LGBTQ+ DPT Student Allyship Study
Contact Name: Christopher Cesario
Contact Email: c.cesario@northeastern.edu
Title: LGBTQ+ DPT Student Allyship Study
Ideal Participant: LGBTQ+ DPT Students who are currently enrolled in a full time clinical education course and LGBTQ+ physical therapists who wish to serve as mentors.
Description: The purpose of this phase of my study is to assess the effectiveness of mentorship from LGBTQ+ physical therapists on LGBTQ+ DPT students during full time clinical education experiences. The program will require participation in an information session prior to the mentorship pairing, and both mentors and mentees will be asked to complete a brief needs assessment to identify their preferences for being matched. Data collection will occur at three points during this study. First, mentees will be asked to take a Qualtrics survey to assess their sense of belonging during their full time clinical education experience. This survey will be repeated at the end of the program. The next data point will be at the midway point of the program, where both the mentor and mentee will be asked to complete a brief reflection to provide formative data on how the relationship is going and how it meets goals of the program. Finally, approximately a month after the program ends, both the mentors and mentees will participate in a 45-60 minute semi-structured interview to discuss the impact of the program on each party. Participating in this research study will include providing informed consent and a 45 minute virtual semi-structured interview. We are asking your permission to record the virtual semi-structured interview. You can skip questions that you do not want to answer or stop the interview at any time. If the questions cause you to feel uncomfortable, you will be provided with referrals to mental health resources.