Changes in students' perceptions of the professional role.

Area of Science:

• Physical Therapy Education
• Professional Socialization
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Understanding the evolution of student perceptions is crucial for effective physical therapy education.
• Assessing the congruence between student and faculty views informs curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in physical therapy students' perceptions of their professional role and self-perception during a two-year program.
• To identify when these perceptual shifts occur.
• To compare student perceptions with those of their faculty members.

Main Methods:

• A semantic differential test was administered to 14 physical therapy students five times over two years.
• Sixteen faculty members completed the same test twice.
• Perceptions of the physical therapist role and self-perception within that role were assessed across ten concepts.

Main Results:

• No significant changes were observed in students' perceptions of the physical therapist role.
• A significant change was noted in one of five concepts related to students' self-perception (p < .05).
• Significant differences emerged between student and faculty perceptions for 5 out of 10 concepts.

Conclusions:

• Student perceptions of the physical therapist role remain largely stable during the entry-level program.
• Self-perception evolves significantly in at least one aspect.
• Discrepancies exist between student and faculty views, highlighting areas for professional socialization focus.