An Ecological Systems Approach to Exploring Facilitators and Barriers to Success for Minority Students Enrolled in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Naidoo, Keshrie; Yuhaniak, Heather; Abel, Yolanda

doi:10.1016/j.hpe.2020.06.001

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This importance of representation for URM applicants is also reflected in the findings of Nuciforo, 31 where URM applicants “were significantly more likely to apply to PTCAS member institutions with minority faculty than White applicants.” Similarly, Naidoo et al 32 reported that a lack of representation of minorities in both academic and clinical settings was perceived by URM DPT students as a barrier to their success. Barfield et al 33 found “diversity of students in the program” and “media portrayal in television and newspapers” as influences on enrollment to kinesiology-based allied health education programs for Black students, with a lack of “availability of role models in the field with same ethnicity” as a barrier to enrollment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Black Applicants' Self-reported Reasons for Applying to a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Tombers,

Pfeifer

2023

JOPTE

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Introduction. Lack of access for minoritized groups to health care providers with a similar background negatively affects health outcomes. Adequate representation in the workforce begins with representation in health care education. The purpose of this study was to describe Black applicants' primary reasons for pursuing physical therapist education. Review of Literature. Prior surveys of enrolled Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students have categorized factors influencing the decision to pursue physical therapy, with consideration of student demographics. Subjects. One thousand eight hundred nine Black applicants who applied to DPT programs through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). Methods. In this retrospective holistic narrative analysis, essay responses from the 2020–2021 PTCAS application cycle (n = 17,801) were categorized by 2 reviewers into one of 9 categories based on the primary reason for applying to a DPT program. Interrater reliability was almost perfect (Kappa 0.946) based on a sample of 48 essays. Racial demographics were compared with US Census and DPT program acceptance and enrollment data from the same year. Results. Black individuals are underrepresented among both applicants to and enrollees in DPT programs when compared with US census data from the same year. Black applicants indicated personal experience with the field (33%, n = 597), observation in the field (28.7%, n = 520), and alignment with personal values and interests (27.6%, n = 500) as the most common reasons for applying. Discussion and Conclusion. Experience with the field and alignment with values and interest were the most commonly cited reasons among Black applicants for pursuing physical therapist education. Understanding why Black students apply to a DPT program is important for developing strategies to increase the number of Black students enrolled in physical therapy programs and ultimately the workforce.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Black Applicants' Self-reported Reasons for Applying to a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Tombers,

Pfeifer

2023

JOPTE

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“…Participants in the intervention and comparison groups described feeling socially isolated at the beginning of the study period; however, REM participants in the intervention group also faced racism and discrimination. Findings of bias and discrimination towards REM students in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM) are not uncommon [ 8 , 14 , 17 , 42 ], and can lead REM students to question their abilities within STEM fields [ 43 ]. In this study, participants questioned whether they belonged in their health sciences field, but felt validated by mentors who role-modeled perseverance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The physical therapy (PT) workforce is 84.3% White [ 6 ], and racial and ethnic minority (REM) students in accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs make up only 23.3% of graduates [ 7 ]. Furthermore, REM students have increased academic difficulty while enrolled in DPT [ 8 , 9 , 10 ] and nursing (NS) programs [ 11 , 12 ], and underperform on national licensing tests compared to their White counterparts [ 13 ]. NS and PT students report social isolation, discrimination, stereotyping, and a lack of representation in academic and clinical faculty as factors which contribute to academic difficulty [ 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, REM students have increased academic difficulty while enrolled in DPT [ 8 , 9 , 10 ] and nursing (NS) programs [ 11 , 12 ], and underperform on national licensing tests compared to their White counterparts [ 13 ]. NS and PT students report social isolation, discrimination, stereotyping, and a lack of representation in academic and clinical faculty as factors which contribute to academic difficulty [ 8 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Virtual Faculty and Peer Mentoring to Promote Social Belonging among Minoritized Physical Therapist and Nursing Students

et al. 2022

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Minoritized health sciences students report experiencing social isolation and discrimination, and cite the lack of faculty representation as barriers to their success. While virtual mentoring can increase sense of belonging and connectedness, these effects have not been examined in minoritized health sciences students. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether virtual mentoring from faculty and peers could decrease social isolation and promote social belonging among minoritized first-year physical therapy and nursing students. Using a mixed methods explanatory sequential design, racial and ethnic minority physical therapy and nursing students (n = 8) received virtual mentoring and attended virtual networking events while students from across the health profession programs served as a comparison group (n = 16). While virtual mentoring relationships took longer to establish, there was an increase in satisfaction with mentoring for the intervention group compared with no improvement for the comparison group who received traditional academic advising. Qualitative data analysis revealed that mentors served as role models who had overcome barriers and persevered, decreasing feelings of isolation, and bolstering mentee confidence. A virtual multiple-mentor model can decrease isolation and promote social belonging for minoritized students and offer support for students even after the pandemic.

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“…CCW has also been used to examine the aspirations of college-bound students before they enter the university setting [4]. EST has previously been used to examine obstacles and enablers of student success, peer culture, influences on part-time students, and Students of Color in higher education [11]- [15]. .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Exploration of Black Engineering Students’ Aspirational Capital within Community Cultural Wealth and Ecological Systems Theory

Manning,

Brawner,

Mobley

et al.

2023 ASEE Annual Conference &Amp; Exposition Proceedings

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High aspirations for the future function as powerful motivators for Black students to pursue and persist in undergraduate engineering programs. Students gain mental strength by maintaining high hopes and beliefs for the future. These aspirations can be intrinsic, originating as internal motivators, or extrinsic, coming from various social circles, such as family and friends. Researchers can benefit from investigating the aspirations of Black students to develop more effective ways for faculty and administrators to support students' dreams and goals.Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) offers an asset-based framework that describes the strengths and knowledge of Communities of Color in terms of familial, linguistic, aspirational, resistant, navigational, and social capital that Students of Color bring to both the classroom and life. Pairing CCW with Ecological Systems Theory (EST) helps expand the understanding of the proximal and distal access students have to their various forms of capital. The different levels of EST -the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem -provide a framework for analyzing how students access the CCW capitals. We have combined these two frameworks to create C 2 WEST, an asset-based contextual theory that offers multiple lenses for viewing how and where in the EST framework individuals access their various types of capital.Using the C 2 WEST framework, we highlight the different types of aspirational capital of Black students that originate in their microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Aspirational capital is the ability for students to maintain high expectations despite obstacles. We used two case study illustrative examples obtained through interviews with Black students in undergraduate engineering to examine the development and enactment of aspirational capital in the different layers of C 2 WEST. Researchers thematically coded the interviews to familiarize themselves with the data and then chose quotes from the students that exemplified aspirational capital in the various levels.The C 2 WEST framework will allow researchers to examine the aspirational capital of Black engineering students and gain a better understanding of the goals of Black engineering students. This framework could allow administrators and engineering educators develop better methods of supporting the academic and personal goals of Black students. By understanding the aspirational capital of students at the different levels, engineering educators will be able to provide students with individually tailored support. Through C 2 WEST, Black students could also further realize and conceptualize the access they have to their own aspirations regarding future career and life goals.

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An Ecological Systems Approach to Exploring Facilitators and Barriers to Success for Minority Students Enrolled in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Cited by 11 publications

References 33 publications

Black Applicants' Self-reported Reasons for Applying to a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Black Applicants' Self-reported Reasons for Applying to a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

Virtual Faculty and Peer Mentoring to Promote Social Belonging among Minoritized Physical Therapist and Nursing Students

An Exploration of Black Engineering Students’ Aspirational Capital within Community Cultural Wealth and Ecological Systems Theory

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