Straight From the Source: Doctor of Physical Therapy Students' Perspectives on the Impacts of Program Policies and Procedures on Sense of Belonging

Abstract

Introduction. There is an urgent need to increase access to and inclusion in health professions education programs for individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs. The purpose of this study is to explore student perspectives of the ways in which current Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program policies, procedures, and practices may facilitate or hinder a culture of belonging and the ability to participate across diverse student identities and needs. Review of Literature. To date, there are no best practices in promoting and supporting health profession student belonging, and the student voice is absent in the literature. This prompts a need for guidance on where and how academic DPT programs should focus initial efforts as they self-assess their degree of compliance with newly revised accreditation standards. Participants. Sixteen DPT student volunteers from 2 institutions across 4 campuses in 4 states. Methods. A cross-sectional qualitative study using thematic analysis with semistructured interviews was used to gather student perspectives regarding factors that positively and negatively affect sense of belonging. Three researchers qualitatively analyzed transcriptions using a combination of open and axial coding to identify themes. Results. Final consensus coding yielded 179 coded responses across 95 unique codes categorized in 6 themes: faculty and staff relationships, program policies and procedures, cohort and peer relationships, diverse identities, communication, and program resources. Discussion and Conclusion. This is the first study known to investigate the use of student voice to better understand, operationalize, and potentially improve belonging within DPT education. Results demonstrate that when given a voice, students are able to articulate both observations of present-state sense of belonging and clear ideas and recommendations for ways in which DPT programs could address sense of belonging. Findings may help frame program policies and procedures from the student lens by offering themes, strategies, and recommendations for promoting a culture of belonging.