Date of Award
5-1-2023
Degree Type
DPT Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
Advisor
Celia Pechak
Abstract
Introduction: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs are making efforts to recruit underrepresented minorities (URMs) to create a more diverse workforce. Understanding the reapplication process may contribute to more URMs reapplying. The purposes of this study were to examine URM and non-URM DPT program reapplicants, and to identify factors that predicted acceptance or rejection when reapplying to DPT programs.
Review of Literature: Current literature exists regarding the difference between minorities and non-minorities when applying to physical therapy and medical education programs. However, the literature regarding reapplication to DPT programs is nonexistent.
Subjects: Subjects were reapplicants (N=107) who submitted a verified application through Physical Therapist Centralized Application Services (PTCAS) to The University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) DPT Program. Reapplicant was defined as anyone applying for more than one application cycle to any DPT program, not only to the UTEP DPT Program.
Methods: A 25-question survey was created. Demographic questions determined URM or non- URM status. Personal, social, and financial questions relevant to the reapplication experience were asked. Descriptive statistics, Cross-tabulation and Chi-square, Pearson’s correlation, and Student’s t-tests were used to determine differences within the reapplicant pool.
Results: Eighty-five subjects were URMs, and 22 were non-URMs. There was a significant negative correlation between lack of social support and acceptance into a physical therapist education program, and a significant positive correlation between motivation and acceptance. Hispanic students and applicants who spoke English as a second language were significantly more likely to be rejected.
Discussion and Conclusion: Addressing lack of social support and promoting motivation may benefit reapplicants. To promote greater diversity in the physical therapy profession, DPT programs need to understand and address the barriers that discourage URMs from reapplying to DPT school.
Recommended Citation
Rascon, Jozelyn; Fajardo, Miguel; and Arroyo, Michelle, "Exploring Reapplication to Doctor of Physical Therapy Programs amongUnderrepresented Minority and Non-Underrepresented Minority Students" (2023). DPT Capstones. 17.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dpt_cap/17