explore gender differences in advancement between ranks, salary disparity, and the representation of women and men in the highest and lowest paying niches of MFT academia. Results showed that, despite being 60.15% of MFTs in public universities, women were paid an average of $5596.25 less than men. Men were 1.40 times more likely than women to be promoted to Full Professor on time-within 13 years of their terminal degree. Implications for addressing inequitable advancement and salary disparity for women MFT faculty are discussed.

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Training the Next Generation of Journal Contributors: A Case Study at Environmental Health Perspectives

Many scientific societies sponsor programs that help early career researchers (ECRs) establish themselves in their fields. Journals, too, are involving ECRs in both ad hoc and routine operations, to provide members of the next generation of scientists with working knowledge of how scientific manuscripts traverse the gauntlet from editorial evaluation through peer review and publication. With this article, Science Editor launches a new series focusing on ECRs in scientific publishing. The series begins with a case study of the ECR Initiative1 at Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), a leading journal in the fields of environmental health sciences including toxicology, environmental epidemiology, and exposure science. The EHP editorial team hopes that sharing their experience will benefit other journals, publishers, and organizations implementing or exploring similar programs. The team also hopes to encourage open conversations about challenges faced, participant experiences, and best practices for recruiting and engaging participants. EHP, which is published with the support of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS; part of the National Institutes of Health), launched its ECR Initiative mid-pandemic, in the spring of 2021. To build a team dedicated to developing, maintaining, and leading ECR-focused activities, as one of its first steps, EHP engaged an advisory panel of ECRs in the environmental health sciences. EHP defines ECRs as graduate students or researchers having fewer than 3–5 years of professional experience since their terminal degree or postdoctoral training. This definition allows individuals with a variety of career paths to self-identify as ECRs. Candidates for the advisory panel […]

Developing and evaluating an instrument to assess perceptions of an entry-level physician associate doctoral degree

BackgroundMost health professions in the United States have adopted clinical or practice doctorates, sparking an ongoing debate on whether physician assistants/associates (PAs) should transition from a master’s to a doctorate as the terminal degree for the profession. Although more studies are anticipated, there is no validated instrument assessing perceptions of various stakeholders regarding an entry-level PA doctoral degree. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a novel self-report measure to assess perceptions of an entry-level PA doctoral degree.MethodsA multifaceted, mixed-methods approach was adopted. Based on a comprehensive literature review of the doctoral transition experiences in other health professions, an initial version of perceptions of an entry-level terminal PA doctoral degree scale (PEDDS) was generated. This scale was pilot tested with a group of PA faculty, students, and clinicians. Then, a cross-sectional survey consisting of 67 items was conducted with a national random sample of practicing PAs and PA students. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted to ensure the validity of PEDDS. A principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to reduce the number of items and reveal the underlying structure of PEDDS.ResultsThe PCA confirmed 10 factors of PEDDS consisting of 53 items as the best-fit factor structure with adequate internal consistency of subscales. Those factors include a) expected positive impact on the PA profession, b) expected impact on prerequisites, (c) expected impact on the student preparedness as PA faculty and educators, (d) expected impact on the student preparedness as clinicians, (e) expected impact on accreditation and certification, (f) expected impact on curriculum, (g) expected impact on PA educators, (h) expected positive impact on diversity, (i) expected negative impact on the PA profession, and (j) expected impact on the student competency.ConclusionsThe present study highlights the need to develop valid and reliable measurements to assess perceptions regarding the transition to the entry-level doctorate across health professions. This study could be used to guide further discussion of the entry-level doctorates for PAs and other health professions by bridging the gap of existing literature related to valid, reliable, and standardized measures on this topic.

Instrumentation Use in Postsecondary Instructional Chemistry Laboratory Courses: Results from a National Survey

Instrumentation plays a critical, ubiquitous role in modern chemistry. The undergraduate chemistry curriculum must therefore cultivate students’ ability to investigate chemical phenomena via relevant instruments. The instructional laboratory serves as the primary context in which undergraduates learn about instrumentation, where use of instruments in these settings is requisite to meaningful learning. However, little is known about what instruments are incorporated and students’ level of hands-on experience. Also, prior research points toward differences in instrumentation access, and in turn use in the instructional laboratory, across institutional contexts. This study investigates instrumentation use in postsecondary instructional chemistry laboratory courses via a national survey of chemistry faculty members (n = 574). Results suggest that courses incorporate a distinct set of instruments aligned with their respective curricula. These data provide an empirical foundation for relevant stakeholders (i.e., instructors, departments, curators of degree programs, and professional organizations authoring postsecondary chemistry education policy) to engage in evaluative discussions and possible curricular reform. Further, there was no evidence that incorporating instruments into the lab or students’ hands-on experience is associated with institutions’ terminal chemistry degree, receipt of NSF funding for improving undergraduate courses, or ACS approval of undergraduate degree programs. Findings collectively suggest similar instrumentation use across institutional contexts and possibly the elimination of previously reported disparities in access. However, students still obtain little hands-on experience with several instruments despite their incorporation into courses. Furthermore, instructors across institutional contexts report barriers to incorporating instrumentation beyond access. This work provides stakeholders with implications for improving undergraduate laboratory instruction.

Exploring the Understanding of Technical University Lecturers on Continuous Professional Development in Ghana

The main objective was to determine the understanding of technical university lecturers in Ghana on continuing professional development and the importance it plays in their career prospects. The study was qualitative with a sample size of forty-eighty. The sample was taken from six deans of faculties, six heads of departments, and thirty-six lecturers. The participants were chosen from two technical universities. Two interview schedules were used to interview the participants. The deans and heads were interviewed with a different schedule, and the other was used to interview the lecturers. Some of the research findings included that CPD is any training, activity, or program that improves one’s knowledge, competencies, and skills in their field of specialty. It was also revealed that CPD allows lecturers to develop themselves. The ultimate objective of CPD is to help lecturers be efficient and effective in their teaching to impact their students positively. The study recommends that lecturers above fifty years who do not qualify for study leave with pay to embark on terminal degrees but certify all the criteria for promotion be promoted not above the senior lecturer position. Keywords: Career prospects, Competencies, Knowledge, Professional Development, Skills.

Accounting faculty’s pursuit of professional certifications: Pre- and post-terminal degree comparison

Using survey data collected from 536 U.S. accounting faculty, this study applies theories of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation to investigate the differences of two terminally degreed faculty groups (PreCerts v. PostCerts) in their motivations, perceived obstacles, and perceived benefits of pursuing a professional accounting certification. Among our findings, we find that faculty receiving a certification before their terminal degree (PreCerts) chose extrinsic factors more often than their PostCert counterparts. For example, PreCerts chose a job requirement as a motivation for obtaining a professional certification significantly more often. On the other hand, faculty who obtained their professional certification after their terminal degree (PostCerts) tended to choose more intrinsic-motivating items. With a trend of increasing non-certified Ph.D. faculty, we believe these results not only shed light on differing motivations for the two groups but can also serve current accounting departments in encouraging non-certified faculty to pursue a professional certification.

Gender Distribution of Authors of Evaluation Letters for Promotion at One Medical School.

Women remain underrepresented in key leadership positions and advanced ranks in academic medicine. This study examines the numbers of men and women letter writers for promotion candidates during a 5-year period across departments, tracks, ranks, and candidate gender. A descriptive study characterized the gender of evaluation letter writers for candidates for promotion to associate or full professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School between 2015 and 2020. Letter writer and candidate gender were characterized by self-identified pronouns in the faculty biography or dossier. Letter writer gender was described by candidate department, promotion track, rank, terminal degree, and gender. Among 299 candidates for promotion, 172 (58%) were men and 127 (42%) were women; dossiers included 3,995 evaluation letters. Across all years, men wrote more letters than women (external letters, range, 69% in 2019-2020 to 75% in 2015-2016; internal letters, range, 67% in 2018-2019 to 77% in 2015-2016). Candidates in the family medicine and pediatrics departments had the highest percentages of letters written by women (44% and 40%, respectively). No differences were found in the number of women letter writers by candidate promotion track; however, differences were found by candidate rank (associate professor, 30%; full professor, 23%) and terminal degree (MD/DO, 25%; PhD, 33%; MD-PhD, 20%). Regardless of candidate gender, most evaluation letters were written by men. Women candidates had 15% to 20% more letters authored by women than men candidates (34%-40% vs 18%-23%). The gender pattern of letter writers may reflect implicit biases regarding gender and perceived leadership status, expertise, and success. Adopting policies that promote or require gender diversity among letter writers for promotion candidates may provide an opportunity to encourage faculty to seek diverse networks and recognize the achievements of women faculty.

Mental Performance and Mental Health Services in NCAA D1 Athletic Departments

Mental performance consultants (MPCs) and licensed mental health professionals (MHPs) offer distinct, yet complementary, services. Although the focus of their service delivery varies, past researchers have often combined these professionals, along with licensed sport psychology professionals (LSPPs) when investigating sport psychology services in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (D1) athletic departments (e.g., Kornspan & Duve, 2006). The lack of distinction between these professionals has not allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the existence of these various psychological services in NCAA D1 athletic departments. Using content analysis methodology, the purpose of the current study was to identify the existence of three types of service providers—MPCs, MHPs, and LSPPs—listed on all NCAA Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Series (FCS) athletic department websites. Out of 253 NCAA D1 athletic departments, 65 athletic departments were identified as having some form of mental performance and/or mental health services. Forty-one athletic departments employed one provider and 24 employed two or more providers. Of the 99 professionals identified, 56 provided both mental performance and mental health services, 23 provided solely mental performance services, and 20 provided solely mental health services. Additionally, 57 providers were identified as female while 42 were identified as male. Additional characteristics of professionals (i.e., title, terminal degree, licensure, and certification status) are provided. Implications for the growth of mental performance and mental health services within NCAA D1 athletic departments are discussed.

Gender equity perceptions among social and administrative science faculty: A qualitative evaluation

BackgroundAnecdotal evidence suggests that gender inequity persists in academic pharmacy. To date, there are limited published data about the perception of gender inequity in academic pharmacy. ObjectiveThe objective of this project was to determine themes associated with gender inequity perceptions in social and administrative science faculty from 2 national pharmacy organizations. MethodsA gender equity task force comprising 13 members from Social and Administrative Sciences (SAS) sections of the American Pharmacists Association and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy was formed. The task force designed a semistructured interview guide comprising questions about demographics and core areas where inequities likely exist. When the survey invitation was sent to faculty members of the SAS sections via Qualtrics, faculty indicated whether they were willing to be interviewed. Interviews were conducted by 2 members of the task force via video conferencing application. The interviews were transcribed. Topic coding involving general categorization by theme followed by refinement to delineate subcategories was used. Coding was conducted independently by 3 coders followed by consensus when discrepancies were identified. ResultsA total of 21 faculty participated in the interviews. Respondents were primarily female (71%), were white (90%), had Doctor of Philosophy as their terminal degree (71%), and were in nontenure track positions (57%). Most respondents (90%) experienced gender inequity. A total of 52% reported experiencing gender inequity at all ranks from graduate student to full professor. Four major themes were identified: microaggression (57%), workload (86%), respect (76%), and opportunities (38%). Workload, respect, and opportunities included multiple subthemes. ConclusionFaculty respondents perceive gender inequities in multiple areas of their work. Greater inequity perceptions were present in areas of workload and respect. The task force offers multiple recommendations to address these inequities.

Breaking Through Barriers: Factors That Influence Behavior Change Toward Leadership for Women in Academic Medicine.

Under-representation of women in leadership at Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) is a known challenge such that, in 2021, women made up only 28% of department chairs. AMCs are addressing the dearth of women leaders through targeted programming to create leadership pipelines of qualified women. The FLEX Leadership Development Program at the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine prepares women faculty for increased leadership opportunities. FLEX includes the opportunity to leverage executive coaching to accomplish individual goals. The FLEX program has the explicit goal of increasing the number of women in visible leadership positions in academic medicine and health sciences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 graduates from seven FLEX cohorts (2012–2018). Participants reflected diversity in academic rank, terminal degree, racial/ethnic background, years of employment, and institutional affiliation. Interviews consisted of eight questions with additional probes to elicit lived experiences. Analysis consisted of two-stage open- and axial-coding of interview transcripts to understand: What factors facilitated behavior change following FLEX training? The analysis revealed five overarching themes: (1) Communication skills; (2) Self-Efficacy; (3) Networking; (4) Situational Awareness; and (5) Visioning. FLEX graduates reported achieving both personal and professional growth by drawing upon peer networks to proactively seek new leadership opportunities. These results suggest that the enduring benefits of the FLEX Program include improved communication skills, expanded situational awareness and relational capacity, greater self-efficacy and self-confidence, improved networking with an understanding of the value of networking. All these factors led FLEX graduates to have greater visibility and to engage with their colleagues more effectively. Similarly, FLEX graduates could better advocate for themselves and for others as well as paying it forward to mentor and train the next generation of faculty. Finally, participants learned to re-evaluate their goals and their career vision to be able to envision themselves in greater leadership roles. The five factors that strongly influenced behavior change provide valuable constructs for other programs to examine following leadership development training. Ongoing studies include examining successful leadership position attainment, personal goal attainment, and measuring changes in leadership self-efficacy.

Using Controlled Environment Agriculture as a Platform for STEM‐Training

The purpose of this summer STEM Bridge initiative was to provide incoming first‐year university students with interdisciplinary STEM training using a Controlled Environment Agriculture hydroponic container farming tech platform coupled with soft skills and increased early access to the campus facilities. A pilot was conducted during the summer of 2021 on the La Sierra University campus. The two‐week collaborative experience included faculty from eight academic units including from Science, Humanities, and Business. We offered students experiments and projects from hydroponic basics, use of sensors and computer control systems, to developing sales presentations and business models. This approach introduced students to career pathways– many within STEM, centered around a tech platform capable of contributing to real‐world solutions to long‐standing community problems. We also emphasized the importance of inclusive representation in STEM, the importance of access, and of including all voices. Students developed a meaningful peer and faculty support system and as an additional benefit became familiar with how to navigate the campus culture. Preliminary results indicate the students felt their foundational understanding of the sciences improved after attending STEM Bridge. A portion of the students indicated a newly acquired desire to obtain a terminal STEM degree after attending STEM Bridge. Most of the students felt an increase in awareness of resources on campus to support them academically and knowledge of their way around campus. All students felt an increase in preparedness for the academic rigors of college life while most students reported feeling an increase in their ability to manage their time well after the program.

Assessing demand for doctoral-prepared PA faculty: a five-year longitudinal study

PurposeMany health profession programs have transitioned to doctoral credentials. While a master’s degree is the terminal degree for the physician assistant (PA) profession, there is increasing discussion regarding the doctoral degree as the PA terminal credential in US higher education.This study examines trends, demand and economic opportunities for doctoral prepared PA faculty; specifically, assessing to what extent PA faculty employers prefer doctoral credentials.MethodologyThis longitudinal retrospective observational study assessed commonly required/preferred academic credentials in PA faculty job postings. Data from 2014 to 2020 was obtained from the labor analytics firm Burning Glass Technologies (BGT) and other academic job search engines. Data on current PA faculty and program directors were obtained from Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) survey reports. Wage gap analysis was performed to gain additional insight for the supply and demand of PA educators with a doctoral degree.ResultsOf the 612 unique job ads posted from 232 PA programs between 2014 and 2020, approximately 38.9% (238) stated a preference or requirement for a doctoral degree. Nearly half of the postings for program directors and leadership positions preferred candidates with doctorates. There was a correlation between tenure eligibility positions (20.1%) and preference/requirement for doctoral credentials. PAEA survey data (2014–2019) revealed approximately 24% PA faculty and 45–48% of program directors held a doctoral degree with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) as the most frequently held doctorate. No significant difference existed in wages for faculty with or without doctoral degree.ConclusionsBased on a national sample of PA program job ads, there is a preference for doctoral-prepared PA educators and the demand for these candidates is greater than market supply. Our analysis has implications for individual faculty career planning, employers and the PA profession as it debates transition to a terminal doctoral credential. Further studies should assess the impact of doctoral credentials on PA education by examining measurable outcomes.

R. BRUCE LINDSAY AWARD 2022: Meaghan A. O'Reilly

The R. Bruce Lindsay Award (formerly the Biennial Award) is presented in the Spring to a member of the Society who is no more than 10 years post terminal degree on 1 July at the time of Award acceptance and who, during a period of two or more years immediately preceding the award, has been active in the affairs of the Society and has contributed substantially, through published papers, to the advancement of theoretical or applied acoustics, or both. The award was presented biennially until 1986. It is now an annual award.

Learn how to better position yourself to make the transition into a faculty role

As the needs of college students evolve, so do the requirements for student affairs professionals looking to advance to senior‐level positions. A quick glance at HigherEdJobs.com or The Chronicle of Higher Education reveals that, for many director, dean, and vice president positions, a terminal degree (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) is required.