Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 May 1;24(1):481. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05471-6.
Health equity is a common theme discussed in health professions education, yet only some researchers have addressed it in entry-level education.
The purpose of this study is to serve as an educational intervention pilot to 1) evaluate students' perception of the effectiveness of the DPT program in providing a foundation for health equity education, with or without the benefit of a supplemental resource and 2) establishing priorities for the program related to educating students on health inequities in physical therapy clinical practice. A mixed method design with a focus-group interview was utilized to explore students' perceptions of the DPT program's commitment to advancing health equity.
A three-staged sequential mixed methods study was conducted. Stage 1 began with quantitative data collection after completing the DEI Bundle utilizing the Tripod DEI survey. Stage 2 involved identifying themes from the Tripod Survey data and creating semi-structured interview questions. Stage 3 consisted of a focus group interview process.
A total of 78 students completed the Tripod DEI survey upon completing 70% of the curriculum. Thirty-five students, eight core faculty, 13 associated faculty, and four clinical instructors completed the APTA DEI Bundle Course Series. According to the Tripod DEI Survey results, program stakeholders found the program's commitment to DEI and overall climate to be inclusive, fair, caring, safe, welcoming, and understanding of individuals from different backgrounds, including a sense of student belonging where students feel valued and respected. Three themes emerged from the qualitative focus group interviews, including the value of inclusivity, health equity curricular foundations, and DEI in entry-level DPT education.
This study highlights the value of incorporating health equity and DEI topics into curricula while fostering an incluse program culture.
健康公平是健康职业教育中讨论的一个共同主题，但只有一些研究人员在入门级教育中涉及到它。
本研究旨在作为一项教育干预试点，以 1）评估学生对 DPT 计划在提供健康公平教育基础方面的有效性的看法，无论是否受益于补充资源，以及 2）确定与在物理治疗临床实践中教育学生健康不平等相关的计划优先事项。采用焦点小组访谈的混合方法设计，探讨了学生对 DPT 计划在推进健康公平方面的承诺的看法。
进行了一个三阶段的顺序混合方法研究。第一阶段在完成 DEI 捆绑包后利用 Tripod DEI 调查进行了定量数据收集。第二阶段涉及从 Tripod 调查数据中确定主题，并创建半结构化访谈问题。第三阶段由焦点小组访谈过程组成。
共有 78 名学生在完成 70%的课程后完成了 Tripod DEI 调查。35 名学生、8 名核心教师、13 名相关教师和 4 名临床讲师完成了 APTA DEI 捆绑课程系列。根据 Tripod DEI 调查结果，计划利益相关者认为该计划对 DEI 和整体氛围的承诺是包容、公平、关怀、安全、欢迎和理解来自不同背景的个人，包括学生归属感，学生感到被重视和尊重。从定性焦点小组访谈中出现了三个主题，包括包容性的价值、健康公平课程基础和入门级 DPT 教育中的 DEI。
本研究强调了将健康公平和 DEI 主题纳入课程的同时培养包容的计划文化的价值。
