Characteristics,perceptions, and other factors influencing physical therapist assistant program directors in 2001

Little is known about program directors in physical therapist assistant (PTA) programs. This study describes the characteristics of program directors in PTA programs, such as time spent on responsibilities, influences on decision making, perceptions of current working relationships, and satisfaction with decision making. Program directors of 153 (57.5%) accredited PTA programs responded to the survey. The self-reported data were generated by a mail survey developed by the investigator that included 32 demographic items and 58 Likert-scale items to meet the purpose of the study. The data suggest that PTA program directors have average to extremely good levels of satisfaction with their positions and spend more time on student-related and accreditation/long range planning activities than they do on other activities. Information on years of experience and types of degrees suggest that respondents have a great deal of physical therapy experience but much less experience in teaching and administration within community colleges. This information may be valuable for people who seek, or who are recruited for, PTA program director positions. It provides a foundational database for periodic studies of PTA program directors. As enrollments and new programs stabilize and as new program directors are appointed, their impact on physical therapy education and the profession must be reevaluated.     

Changing trends in program assessment in physical therapy education: perceptions of program directors.

Rather than focusing on student outcomes, educational programs are starting to assess activities that support the achievement of a program's specific mission and goals. Directors, faculty, students, and other stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the assessment activities. The accreditation agency for physical therapy education has recently implemented new criteria for program assessment that contain 11 components related to program content, management, and resources, with recommendations that various stakeholders participate in the process. The purposes of this study were 1) to identify the extents to which specific stakeholders participated in the assessment of three program components, and 2) to learn how program directors rated the importance of the new criteria. A survey was used to collect information from the program director of each accredited physical therapy program in the United States. The response rate was 50%. Results indicated that 76-100% of program chairs and faculty almost always participated in assessment activities related to institutional and program policies and procedures, and resources. In comparison, 20-57% of students, graduates, and support staff participated. Program chairs and faculty participated significantly more (p = 0.0000) compared with students, graduates, and support staff. Approximately 90% of the program directors believed the new criteria were important to the effectiveness of their programs. The results were used to critique program assessment in physical therapy education against recommendations cited in the literature and to share the perceptions that program directors have regarding assessment components that address broad areas of program activities and resources.     

Future directions for AUPHA (Association of University Programs in Health Administration)? Results of a survey of faculty members.

As part of its strategic planning process, the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) conducted a survey of individual faculty members in health administration programs. The objective of the survey was to assess the faculty development needs of individual faculty members in terms of their professional association affiliations, and to identify what, if any, additional roles might be filled by AUPHA. The findings supported a role for AUPHA beyond its historical role of serving the needs of health administration programs primarily through program directors. Of particular importance to faculty members were exchanges with faculty in other health administration programs around research and teaching issues. While these views were held by those of all academic ranks and educational levels, the importance of these activities was judged higher by those respondents with doctorates and those of assistant professor rank. A specific role indicated for AUPHA is one of creating opportunities for exchange among individual faculty members in health administration programs. Furthermore, the data suggest that those faculty members of assistant professor rank should be a major focus for AUPHA faculty development activities. Roles for AUPHA in the areas of revising curricula and exploring new methods of instruction, developing closer linkages with management practitioners and discussions of ways to facilitate multidisciplinary exchange and research were outlined in this study.     

Assessment of student selection practices and beliefs in dietetic internship programs

With declining college enrollment, the health professions, including dietetics, are recognizing a need to assess and monitor student selection more closely. In this survey of 102 dietetic internship programs, program directors and a sample of their faculty members were asked to describe their current selection practices and to identify the beliefs they hold about the information obtained from various components of their procedures. Differences in beliefs between program directors and other faculty members were compared by t-test analysis. The five major categories of internship selection procedures are presented with information items faculty members believe are derived from each category, and the results are compared with those of previous surveys of dietetic selection practices. Major findings are that the intern selection process has changed significantly since 1978, with greater emphasis on work experience and extracurricular activities; the number of applicants per position has doubled despite a doubling of dietetic internship programs; and program directors and faculty members agree on the major selection practices but not on the information obtained from a given category. In the discussion, the findings are evaluated against a broad background of health profession education literature; implications are raised for intern selection committees and for the applicant.     

Priorities and benchmarks for new faculty in physical therapist education programs: perceptions of program directors

The purpose of this study was to establish development priorities, ideal workload and performance levels, and preferred faculty development activities for new faculty in professional-level physical therapist education programs. A preliminary questionnaire was sent to 183 directors of these programs to identify new faculty and their program directors. Eighty-five new faculty and 79 of their program directors were identified and sent comparable surveys with questions that pertained to the current and ideal teaching, scholarship, and service activities of the new faculty. Results indicated that both new faculty and program directors agreed on ideal workload levels and that workloads for new faculty should shift from teaching to scholarship. New faculty set performance levels that are significantly higher than those identified by their program directors. Development priorities for the new faculty varied from knowledge and skills in instruction as expressed by program directors to scholarship as expressed by new faculty. Individual consultations were the highest preferred faculty development activity reported by both groups. These findings provide direction for the content and delivery method for faculty development activities for new faculty in these and similar education programs.     

Relevance of competencies to graduate education and experience in foodservice management

The objectives of this research were to identify professional and educational characteristics of graduates from master's degree programs in foodservice management; determine the relevance of specific concepts to present professional responsibilities; rate the quality of master's degree educational preparation; and determine whether competence was gained from sources other than the graduate program. Participants were 85 graduates of master's degree programs in foodservice management (1980 through 1988) from five universities. The research instrument contained three scales to assess 43 foodservice management concepts regarding relevance, educational preparation, and competence gained from other sources. Demographic information was also requested. The most commonly held present position was foodservice director. Graduates were most likely to be employed in health care facilities or colleges and universities. All concepts were rated as relevant to graduates' present professional responsibilities, and quality of educational preparation was rated satisfactory or better. Principal component analysis, using a varimax rotation, resulted in four factors, which were titled food production, management, organizational communication, and strategic thinking. Analysis of variance was conducted to determine whether differences existed in the factor scores on the basis of position title or graduate program attended. Foodservice directors rated the food production and management of organization factors more relevant to their present position than did clinical dietitians. Scores for quality of educational preparation for the four factors did not differ on the basis of graduate program attended.     

Education, research, and practice: bridging the gap

The purpose of this study was to identify the research activities that were part of dietetic internship and coordinated undergraduate programs. Data about required research courses, research-related experiences, curriculum competencies, student publications, and faculty needs were obtained from 79 dietetic internship and 46 coordinated undergraduate program directors. Research courses were required in 60% of the programs and most often included basic statistics and review of the literature. Attendance at research conferences and observation of research dietitians were the most frequent learning experience activities. A wide variety of research projects were required by 71% of the programs, but there were few student opportunities to participate in faculty-sponsored research. The ability to evaluate literature critically, knowledge of research concepts, and application of research findings to dietetic practice were the most frequently cited competency statements. Less than 2% of graduates in a 3-year period had published in professional journals. Faculty members believed they needed more time, money, educational materials, professional development, and access to research facilities to improve the research component of the program. These findings suggest that research competencies may need to be prioritized differently in view of changing needs in dietetic practice.     

Management activities in community dietetics practice

Information on the management activities of community dietitians was obtained through a mail survey of 350 randomly selected community dietitians. Subjects provided information on their management level, the importance to their job performance of 83 management activity statements, and the percent of time they spent performing management activities in each of nine categories. Twenty-nine percent of the respondents indicated job responsibilities in lower-level management; 45% had mid-level and 26% had upper-level management responsibilities. Numbers of activities rated essential or very important increased as management levels increased. Kinds of activities changed from technical to human to conceptual as management levels increased. Mid-level management subjects, while still spending time working with clients, reported spending considerable time on coordinating, investigating, and evaluating, often reporting as much time spent on those activities as did upper-level management subjects. Definitions provided by respondents indicated great diversity in job requirements and settings.     

Attributes of curriculum athletic training programs related to the passing rate of first-time certification examinees

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to identify attributes of athletic training programs that have been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) as they relate to outcomes of their students on the National Athletic Training Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) examination and (2) to determine the most effective curriculum in preparing candidates for the examination. For all subjects, the following survey information was assessed: the seven domains (competencies), number of clinical rotation sites, grade point average requirement, faculty responsibilities, faculty terminal degrees, faculty K-12 experience, association with allied health schools, capstone course availability, and course examination similarities. Fifty-four subjects, representing 60% of all of the program directors of CAAHEP accredited athletic training programs, responded in this study. Data were analyzed using a general linear model procedure and regression analyses. Even domains of athletic training, variety of rotation sites, clinical responsibility of faculty, faculty terminal degrees, and faculty K-12 school experience significantly affected the passing rate of first time certification examinees. Grade point average requirement, allied health school association, course examination format, and capstone course were not related significantly to the passing rate of first-time certification examinees. The most effective curricular model included the seven domains of athletic training, faculty clinical responsibilities, and faculty K-12 work experience as related to the passing rate. Emphasizing the domains of athletic training (competencies), having a variety of rotation sites, separating clinical and academic responsibilities for faculty, and having faculty with terminal degrees and less public school experience increase the passing rate of first-time NATABOC examinees. The most effective curricular model in affecting passing rate, according to this study, includes emphasizing the seven domains of athletic training (competencies), separating clinical and academic responsibilities of faculty, and not focusing on hiring faculty with K-12 work experience. Although this article focuses primarily on athletic training education, we believe that this study can be used as a model to evaluate educational programs in other allied health, competency-based educational programs.     

Commitment to Underserved People (C.U.P.) program at the University of Arizona.

The C.U.P. (Commitment to Underserved People) Program was established at the University of Arizona College of Medicine to reinforce the commitment of a self-selected group of medical students to careers with medically underserved people and to help them acquire some of the special knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to effective performance in such careers. The program brings together some preexisting curricular offerings and a number of additional extracurricular activities and experiences. The time demands on the participating students are significant, but not excessive. Support activities are an important aspect and include periodic group meetings, an annual retreat, faculty role models as students advisors, and personal counseling when needed. The program is coordinated by the Department of Family and Community Medicine, but relies on participation of faculty from other primary care departments and the cooperation of a number of community agencies and clinics. The C.U.P. Program was developed in response to an expressed student need, and students have continued to play an essential role in its design and direction.     

Characteristics of the nutrition provider in corporate and hospital wellness programs.

This two-phase research project was conducted to examine the content of corporate- and hospital-sponsored wellness programs and to determine the characteristics of the nutrition provider. In the first phase of the study, a questionnaire was sent to 150 wellness program directors located throughout the United States to determine the nature of their total wellness program. In the second phase, questionnaires were sent to the nutrition provider to elicit specific information on the characteristics and requirements for that position. Results indicated that corporate- and hospital-sponsored wellness programs offered a variety of activities. Those incorporating a nutrition component offered a range of events from nutrition assessment to individual counseling and disease awareness programs. The position of nutrition provider was most often held by a 26- to 46-year old woman with a master's degree and experience and educational background in an allied health field other than dietetics or nutrition. Registered dietitians were more likely to be responsible for the nutrition component of a hospital program than of a corporate program. Our results suggest that opportunities exist for registered dietitians in the field of health promotion and wellness.     

Research skills and the research environment: a needs assessment of allied health faculty

Allied health faculty are expected to successfully compete with other academic faculty in the research arena, yet many feel unprepared for this role. Most faculty have been trained as clinicians and, thus, bring to academe few skills in research design and methodology. A national study was conducted to assess the research skills and the research milieu of allied health faculty across eleven disciplines. Data are presented from 2,187 survey responses. Unmet needs included skills in obtaining funding, statistical analysis of the data, and publishing research results. Major barriers to research included the undervaluing of research relative to education and service, the lack of financial and administrative support, the absence of professional resources, and the generally low priority given research. Faculty with earned doctorates perceived their research environments more favorably and had fewer gaps in research skills than did faculty with a bachelor's or master's degree.     

Allied health and the dilemma of nontraditional doctorates

Opportunities to acquire doctoral degrees through nontraditional means have proliferated in recent years. These opportunities offer master-level allied health professionals a chance to obtain doctoral degrees without major interruptions in their careers or the need to leave their place of employment. However, many question the comparability of these degrees to those obtained through traditional programs. This report examines various types of nontraditional programs and attempts to assess their acceptance by deans of allied health programs based in academic health centers. Of ten deans surveyed, eight stated that they would consider candidates with nontraditional doctorates for faculty appointment. Two had nontraditional doctoral faculty on staff and have had no problems with promotion or tenure of those individuals. Only one indicated that promotion and tenure would not be possible for faculty possessing nontraditional degrees. The implications for allied health faculty possessing nontraditional degrees are explored in light of official and unofficial university policies, and an approach is suggested for junior faculty considering the nontraditional doctoral option.     

Women and men managers in pharmacy: gender issues

This paper examines the backgrounds, behaviours, and attitudes of a representative sample of male and female pharmacy managers in Ontario, Canada. It shows that the female managers are younger than their male colleagues, and spend significantly more time on childcare activities. There were no differences between the male and female managers in terms of work commitment and job responsibilities, but the female managers spent more time in direct patient contact, an activity that the qualitative analysis indicated was important to them. Female managers were also more supportive of strategies that would encourage additional patient counseling. For faculty in health administration programs, the results suggest that the importance that females place on the psycho-social aspects of their jobs as managers needs to be recognized and supported in the development and delivery of courses of study.     

A two-decades-long study of scholarship by clinical laboratory science faculty

To compete successfully in academia, clinical laboratory science (CLS) faculty members must actively engage in research and scholarly activities. Without research, some CLS educators may experience difficulty in the promotion and tenure process or even find their educational programs threatened with closure. Thus began a national study, spanning the years 1985, 1996, and 2008: to compare CLS faculty demographics, their scholarship, and their perceptions of the research environment. Since 1985, faculty members with doctorates have increased from 26% to 52% and senior faculty at the rank of associate and full professors have improved from 38% to 54%. Over time, the data show CLS faculty are providing more refereed publications (in the 2008 study, 19% had 11 or more publications) and more presentations (in the 2008 study, 34% had 11 or more presentations). Grant monies garnered included $62 million in the latest study. On the other hand, there are more faculty in non-tenured track positions. In addition, in both the 1996 and 2008 studies, the average number of faculty per program remained the same (4), as did hours spent each week in teaching (22). For all three studies, faculty perceived the top two research environment characteristics the same: i.e., 1) research is important for promotion and tenure and 2) computer accessibility is present. The lowest ranked characteristic of the research environment for all these studies-time available for research.     

Functional roles of today's public health nutritionist.

This study found that functional roles of public health nutritionists in eight southeastern states differed significantly on the basis of education, dietetic registration status, years of experience, and type and level of service. Subjects (n = 992) were mailed a 95-item questionnaire with three parts: demographic, professional practice, and grant-writing experience. Results based on a 59% response rate indicated that most of the 14 functional roles studied were practiced in accordance with guidelines presented in Personnel in Public Health Nutrition for the 1980's. Only two roles, counselor and educator, were performed somewhat inconsistently. Personnel with bachelor's degrees did have more counseling responsibilities than those with more advanced degrees. However, nonregistered dietitians also had more counseling responsibilities than did registered dietitians. Direct care providers had fewer educator responsibilities than did personnel with administration/management job responsibilities. All personnel reported research responsibilities that increased with advanced education, training, years of experience, and type and level of service. We found that beyond-entry-level personnel had more administrative and policy-setting responsibilities, which is consistent with The American Dietetic Association's Role Delineation for Registered Dietitians and Entry-Level Dietetic Technicians (1990). We conclude that, with the exceptions of the counselor and educator roles, public health nutrition practice is consistent with personnel guidelines.     

Job satisfaction and professional development of health information administration faculty

To provide seamless care for patients while the health care industry undergoes changes, an integrated health information system must be developed. This effort affects the roles and responsibilities of practitioners and educators in health information administration (HIA). The changes may affect job satisfaction of HIA educators as they prepare entry-level practitioners for emerging roles. A national survey of HIA faculty's job satisfaction used the JDI/JIG scales and a researcher-developed instrument. The survey asked what job, institutional, and individual factors were significantly related to overall job satisfaction, whether there is a relationship between organizational fit and overall job satisfaction, and whether HIA faculty were pursuing terminal degrees, and what incentives and impediments they found to do so. Response rate was 78%. These faculty were very satisfied with their jobs. Work, pay, supervision, and co-workers were significantly related to overall job satisfaction, with work and supervision accounting for 47% of the variance. Doctorally prepared faculty valued research more than did others, and tended to be in institutions perceived to value research. Although 79% reported that their institutions encouraged them to pursue advanced degrees, only 23.6% were pursuing doctorates. These findings may be useful in recruiting HIA practitioners into academia as well as for accreditation purposes.     

Evaluation tools for undergraduate program planning in times of financial austerity

This article describes the administration and outcome of two evaluation tools developed by faculty of the dietetic program for ongoing assessment of a Plan IV dietetic education program over a 4-year period. Interns and internship directors were asked to evaluate the level of skills and knowledge base of interns compared with their internship classmates. Interns were also asked to rate the effectiveness of undergraduate course assignments and activities for internship preparation. As a result of the surveys, the home economics core course work was deleted, credits were shifted from food science to nutrient metabolism courses, and credits in clinical nutrition were increased. Projects in clinical nutrition and food systems management were modified. The surveys justified program requirements and utilization of resources, and provided an additional, effective measure of faculty competence.     

Preparing Future Faculty and Family Professionals

Abstract: The Department of Family Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park, developed a Preparing Future Faculty and Family Professionals program to enrich the graduate education and professional development of its doctoral students. This article describes key elements of the program, including informing students about the responsibilities of faculty positions at diverse institutions, fostering faculty‐student mentoring relationships, visiting partner colleges/universities, examining requirements of nonacademic family science careers, and preparing students for the job search. Student and faculty evaluations of the program are summarized, and recommendations are made for graduate educators in family science.     

Faculty Time Allocation in Rural Primary Care Training Sites*

This investigation examined the allocation of time by medical school faculty who served as attending physicians on a rotating basis in rural primary care centers where medical students and house staff were trained. Two quite different methods of studying faculty time allocation produced relatively consistent results. Travel and direct care of patients (with no medical students present) accounted for the largest share of faculty time. Much of the teaching time was spent in direct student contact with no patient present. Simultaneous care of patients by an attending faculty member and a medical student accounted for less than ten percent of faculty effort. It appears that in a busy rural primary care center, faculty whose mission is intended to emphasize teaching may often be thrust into the role of care providers. Despite this problem, faculty-student contact appears to be greater than that which typically occurs in the tertiary care teaching hospital environment.