Comparison of characteristics and attitudes of entry-level bachelor's and master's degree students in physical therapy.Physical therapy education has followed a process similar to that followed by many other health professions. As a profession matures, the level of education is extended in response to practice and societal so·ci·e·tal adj. Of or relating to the structure, organization, or functioning of society. so·ci  e·tal·ly adv.Adj. needs.[1] Prior to World War I, apprenticeship apprenticeship, system of learning a craft or trade from one who is engaged in it and of paying for the instruction by a given number of years of work. The practice was known in ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, as well as in modern Europe and to some extent methods were used to prepare physical therapists for practice.[2] Following the war, formalized for·mal·ize tr.v. for·mal·ized, for·mal·iz·ing, for·mal·iz·es 1. To give a definite form or shape to. 2. a. To make formal. b. programs of study developed predominantly pre·dom·i·nant adj. 1. Having greatest ascendancy, importance, influence, authority, or force. See Synonyms at dominant. 2. in hospital settings.[2] Students entering these programs had college degrees usually in nursing or physical education and were awarded postbaccalaureate certificates upon completion of the curricula. This form of education for physical therapists continued through the 1920s. Over the next decade, education programs were moved to college or university settings.[2] These programs culminated in the award of a bachelor's bach·e·lor's n. A bachelor's degree. degree or a postbaccalaureate certificate. In 1960, Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve University) admitted the first class of students that would receive professional preparation at the graduate level.[3] The number of postbaccalaureate programs in physical therapy has increased since that time, with 48% of entry-level en·try-lev·el adj. Appropriate for or accessible to one who is inexperienced in a field or new to a market: an entry-level job in advertising; an entry-level computer. physical therapy programs at the graduate level at the end of 1993.[4] This transition toward a higher educational degree for entry into the profession is seen by some as a final stage in the evolutionary process of professional education.[5] In 1979, the House of Delegates House of Delegates n. The lower house of the state legislature in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. of the American Physical Therapy Association The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is a national professional organization representing more than 66,000 members. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapy practice, research, and education. (APTA APTA American Physical Therapy Association. ) adopted a policy, RC 14-79, mandating that entry-level education for physical therapists result in the award of a postbaccalaureate degree rather than a postbaccalaureate certificate or a baccalaureate degree by December December: see month. 31, 1990.[6] Although this policy has since been amended a·mend v. a·mend·ed, a·mend·ing, a·mends v.tr. 1. To change for the better; improve: amended the earlier proposal so as to make it more comprehensive. 2. , the APTA Department for Education still supports the transition to graduate-level education for all physical therapists. The perceived need for changes in entry-level education requirements in physical therapy has been prompted by several factors. These factors include changes in socioeconomic so·ci·o·ec·o·nom·ic adj. Of or involving both social and economic factors. socioeconomic Adjective of or involving economic and social factors Adj. 1. conditions; changes in patterns of health care delivery; an expanding scope of practice and relevant knowledge as well as a perceived need for greater depth of knowledge in physical therapy; societal demands for accountability; and societal approval of a graduate degree as a symbol of professional status, coupled with the desire of physical therapists to be viewed as professionals. The postbaccalaureate degree is the minimum entry-level degree in many health professions today. More extensive preparation in the liberal arts liberal arts, term originally used to designate the arts or studies suited to freemen. It was applied in the Middle Ages to seven branches of learning, the trivium of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, and the quadrivium of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. and sciences and professional courses, as well as clinical education, may be provided through a graduate-level curriculum.[7(pp84-96),8-10] In addition, a graduate degree may allow physical therapists to assume a more professional role among their peers and to better serve society through increased status and influence in education and practice.[2,6] A transition to a postbaccalaureate degree entry level in physical therapy may have a significant effect on economics, personnel availability, faculty development, quality of care, and professional responsibility. Data are needed to determine whether differences in professional practices and attitudes exist between students of baccalaureate and postbaccalaureate entry-level programs to indicate that higher entry-level education is meeting the expanding needs of the public and the profession. Such information is critical to curriculum planning and policy formation in physical therapy education. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between the type of entry-level education and professional practices and attitudes in physical therapy. To date, only a few studies have been conducted that support or refute re·fute tr.v. re·fut·ed, re·fut·ing, re·futes 1. To prove to be false or erroneous; overthrow by argument or proof: refute testimony. 2. the influence of the educational level on various aspects of professional practice. Information obtained from the 1983 APTA Active Membership Profile[7(p276)] indicated that a greater percentage of postbaccalaureate graduates compared with baccalaureate graduates believed they had sufficient knowledge of research design and statistical analysis to critically evaluate research articles and reports (89% versus 43%, respectively). The 1987[11] and 1990[12] APTA Active Membership Profiles revealed similar results concerning perceived ability to critically evaluate scientific literature. Furthermore, graduates of entry-level master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. programs in the 1990 Active Membership Report[12] stated they were more likely to have conducted research and less likely to have had no involvement in research. Although there were considerably fewer respondents In the context of marketing research, a representative sample drawn from a larger population of people from whom information is collected and used to develop or confirm marketing strategy. in the 1983, 1987, and 1990 profiles with entry-level master's degrees versus bachelor's degrees, the consistency of the results among the three reports regarding research supports the findings. Research is currently a critical area of concern in the physical therapy profession. In recent years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time physical therapy profession, as well as other health professions and society, has placed increasing emphasis on the importance of research to support the theories and practices on which physical therapy is based. Controversy exists as to whether entry-level graduates should be mere consumers of research or actually capable of conducting research. The 1991 Accreditation accreditation, n a process of formal recognition of a school or institution attesting to the required ability and performance in an area of education, training, or practice. Evaluation Criteria for physical therapy programs[13] stated that graduates should be able ... to apply basic principles of the scientific method to read and interpret professional literature, to participate in clinical research activities, and to critically analyze new concepts and findings. In addition to the findings related to research, the 1983 APTA Active Membership Profile[7(p272)] indicated that the degree of entry-level training may influence the ability of physical therapists to practice in direct access modes. Over 34% of 151 entry-level master's mas·ter's n. A master's degree. degree-trained respondents reported that they performed patient evaluations without practitioner referral compared with 25% of 2,368 bachelor's degree-trained respondents. The 1990 APTA Active Membership Report,[12] however, revealed much less difference between entry-level bachelor's and master's degree-trained respondents in relation to direct access practice. This latest finding suggests factors external to physical therapy education may have as much, if not more, impact on practice modes as the level of education itself Other factors may include legislation regulating direct access to physical therapists, reimbursement Reimbursement Payment made to someone for out-of-pocket expenses has incurred. requirements, and the point in time when an individual graduated. In a 1991 APTA survey[14] of 2,090 students, entry-level bachelor's and master's degree students indicated no difference in their perceptions of their preparation related to patient care or communication. In terms of research, however, master's degree students indicated a greater appreciation of research and a greater likelihood of conducting research in the future. Yet, there was no significant difference between students at the two degree levels in how well they perceived their programs had prepared them to use research data. Perry[15] conducted a survey of 641 physical therapists to determine whether entry-level master's degree graduates moved into positions of greater responsibility and nontraditional Adj. 1. nontraditional - not conforming to or in accord with tradition; "nontraditional designs"; "nontraditional practices" untraditional traditional - consisting of or derived from tradition; "traditional history"; "traditional morality" employment settings more quickly than baccalaureate graduates. In contrast to the positive findings associated with postbaccalaureate graduates in the previously described studies, Perry found no significant differences between baccalaureate and postbaccalaureate graduates relative to employment practices. In summary, the influence of the educational level on professional practices and attitudes in physical therapy remains unclear. The most consistent difference found in previous studies between entry-level bachelor's and master's degree students and graduates is related to research. In general, master's degree students and graduates seem to have greater knowledge and involvement in this area. The purpose of this relational study was to compare physical therapy students in their final year of education in entry-level bachelor's and master's degree programs on the basis of selected student variables. The student variables of interest were classified into five categories: demographic characteristics, prospective employment practices, professional involvement, attitudes toward professional practice issues, and self-assessment Self-assessment in an organisational setting, according to the EFQM definition, refers to a comprehensive, systematic and regular review of an organisation's activities and results referenced against the EFQM Excellence Model. of physical therapy skills. These five areas were selected because they were felt to provide insight into areas of concern and controversy associated with entry-level education in physical therapy. Method Subjects The target population for this study was two strata of students enrolled in entry-level physical therapy programs throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The two levels of students were physical therapy students in their final year of study enrolled in baccalaureate programs and basic master's degree programs in the 1991 to 1992 term. Because randomly assigning as·sign tr.v. as·signed, as·sign·ing, as·signs 1. To set apart for a particular purpose; designate: assigned a day for the inspection. 2. students to a specific physical therapy program was not possible, the programs were used as the unit of random selection. The 123 accredited accredited recognition by an appropriate authority that the performance of a particular institution has satisfied a prestated set of criteria. accredited herds cattle herds which have achieved a low level of reactors to, e.g. entry-level physical therapy programs cited in the December 1991 issue of Physical Therapy served as the sampling frame for the population.[16] Prior to distribution of the questionnaires, the program directors at those programs randomly selected to participate in the study were contacted by telephone to solicit their cooperation in the administration of the questionnaires to their students. The actual number of programs contacted was based on the cumulative number of students enrolled in the programs. The goal was to obtain approximately 350 students from each educational level. This sample size was based on Orlich's[17] recommendations for sample size and the estimated number of students who graduated from entry-level physical therapy programs in 1990, as well as the sampling method used in this study. A total of 69 randomly selected programs were contacted before the predetermined pre·de·ter·mine v. pre·de·ter·mined, pre·de·ter·min·ing, pre·de·ter·mines v.tr. 1. To determine, decide, or establish in advance: goal for sample size was obtained; of this total, 5 program directors could not be reached and 42 programs were unable to participate. Thirty-eight of the 42 programs that declined participation had students on clinical rotations clinical rotation Medical education A period in which a medical student in the clinical part of his/her education passes through various 'working' services3 in 1-4 month blocks at the time of the study (22 bachelor's degree programs, 15 master's degree programs, and 1 program with students at both levels). Two programs required approval from their university's committee on human research, and time did not permit for this. Finally, two programs were in transition to a postbaccalaureate degree entry level and had no students in their final year of study. Questionnaires were sent to a total of 766 students at 22 programs. All returned survey instruments were used, even though respondents occasionally neglected to answer a survey item, As a result, the number of students responding to each item is given in the tables. Instrumentation instrumentation, in music: see orchestra and orchestration. instrumentation In technology, the development and use of precise measuring, analysis, and control equipment. A 31-item questionnaire was developed by the principal investigator Noun 1. principal investigator - the scientist in charge of an experiment or research project PI scientist - a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences (SCW SCW Spanish Civil War SCW Syktyvkar (Russia) SCW Supercritical Water SCW Supercritical Water Oxidation SCW SEABEE Combat Warfare SCW Shibuya Custom Works (Western Arms Airsoft) SCW Sucking Chest Wound ) to collect information on demographic characteristics, prospective employment practices, professional involvement, attitudes toward professional practice issues, and self-assessment of physical therapy skills (Appendix). The demographic information section contained short-answer and multiple-choice items. In the sections on prospective employment practices and professional activities, responses to the items were identified, and the students were instructed to circle the appropriate response. On several items, the students were given the opportunity to choose more than one response or were allowed to choose "other" and explain. The attitude section used a five-point Likert-type scale that ranged from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." The self-assessment section also utilized a Likert-type scale. This scale ranged from 1 ("not at all prepared") to 5 ("excellently prepared"). For some items in this section, students were given the option to circle "not applicable" if they had not yet had a particular course but would before graduation Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation. or the course was an elective elective non-urgent; at an elected time, e.g. of surgery. elective adjective Referring to that which is planned or undertaken by choice and without urgency, as in elective surgery, see there noun Graduate education noun and they had chosen not to take it. Prior to its distribution, the instrument was examined by a panel of experts for clarity and content validity content validity, n the degree to which an experiment or measurement actually reflects the variable it has been designed to measure. . In addition, the questionnaire was administered to 19 senior physical therapy students at The Ohio State University Ohio State University, main campus at Columbus; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1870, opened 1873 as Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, renamed 1878. There are also campuses at Lima, Mansfield, Marion, and Newark. who were in the last half of their final year of study. Respondents to this pilot test were also asked to comment on clarity of the items. Suggested revisions were made to finalize fi·nal·ize tr.v. fi·nal·ized, fi·nal·iz·ing, fi·nal·iz·es To put into final form; complete or conclude: "They have jointly agreed ... the instrument. Revisions included rewording re·word tr.v. re·word·ed, re·word·ing, re·words 1. a. To change the wording of. b. To state or express again in different words. 2. some items for clarity and adding the option of circling "not applicable" in response to some items in the self-assessment section. A reliability analysis using Cronbach's alpha Cronbach's  (alpha) has an important use as a measure of the reliability of a psychometric instrument. It was first named as alpha by Cronbach (1951), as he had intended to continue with further instruments. was performed for the four professional practice issues addressed in the attitudes section. This reliability procedure assessed the internal consistency In statistics and research, internal consistency is a measure based on the correlations between different items on the same test (or the same subscale on a larger test). It measures whether several items that propose to measure the same general construct produce similar scores. or homogeneity HomogeneityThe degree to which items are similar. of these items.[18] The authors felt an alpha coefficient coefficient /co·ef·fi·cient/ (ko?ah-fish´int) 1. an expression of the change or effect produced by variation in certain factors, or of the ratio between two different quantities. 2. of [greater than or equal to].7 would provide a sufficient level of reliability for a newly designed instrument, The alpha values for direct access, research, clinical specialization A career option pursued by some attorneys that entails the acquisition of detailed knowledge of, and proficiency in, a particular area of law. As the law in the United States becomes increasingly complex and covers a greater number of subjects, more and more attorneys are , and postbaccalaureate entry-level education were .76, .82, .72, and .84, respectively. Procedure Questionnaires were mailed in April 1992 to those programs that had been randomly selected and whose directors agreed to participate in the study. The director at each program, or an individual designated by the director, was requested to administer the questionnaires to the students. Telephone and written reminders were used to maximize response rates. Data Analysis Percentages, means, and standard deviations In statistics, the average amount a number varies from the average number in a series of numbers. (statistics) standard deviation - (SD) A measure of the range of values in a set of numbers. were computed to profile respondents by type of entry-level program relative to the variables of interest. Two-tailed t tests for independent means were calculated to determine statistical significance for interval data such as that in the attitude and self-assessment sections of the questionnaire. (The Likert-type scales in these sections produced, at least approximately, interval data; therefore, we felt analyzing the data using a parametric See parametric modeling, parametric symbol and PTC. technique such as the t test was appropriate.[19]) Chi-square chi-square (ki´skwar) see under distribution and test. chi-square n. analysis was used for comparison of categorical data categorical data data relating to category such as qualitative data, e.g. dog, cat, female. It may be nominal when a name is used, e.g. location, breed, or ordinal when a range of categories is used, e.g. calf, yearling, cow. such as that in the prospective employment profile section. To assess the influence of degree level on community size of work after graduation with the effects of ethnicity ethnicity Vox populi Racial status–ie, African American, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic and community size of origin controlled, a four-dimensional frequency table was constructed. Results of this frequency table were analyzed an·a·lyze tr.v. an·a·lyzed, an·a·lyz·ing, an·a·lyz·es 1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations. 2. Chemistry To make a chemical analysis of. 3. using a log-linear analysis, which is similar to a three-way analysis of variance The discrepancy between what a party to a lawsuit alleges will be proved in pleadings and what the party actually proves at trial. In Zoning law, an official permit to use property in a manner that departs from the way in which other property in the same locality .[20] These analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (statistics, tool) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences - (SPSS) The flagship program of SPSS, Inc., written in the late 1960s. ["SPSS X User's Guide", SPSS, Inc. 1986]. (SPSS-X),(*) except for the log-linear analysis for which the BMDP BMDP - BioMeDical Package statistical package([dagger]) was used. All statistical tests were conducted at the .05 level. Results Demographic Characteristics Five hundred twelve entry-level physical therapy students in their final year of study responded to the survey, for a response rate of 66.8%. Two hundred eighty-seven students (56.1%) were enrolled in bachelor's degree programs; 225 (43.9%) were enrolled in basic master's degree programs. Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the respondents by type of entry-level education. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups in relation to age, ethnicity, and attainment of previous college degrees. [TABULAR tab·u·lar adj. 1. Having a plane surface; flat. 2. Organized as a table or list. 3. Calculated by means of a table. tabular resembling a table. DATA 1 OMITTED] Prospective Employment Profile This section of the questionnaire examined four areas related to the student's prospective first job following graduation. These four areas were anticipated employment status (eg, full-time, part-time), type of facility in which the students planned to seek employment, size of community served by the facility, and gross income expected the first year on the job. Students were also asked in this section to anticipate the type of position in which they would be employed in 10 years. Table 2 shows the two groups of respondents were similar in their projected employment status and the type of facility in which they planned to seek employment. Significant differences were noted, however, in the students' second and third most frequent choices of employment settings (P<.01) (Tab. 2). Significant differences were also noted when respondents were asked to indicate the gross income they expected to earn during their first year of employment (P<.02) (Tab. 2). [TABULAR DATA 2 OMITTED] When the size of community of prospective employment was analyzed by type of entry-level program, no significant differences were found (Tab. 2). In addition, the log-linear analysis revealed no differences between groups when the influences of the size of community of origin and ethnicity were controlled (Tab. 3). The size of community in which the student grew up accounted for most of the variance in the choice of the size of community of work, followed by ethnicity. [TABULAR DATA 3 OMITTED] Table 4 presents the results of the survey item that asked respondents to anticipate the position they would hold in 10 years. Master's degree students were more likely than bachelor's degree students to envision themselves in positions of greater responsibility (P<.01). [TABULAR DATA 4 OMITTED] Professional Involvement This section of the questionnaire dealt with 16 professional activities in which physical therapists may be involved. Respondents were asked to indicate those activities in which they believed they would participate during their careers. Table 5 presents the percentage of respondents who anticipated involvement in these professional activities by type of entry-level program. [TABULAR DATA 5 OMITTED] Significant differences between the two groups were found in regard to anticipating conducting research, publishing and presenting articles, teaching in a classroom setting, and seeking an advanced degree. A greater percentage of master's degree respondents anticipated involvement in the first three activities, whereas a greater percentage of bachelor's degree respondents planned to seek an advanced degree. Self-Assessment Students were asked to rate the extent to which they felt their education program had prepared them to practice in various areas and settings of physical therapy and to perform certain activities. The means and standard deviations of the students' ratings of perceived preparedness pre·par·ed·ness n. The state of being prepared, especially military readiness for combat. Noun 1. preparedness - the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action); "putting them to practice in various areas of physical therapy are given in Table 6. The mean perceived preparedness score was significantly higher for the master's degree group in general acute care, cardiopulmonary cardiopulmonary /car·dio·pul·mo·nary/ (kahr?de-o-pool´mah-nar-e) pertaining to the heart and lungs. car·di·o·pul·mo·nar·y adj. Of, relating to, or involving both the heart and the lungs. conditions, geriatrics geriatrics (jĕrēă`trĭks), the branch of medicine concerned with conditions and diseases of the aged. Many disabilities in old age are caused by or related to the deterioration of the circulatory system (see arteriosclerosis), e.g. , disease prevention and health promotion, public health education, industrial health and rehabilitation rehabilitation: see physical therapy. , and home health care (P<.05). [TABULAR DATA 6 OMITTED] Table 7 presents the means and standard deviations for each group's rating of perceived preparedness to practice physical therapy in a given setting. The mean score for each setting was greater for master's degree respondents. The results were significant at the .01 level for all settings except outpatient outpatient /out·pa·tient/ (-pa-shent) a patient who comes to the hospital, clinic, or dispensary for diagnosis and/or treatment but does not occupy a bed. out·pa·tient n. facilities. [TABULAR DATA 7 OMITTED] Table 8 represents the students' rating of their perceived preparedness to perform various activities related to physical therapy. The mean score was significantly higher for the master's degree group in all activities except communicating orally and in writing with other health professionals (P<.003). [TABULAR DATA 8 OMITTED] Attitudes This section examined respondents' attitudes toward four professional practice issues including research, clinical specialization, direct access, and postbaccalaureate entry-level education. Table 9 presents the percentage of students in each group who agreed or strongly agreed with each item. [TABULAR DATA 9 OMITTED] The mean attitude scores in the areas of research and clinical specialization were identical for the two groups of respondents. Most students in each group supported these activities and felt greater involvement in these activities by physical therapists would improve the image of the profession. Differences were found between the mean attitude scores of the groups on three of the four items related to direct access (P<.05, two-tailed t test) and all four items related to postbaccalaureate entry-level education (P<.001, two-tailed t test). Discussion Demographic Characteristics A 1 1/2-year difference was found in the mean ages of bachelor's and master's degree respondents. This difference was expected, as most postbaccalaureate respondents had earned previous college degrees compared with only one fourth of baccalaureate respondents. Bachelor's degree programs did not appear to attract more nontraditional students, that is, older individuals returning to school, than master's degree programs. Most respondents were closely distributed around their group's respective mean for age, and the same proportion of respondents in each group were above the mean age for their respective group (approximately one third). One argument in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor the transition to a postbaccalaureate entry level has been that students in graduate programs are older and more mature, and therefore more responsive to learning. Although a statistically significant difference was found in the mean ages of the students at the two degree levels, we did not consider the 1 1/2-year difference to be large enough to affect maturity levels. Data from our study indicate bachelor's degree programs attract a greater percentage of minority students in general. This finding is consistent with the 1990[12] APTA membership report, which indicated that minority therapists, with the exception of Asian-American therapists, were slightly more likely to have graduated from baccalaureate programs (75.3% of Caucasian Caucasian or Caucasoid: see race. respondents reported that they had graduated from an entry-level bachelor's degree program compared with 76.7%, 82.2%, and 83.3% of black, Hispanic Hispanic Multiculture A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race Social medicine Any of 17 major Latino subcultures, concentrated in California, Texas, Chicago, Miam, NY, and elsewhere , and American Indian American Indian or Native American or Amerindian or indigenous American Any member of the various aboriginal peoples of the Western Hemisphere, with the exception of the Eskimos (Inuit) and the Aleuts. respondents, respectively). One of the arguments against the transition to postbaccalaureate entry-level education in physical therapy is that higher costs are often associated with graduate-level education and, along with increased time for preparation and raised entry-level requirements, may reduce the number of applicants from minority groups.[21] Although not documented in physical therapy, specifically, minority health professionals, in general, are more likely to provide health care to minority segments of society.[22] A potential decrease in the number of applicants from minority groups with a transition to graduate-level education may have repercussions repercussions npl → répercussions fpl repercussions npl → Auswirkungen pl for minority populations, who already experience poor access to health care. Therefore, increasing recruitment and scholarship efforts that target students from minority groups may be necessary with a raised entry level in physical therapy education. Prospective Employment Profile Concerns have been expressed regarding increased costs to health care facilities and consumers if physical therapists with postbaccalaureate degrees demand higher salaries, with particular concern for employers in rural areas being able to afford these practitioners. A statistically significant difference was found between students from the two degree levels in regard to anticipated income the first year on the job. Master's degree students, however, did not necessarily anticipate earning a greater amount. These students were concentrated in the middle of the income scale, with 67% expecting to earn $30,001 to $35,000. Although the majority of bachelor's degree students (54%) also anticipated earning this amount, they were more widely dispersed dis·perse v. dis·persed, dis·pers·ing, dis·pers·es v.tr. 1. a. To drive off or scatter in different directions: The police dispersed the crowd. b. across the income scale. A greater percentage of baccalaureate respondents than postbaccalaureate respondents were represented in the income categories above and below the $30,001 to $35,000 range. These findings are similar to those of the 1990 APTA Active Membership Profile,[12] which showed only minimal differences in the average earned income Sources of money derived from the labor, professional service, or entrepreneurship of an individual taxpayer as opposed to funds generated by investments, dividends, and interest. between graduates of entry-level bachelor's and master's degree programs. The type of entry-level program was not found to influence the size of community in which students planned to seek employment even when the influences of the size of community of origin and ethnicity were controlled in the log-linear analysis. The size of community of origin or the area in which students spent most of their time growing up had the greatest influence on the size of community of prospective work. No difference was found, however, when the size of community of origin was analyzed by type of entry-level program. Thus, there was no difference between bachelor's and master's degree programs in regard to attracting students from specific community sizes or in preparing students to work in specific community sizes. An important difference between groups was the anticipated position 10 years after graduation. Master's degree students were more likely to anticipate moving into positions of greater responsibility. This finding may indicate that graduate education better prepares students to assume such roles. However, Perry's[15] study of practicing physical therapists demonstrated no significant difference between graduates of baccalaureate and postbaccalaureate entry-level programs in relation to holding positions of greater responsibility. This difference in findings between the studies may be attributed to a mismatch mismatch 1. in blood transfusions and transplantation immunology, an incompatibility between potential donor and recipient. 2. one or more nucleotides in one of the double strands in a nucleic acid molecule without complementary nucleotides in the same position on the other between students' current expectations and future actions. Professional Involvement The only activity in which baccalaureate respondents anticipated significantly greater involvement than postbaccalaureate respondents was seeking an advanced degree in physical therapy or a related field. This finding is congruent con·gru·ent adj. 1. Corresponding; congruous. 2. Mathematics a. Coinciding exactly when superimposed: congruent triangles. b. with other studies that have found entry-level bachelor's degree students[14] and graduates[12] more likely to anticipate enrollment or to be enrolled in postprofessional degree programs. Additional data in the 1990 APTA Active Membership Profile,[12] however, indicated that entry-level master's degree graduates were more likely than their baccalaureate counterparts to enroll in doctoral programs. These findings may be important to postprofessional degree programs at the master's degree level. Their long-term Long-term Three or more years. In the context of accounting, more than 1 year. long-term 1. Of or relating to a gain or loss in the value of a security that has been held over a specific length of time. Compare short-term. success may be jeopardized if fewer individuals enroll in these programs with the transition to postbaccalaureate entry-level education. Although advanced master's degree programs may provide additional knowledge and skills to entry-level master's degree graduates, these individuals may be less likely to enter these programs for two reasons: (1) a perceived lack of need for further academic credentialing Credentialing is the administrative process for validating the qualifications of licensed professionals, organizational members or organizations, and assessing their background and legitimacy. and (2) a reluctance to devote time and money to obtain a second degree at the master's level. Master's degree respondents anticipated greater involvement in conducting research, publishing articles, presenting articles or other information, and teaching in a classroom setting. Greater anticipated involvement in research and teaching on the part of postbaccalaureate students may reflect their higher self-assessments of their perceived preparedness to perform these activities. On the other hand, these findings may reflect a greater commitment to the profession on the part of graduate degree respondenes. In either case, the outcome could be positive for the physical therapy profession. Self-Assessment Master's degree students stated that they felt better prepared to practice across a broad spectrum of physical therapy practice. Postbaccalaureate respondents perceived themselves as significantly better prepared to practice than baccalaureate respondents in the areas of general acute care, cardiopulmonary conditions, industrial health and rehabilitation, disease prevention and health promotion, public health education, geriatric geriatric /ger·i·at·ric/ (jer?e-at´rik) 1. pertaining to elderly persons or to the aging process. 2. pertaining to geriatrics. ger·i·at·ric adj. 1. care, and home health care. Master's degree students perceived their preparation to practice in seven out of the eight facility choices examined as significantly better than did bachelor's degree students. In addition, postbaccalaureate respondents felt their programs had better prepared them to critically read and evaluate research, apply research findings to clinical practice, conduct research, practice physical therapy without referral, teach physical therapy students in clinical and classroom settings, and administer a physical therapy department or practice. Although differences were found between the two groups in the areas mentioned in the previous paragraph, the actual differences between the means were small. The fact that master's degree students perceived their preparation higher in the majority of areas, settings, and activities examined, however, adds credence to the findings. In no area; setting, or activity did bachelor's degree students perceive themselves better prepared than master's degree students perceived themselves to be. The findings related to research are consistent with those of other studies, which demonstrated that a greater percentage of master's degree graduates perceived themselves to have adequate knowledge of research design and methodology, enabling them to critically read and evaluate scientific articles.[11,12] In contrast to the findings of this investigation, entry-level master's degree students in the 1991 APTA student survey[14] did not rate their skills higher in patient care and management than did bachelor's degree students. Subspecialties of physical therapy were not examined in that study. Attitudes A greater percentage of postbaccalaureate students than their peers in baccalaureate programs supported direct access practice (79.1% versus 65.8%, respectively) and felt comfortable practicing in more autonomous modes (27.5% versus 22.0%, respectively), whereas a greater percentage of bachelor's degree respondents felt direct access practice would place the consumer at risk. These findings are consistent with master's degree respondents' higher ratings of their perceived preparedness to practice without a practitioner referral. However, an overwhelming majority of students in each group did not feel comfortable with direct access practice. Furthermore, a large majority in each group felt physical therapists should have some work experience before practicing in direct access modes. These findings raise the question of whether entry-level education can or should be directed to direct access modes of practice. If so, education programs in physical therapy at both degree levels may need to place greater emphasis in the curriculum on the review of body systems, differential diagnosis differential diagnosis n. Determination of which one of two or more diseases with similar symptoms is the one from which the patient is suffering. Also called differentiation. , internship internship /in·tern·ship/ (in´tern-ship) the position or term of service of an intern in a hospital. internship, n the course work or practicum conducted in a professional dental clinic. programs, and other activities that would better prepare students for direct access practice. Well over 80% of postbaccalaureate students supported a raised entry level and felt it would facilitate physical therapists in meeting professional responsibilities. Interestingly, about half of the baccalaureate students supported a transition to a postbaccalaureate entry level and felt it would help physical therapists to better meet professional responsibilities. A smaller percentage of respondents in each group felt graduate-level education would produce more competent therapists compared with the percentage who felt it would help individuals to meet professional responsibilities. This finding may indicate that respondents believe postbaccalaureate entry-level education has a greater impact on activities such as research and teaching rather than patient care skills. However, further investigation is needed in this area before definitive conclusions can be reached. Limitations When considering the results of this study, five factors should be kept in mind. First, the random sampling used in this study may have been compromised due to a large number of programs having students on clinical affiliations at the time the study was conducted, which prevented them from participating. Therefore, caution should be used in generalizing the results beyond the sample studied. Second, although all students were in the second half of their final year of study, some students had completed all of their course work and clinical rotations, whereas others had not. Third, respondents were asked to anticipate their employment status and professional involvement, and their intentions will probably not coincide exactly with their actions. Fourth, differences noted at present between respondents may not persist after graduation and throughout their careers, especially as individuals are influenced by peers, work experience, continuing education continuing education: see adult education. continuing education or adult education Any form of learning provided for adults. In the U.S. the University of Wisconsin was the first academic institution to offer such programs (1904). , and so forth. Fifth, students' attitudes and expectations may be influenced by other factors that were not examined in this study, such as socioeconomic status socioeconomic status, n the position of an individual on a socio-economic scale that measures such factors as education, income, type of occupation, place of residence, and in some populations, ethnicity and religion. and parents' educational level. Future Studies In future investigations, questionnaires could be sent to physical therapy programs in advance, and requests could be made to have them administered after students have completed all course work and clinical affiliations. This approach may prevent the interference with random sampling that was experienced in our study and may allow all students to complete their curricula before responding to the questionnaire. Further research examining entry-level education in physical therapy could include longitudinal studies longitudinal studies, n.pl the epidemiologic studies that record data from a respresentative sample at repeated intervals over an extended span of time rather than at a single or limited number over a short period. to determine whether differences between respondents persist beyond the school years. Physical therapy employers may be a good source of information concerning the influence of entry-level degree on professional practices. Areas that could be examined in further detail include (1) the effect of a raised entry level on minority enrollment, enrollment in postprofessional degree programs at the master's and doctoral degree levels, and the supply of physical therapy services in rural and inner-city areas; (2) recruitment and scholarship efforts to encourage minority enrollment; (3) differences between minorities and the majority individuals of their degree level in relation to professional behavior measures; (4) students' and graduates' opinions concerning their education; (5) students' preparation in specific areas of importance in health care today including geriatric care, industrial rehabilitation, and disease prevention and health promotion; (6) students' and graduates' opinions concerning direct access for physical therapists and their confidence in practicing in more autonomous modes; and (7) differences between individuals' perceived ability to perform various activities and actual performance of those activities. Conclusions A study of entry-level bachelor's and master's degree students in the United States suggests that differences between these two groups exist. Master's degree respondents anticipated greater involvement in research and teaching and felt better prepared to practice across a broad spectrum of clinical practice and to perform activities related to research, teaching, management, and direct access practice. These findings indicate that a transition to postbaccalaureate entry-level education may have positive outcomes for education, practice, and research in the physical therapy profession. The level of education for physical therapists should reflect the current and future needs of professional practice and society and changes in physical therapy roles and functions as well as changes in the legislation that regulates physical therapy practice. These changes include increases in the elderly population, the shift toward outpatient care, the expanding scope of physical therapy practice and relevant knowledge, the greater emphasis on accountability in the delivery of services, and the trend toward direct access practice. The findings of this study indicate that a raised entry level may facilitate our profession's response to these changes. Further research is encouraged to explore the influence of the educational level on professional practices and attitudes in physical therapy. Information gained from this study and future investigations may have implications for curriculum planning, faculty development, recruitment and scholarship efforts, and policy formation in physical therapy education. Acknowledgments Gratitude Gratitude agrimony traditional symbol for gratitude. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 172] Androcles because he had once extracted a thorn from its paw, the lion refrained from attacking Androcles in the arena. [Rom. Lit. is expressed to Dr Stephen Wilson and Dr Kay KAY Kick Ass Year KAY Kansas Association of Youth Grant for their insight and direction throughout the research. Special thanks are extended to Dr Larry Sachs and Ms Jill Clutter for their statistical assistance. References [1] Blood H. Entry-level master's degree: a decade of experience. Phys Ther. 1984;64:208-212. [2] Daniels L. Ninth Mary McMillan Lecture: Tomorrow now--the master's degree for physical therapy education. Phys Ther. 1974;54:463-473. [3] Lehmkuhl LD, Twenty-Fourth Mary McMillan Lecture: Camelot Camelot (kăm`əlŏt), in Arthurian legend, the seat of King Arthur's court. The origin of the name is unknown. It has been variously located at Cadbury Camp, Somerset; Winchester; Camelford; and Caerleon. revisited--legacy of the physical therapy education program at Case Western Reserve University. Phys Ther. 1990;70:723-733. [4] Educational programs leading to qualifications as a physical therapist. Phys Ther. 1993; 73:925-932. [5] MacKinnon JL. Review of the postbaccalaureate degree for professional entry into physical therapy. Phys Ther. 1984;64:938-942. [6] Report of the House of Delegates session. Phys Ther. 1979;59:1396-1400. [7] Raising Entry-Level Education for Physical Therapists. A Compilation Compiling a program. See compiler. of Background Information. Alexandria, Va: American Physical Therapy Association; 1984. [8] Conine co·ni·ine also co·nin or co·nine n. A poisonous colorless liquid alkaloid, C5H10NC3H7, found in the poison hemlock. TA. A survey of the graduates of a professional physical therapy program. Phys Ther. 1972;52:855-861. [9] Domholdt EA. A hypothetical Hypothetical is an adjective, meaning of or pertaining to a hypothesis. See:
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n. Archaic A wood or grove; a copse. [Middle English, from Old English.] holt Noun the lair of an otter [from , Rinehart and Winston Inc; 1990:275-279. [19] Fraenkel JR, Wallen NE, How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co; 1990: 116-119, 185. [20] Kennedy JJ. Analyzing Qualitative Data: Introductory Log-Linear Analysis for Behavioral behavioral pertaining to behavior. behavioral disorders see vice. behavioral seizure see psychomotor seizure. Research. New York, NY: Praeger Publishers; 1983. [21] Caston JM. Entry-level education: concerns about the proposed change. Phys Ther, 1982; 62:40-45. [22] Mahoney ME. Mary E. Switzer Mary Elizabeth Switzer (February 16, 1900 - October 16, 1971), was an American public administrator and social reformer. She notably shaped the 1954 Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which provided a great expansion of vocational rehabilitation service for people with disabilities. Memorial Lecture: Allied health professions--planning for the future. J Allied Health. 1980;9:14-21. Appendix. Entry-Level Education Questionnaire Please answer carefully the following items: Prospective Employment Profile 1. Circle the number that best describes your projected employment status after graduation. 1 Employed full-time in physical therapy 2 Employed part-time in physical therapy 3 Employed in a non-physical therapy position 4 Unemployed If you plan to be employed in physical therapy (circled 1 or 2 in item 1), proceed to item 3. If you therapy (circled 3 or 4 in item 1), answer item 2, then proceed to item 7. 2. Circle the number that best describes the reason that you do not plan to obtain employment in phy 1 Plan to seek an advanced degree in physical therapy 2 Plan to seek an advanced degree in another field 3 Plan to be a full-time homemaker 4 Dissatisfaction with physical therapy (please specify) 5 Other (please specify) 3. Circle the number that best describes the type of facility or institution in which you are most l 1 Academic institution/university 2 Home health agency 3 Hospital 4 Nursing home or extended care facility 5 Outpatient facility 6 Prepaid pre·pay tr.v. pre·paid, pre·pay·ing, pre·pays To pay or pay for beforehand. pre·pay ment n. health care organization 7 Rehabilitation center 8 Research center 9 School system 10 Other (please specify) 4. Circle the number that best describes the geographical area or population served by the facility 1 Suburb suburb, a community in an outlying section of a city or, more commonly, a nearby, politically separate municipality with social and economic ties to the central city. In the 20th cent. 2 Large city (>300,000 people) (not inner city) 3 Inner city (>300,000 people) 4 Medium city (100,000-300,000 people) 5 Small city (20,000-100,000 people) 6 Rural (<20,000 people) 5. Circle the number that most accurately describes the gross annual income that you expect to earn graduation. (Based on full-time status) 1 <$20,000 2 $20,001-25,000 3 $25,001-30,000 4 $30,001-35,000 5 $35,001-40,000 6 $40,001-50,000 7 >$50,000 6. Circle the number that best describes the type of position in which you see yourself in 10 years. 1 Administrator of a physical therapy school 2 Director of a physical therapy (clinical) department or practice 3 Educator/faculty 4 Private practice owner 5 Senior staff therapist 6 Staff physical therapist 7 Other (please specify) Professional Activities 7. Circle the number of all roles and activities in which you see yourself involved during your care 1 [APTA.sup.a] member 2 Member of an APTA committee (check all that apply) (--District,--State,--National) 3 APTA officer (check all that apply) (--District,--State,--National) 4 Attending APTA meetings (check all that apply) (--District,--State,--National) 5 Conducting research 6 Publishing articles in a professional journal 7 Presenting articles or information on other topics 8 Conducting workshops or seminars 9 Attending continuing education courses (--#plan to attend per year) 10 Seeking an advanced degree in physical therapy or related field 11 Seeking certification as a clinical specialist 12 Owning a private physical therapy practice 13 Teaching physical therapy students in a clinical setting 14 Teaching physical therapy students in a classroom setting 15 Administrator of a physical therapy school 16 Director of a physical therapy (clinical) department or practice 8. Are you currently a student member of the APTA? (Circle the number of your answer) 1 Yes 2 No 9. Circle the number that best describes the total number of APTA meetings that you have attended, i 1 0 2 1-2 3 3-5 4 6-10 5 >10 Self-assessment of Physical Therapy Skills For item 10, please use the following ranking system: 5 Excellently prepared 4 Well prepared 3 Marginally prepared 2 Poorly prepared 1 Not at all prepared NA Have not yet had course (but will before graduation) or elective and chose not to take 10. Circle the appropriate factor that reflects the extent to which you feel that your physical ther each area. [Mathematical Expression A group of characters or symbols representing a quantity or an operation. See arithmetic expression. Omitted] For items 1 1 and 12, please use the following ranking system: 5 Excellently prepared 4 Well prepared 3 Marginally prepared 2 Poorly prepared 1 Not at all prepared 11. Circle the appropriate number that reflects the extent to which you feel that your physical ther each setting. [Mathematical Expression Omitted] 12. Circle the appropriate number that reflects the extent to which you feel that your education has [Mathematical Expression Omitted] Professional Attitudes Statements 13 through 25 relate to current professional practice issues in physical therapy. Please by circling one of the following responses for each item. SA Strongly agree with the statement A Agree with the statement U Undecided D Disagree with Verb 1. disagree with - not be very easily digestible; "Spicy food disagrees with some people" hurt - give trouble or pain to; "This exercise will hurt your back" the statement SD Strongly disagree with the statement Personal Data 26. Your gender. (Circle number of your answer) 1 Male 2 Female 27. Your present age: -- years 28. Your racial or ethnic identification. (Circle the number of your answer) 1 Black 2 Hispanic 3 Native American 4 White, nonhispanic 5 Asian 6 Other (please specify) -- 29. The geographical area or population of the area in which you spent most of your time growing up (Circle the number of your answer) 1 Suburb 2 Large city (>300,000 people) (not inner city) 3 Inner city (>300,000 people) 4 Medium city (100,000-300,000 people) 5 Small city (20,000-100,000 people) 6 Rural (<20,000) 30. The academic degree you will receive upon completing your physical therapy education. (Circle nu 1 Bachelor's degree 2 Master's degree 3 Postbaccalaureate certificate 31. Have you obtained any other college degrees? (Circle the number of your answer) 1 Yes (specify degree[s] and major[s]) 2 No (*) SPSS A statistical package from SPSS, Inc., Chicago (www.spss.com) that runs on PCs, most mainframes and minis and is used extensively in marketing research. It provides over 50 statistical processes, including regression analysis, correlation and analysis of variance. Inc, 444 N Michigan Michigan (mĭsh`ĭgən), upper midwestern state of the United States. It consists of two peninsulas thrusting into the Great Lakes and has borders with Ohio and Indiana (S), Wisconsin (W), and the Canadian province of Ontario (N,E). Ave AVE Avenue AVE Average AVE Alta Velocidad Espanola (train between Madrid and Seville) AVE Alta Velocidad Española (Spanish: High Speed Train) AVE Audio Video Entertainment AVE Advertising Value Equivalent , Chicago, IL 60611. ([dagger]) BMPD Statistical Software Inc, 1440 Sepulveda Blvd, Ste 316, Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , CA 90025. SC Warren, PT, is Physical Therapist, St Ann's Sports Medicine sports medicine, branch of medicine concerned with physical fitness and with the treatment and prevention of injuries and other disorders related to sports. Knee, leg, back, and shoulder injuries; stiffness and pain in joints; tendinitis; "tennis elbow"; and , 185 W Schrock schrock sorghumvulgare. Rd, Westerville, OH 43081. She was Physical Therapist, Worthington Physical Therapy, Worthington, OH 43085, and a master's degree candidate, School of Allied Health Professions, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, at the time the study was conducted, Address all correspondence to Ms Warren. FM Pierson, PT, is Emeritus e·mer·i·tus adj. Retired but retaining an honorary title corresponding to that held immediately before retirement: a professor emeritus. n. pl. Assistant Professor, School of Allied Medical Professions, The Ohio State University. This study was approved by the biomedical sciences Noun 1. biomedical science - the application of the principles of the natural sciences to medicine bioscience, life science - any of the branches of natural science dealing with the structure and behavior of living organisms division of the Human Subjects Review Committee at The Ohio State University. This article was submitted January 4, 1993, and was accepted October 27, 1993. |
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