Career Pathways in Physical Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study
Contact: Rachel Williams
Contact Email: rwilliams39@twu.edu
Title: Career Pathways in Physical Therapy: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Selection or Avoidance of Geriatrics as a Primary Practice Area
Ideal participant: PTs with at least one year clinical experience
Description: This study aims to better understand the factors that influence physical therapists’ decisions when choosing their primary area of clinical practice. Using a mixed-methods design, the study will collect survey data from licensed physical therapists across the United States and conduct follow-up interviews with a subset of participants to explore their career decision-making experiences in greater depth. The research will examine how experiences before physical therapy school, during professional education, and throughout early professional practice influence the decision to work with geriatric populations or pursue other practice areas. Findings from this study may help inform physical therapy education, workforce planning, and strategies to better meet the healthcare needs of the growing older adult population.