Student Recruitment Strategies in Professional Physical Therapist Education Programs

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Fall 2004 by Burgess, Ruth M, Ponton, Michael K, Weber, Mark D

Background and Purpose. Many economic factors have forced changes upon the profession of physical therapy, resulting in a decline of qualified applicants. The purpose of this study was to identify recruitment practices utilized by professional (entry-level) physical therapist education programs. Subjects. The subjects were chairs of professional physical therapist education programs in the United States accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) for the class entering in 2001 (N=189). Methods. A survey instrument was designed and the 53 recruitment strategies were classified as: (1) Traditional, (2) Electronic, (3) Personnel, or (4) Program Change. Results. A total of 109 programs (58%) returned completed surveys. Traditional recruitment strategies were more often utilized; however, an institutional Web page was cited as the most frequently used recruitment strategy. Faculty was more often used in recruitment efforts than recruiters, current students, or alumni. Use of an early admissions program was the most frequently cited program change strategy followed by flexible admissions standards and a change to the Doctor of Physical Terapy (DPT) degree. Discussion and Conclusions. Of the 10 most frequently utilized strategies, 5 were Traditional, 3 were Electronic, and 2 were Personnel. While Traditional recruitment strategies continue to be utilized frequently, program administrators should scrutinize the types and varieties of Electronic, Personnel, and Program Change strategies. The wide spectrum of recruitment strategies available today, along with the potential interaction of external factors, make determination of the effectiveness of a particular strategy very difficult for college administrators, further research is necessary to determine effectiveness of any particular strategy.

Key Words: Professional physical therapist education programs, Recruitment strategies.

INTRODUCTION

Historically, the supply of qualified physical therapists has lagged far behind market demands.1 Because of this rosy employment outlook, professional physical therapist education programs have traditionally been the recipients of rich applicant pools as many applicants actively and competitively sought admission into these programs. According to the results of the 1991-1994 Applicant Reports conducted by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), in the early 1990s phvslcal therapist education programs were inundated with many more qualified applicants than could be accepted.2 As a result, student recruitment was not an issue, and few educational programs devoted financial and administrative resources to this admissions area.

Recently, however, many economic factors have forced unsolicited changes upon the profession of physical therapy as well as the education programs preparing students for this employment market. As a result of an unstable economy, the effects of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, a fluctuating job market, and the proliferation of physical therapist education programs nationwide, anecdotal accounts of unemployment were rampant in the mid 1990s.2-8

Consequently, many physical therapist education programs experienced a sharp decline in the number of applicants.2 This is supported by the fact that in 1995, the average number of qualified applicants to each program was 246.5, with a planned class size of 43.6. Four years later in 1999, the average number of qualified applicants had decreased to 129.9, with a planned class size of 42.7. While the class size remained relativity stable during this period, the qualified applicant pool was negatively affected.9 A portion of this decrease may be explained by the decision of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) to narrow its scope to physical therapist education programs at the postbaccalaureatc level.1 Nevertheless, the reduction in the number of qualified applicants has caused concern among physical therapist educational program administrators.

In addition to these economic factors, the proliferation of physical therapist education programs has created an additional dilemma for the profession. According to the APTA Education Department, in 1990 there were 121 accredited physical therapist education programs with 10 programs in development.' As of December 2002, this number had increased to 204 with seven programs in development.10 With fewer students applying to an increasing numher of programs, the qualified applicant pool has been spread thin.

Program proliferation, along with changing demographic and economic factors, has created a multitude of challenges for many physical therapist education programs. Despite these changing educational and economic demographics, it continues to he vital for physical therapist education programs to attract a highly competitive applicant pool.9 To address this challenge, it may be prudent for program administrators to examine student recruitment tactics. However, a review of the literature revealed no studies describing recruitment strategies presently being employed by professional programs of physical therapist education. Therefore, a model for the establishment of recruitment practices in professional physical therapist education programs is virtually nonexistent.