Recruitment and Retention of Students From Minority Groups

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Studies have identified strategies used in physical therapist education to recruit and retain students from minority groups. However, physical therapist education has evolved since these studies were published. The purpose of this study was to examine current practice in recruiting and retaining students from minority groups. Subjects. Seventy program directors of programs offering master’s or doctoral degrees in physical therapy responded to a survey. Methods. The survey questionnaire requested information on program demographics, numbers of applicants, students and graduates from minority groups, and recruitment and retention strategies utilized. The most frequently used strategies were identified. Wilcoxon rank sum tests were performed to determine which strategies were associated with better recruitment and retention of students from minority groups. Results. Fifty programs made a special effort to recruit and retain students from minority groups. Nine recruitment strategies and 3 retention activities were associated with programs having higher proportions of minority applicants, students, and graduates. Discussion and Conclusion. The most frequently used strategies were incongruent with the strategies used by programs with higher proportions of applicants, students, and graduates from minority groups. This study provides information to help physical therapist educators determine which strategies help recruit and retain students from minority groups. [Haskins AR, Kirk-Sanchez N. Recruitment and retention of students from minority groups.]

Educação matemática e ações afirmativas: possibilidades e desafios na docência universitária

“…Further, the authors point out that support and motivation are linked to high success rates among them, and also that experiences in research projects, a positive expectation by faculty, mentoring and emotional support in times of pressure and difficulty proved significant with regard to the motivation for these students to remain in the courses. Similar results were found in other works (FOLTZ; GANNON; KIRSCHMANN, 2014;HASKINS;KIRK-SANCHEZ, 2006;HURTADO et al, 2007HURTADO et al, , 2010MUSEUS;LIVERMAN, 2010).…”

“…One of them is that, usually, affirmative action students need to spend energy on various non-academic matters, facing situations that their peers in other groups usually do not. Other works also corroborate this fact (FOLTZ; GANNON; KIRSCHMANN, 2014;FRIES-BRITT;YOUNGER;HALL, 2010;HASKINS;KIRK-SANCHEZ, 2006;MUSEUS;LIVERMAN, 2010;TERENZINI et al, 1994). In the Brazilian context, the study of Felicetti (2011), for example, showed that, among other questions, affirmative action students 2 had to work to help support their families.…”

Differences between African-American and Caucasian students on enrollment influences and barriers in kinesiology-based allied health education programs

“…Minorities perceive their healthcare to be better when the professional is of similar racial or ethnic background (8). Unfortunately, many allied health professions, including those in kinesiology-based settings, are not prepared to meet the challenges of an ever-changing demographic (22). This fact highlights the need for institutions to effectively recruit and educate prospective allied health professionals who represent minority races.…”

“…Allied health professions, in general, have long struggled to recruit and retain minorities; although the numbers have improved, much work must still be done (15,22). To a great extent, insufficient enrollment and training of minority students in allied health education contribute to their underrepresentation in the workforce (3,18,20,33).…”

Engagement, Recruitment, and Retention in a Trans-Community, Randomized Controlled Trial for the Prevention of Obesity in Rural American Indian and Hispanic Children

“…Multi-site RCTs (Campbell et al, 2007; Watson & Torgerson, 2006), studies that include minority participants (Fouad et al, 2004; Greenwald & Davis, 2000; Haskins & Kirk-Sanchez, 2006; Hodge, Weinmann, & Roubideaux, 2000; Horowitz, Brenner, Lachapelle, Amara, & Arniella, 2009; Mhurchu et al, 2009; Paskett et al, 2008), studies requiring active parental consent for child participation (Esbensen, Melde, Taylor, & Peterson, 2008; Johnson et al, 1999; McCormick et al, 1999), and studies in rural communities (Wages, Jackson, Bradshaw, Chang, & Estabrooks, 2010) all pose unique recruitment and retention challenges. These challenges can be magnified in trans-community RCTs which require substantial community engagement, relationship building, and focused effort at multiple levels (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2011).…”