Review of the postbaccalaureate degree for professional entry into physical therapy

The impact of an evolving profession on the frequency and perceived difficulty of ethical encounters among physical therapists in the clinic

Background: Ethical decision making is situated within dynamic contexts specific to practice standards and environments, contemporary policy, and responsive educational systems. Reflecting on an evolving profession lends insight into the role of ethical codes of conduct. Objective: The purpose of this study was to gather information about the frequency and perceived difficulty physical therapists (PTs) experience with common ethical situations within contemporary clinical practice. Methods: PTs within the United States were invited to participate in an online questionnaire replicating a 1980 study. Subjects were 336 PTs from a variety of practice environments. Results: Just 1 item was reported as moderately/extremely difficult by contemporary respondents, compared to 16 items in the 1980 study. The number of items meeting moderate/high encounter frequency was similar between the two groups (2015 = 16/19; 1980 = 15/19). Conclusions: While today's PTs report that they encounter ethical situations at a frequency similar to PTs in 1980, these same PTs report these ethical challenges as minimally difficult when compared to PTs responding to the 1980 survey. It is proposed that a move toward autonomous practice, the elevation of the entry level professional degree, and changing health care policy and environments have been influential in shaping these changes over time.

Graduate-Entry Master's Degrees: Launchpad for Occupational Therapy in this Millennium?

Trends in occupational therapy education worldwide are towards the increasing educational preparation of graduates. Initially, entry into the occupational therapy profession was gained via a brief course, followed by a diploma, and then later with a bachelor's degree. Most recently, graduate-entry master's degree programmes have been introduced as an alternative entry into the profession. With the introduction of four graduate-entry master's degree programmes in Canada and Australia and one in the United Kingdom since September 1998, and the planned introduction of other programmes in these countries, it is timely to review the history and context of the graduate-entry programmes.

The imperatives leading to the introduction of graduate-entry master's degree programmes include the increased qualification base of applicants, the need for practitioners to be evidence based and the concurrent so-called qualification creep of other health professions. The data from the first two cohorts of Australian students who commenced the graduate-entry Master of Occupational Therapy Studies programme at the University of Queensland are presented. Some similarities between these Australian students and the Canadian students are noted. The benefit of master's degree entry programmes to the profession is seen as an increased pool of highly skilled practitioners who will contribute to the research base of the profession.

Conclusion

Graduate-entry master's degree programmes have received an impetus from the international trends to increase the educational levels of health practitioners and for universities to adapt to global changes. Preliminary examination of the student profiles suggests a richness of experience in students coming into these university courses. The availability of such programmes has permitted more qualified and mature-aged students to enter the profession. These students have chosen a career path consistent with their values, competencies and goals. The availability of applicants with suitable pre-existing qualifications and attributes has benefits for the profession. Curricula need to accommodate and further develop these competencies and to prepare graduates for increasingly diverse areas of practice. The introduction of these programmes has created the opportunity to produce occupational therapists with research capabilities that can strengthen the practice base of the profession. These positive indicators need careful monitoring to ensure that the potential becomes a reality for the profession.

It is contended that graduates from graduate-entry master's degree programmes in occupational therapy will be better equipped to meet the professional challenges of the 21st century. They will bring to the profession a solid grounding in liberal arts or science. They will be able to embrace rapidly the tradition of the scientist-practitioner (Polatajko and MacKinnon 1987). It will be interesting and important to follow the trajectories of these graduates beyond lift-off! It is suggested that a longitudinal study which tracks their career progression, career choice and research productivity be undertaken.