Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion-Related Curricular Elements in Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education: A...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Physical Therapy
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)

Background:

• Healthcare inequities persist for underserved populations, impacting physical therapy access and quality.
• Physical therapy education faces challenges in preparing providers to address health disparities.
• A lack of consensus exists regarding essential justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism content in physical therapist curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine expert consensus on key justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) curricular content for entry-level physical therapist education.
• To establish a foundational understanding of JEDI topics crucial for physical therapist training.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi survey methodology was employed, involving 39 identified experts in JEDI within physical therapy.
• Experts participated in multiple survey rounds to reach consensus on JEDI-related curricular elements.
• Initial open-ended responses were coded, followed by subsequent rounds to refine and prioritize content.

Main Results:

• The initial 61 JEDI-related curricular elements were refined to 43 by the final round.
• A high consensus (95%) was achieved for 41 of the 43 elements.
• Experts identified 30 "entry-level" and 13 "advanced practice" JEDI curricular topics.

Conclusions:

• Strong expert consensus exists on essential JEDI curricular content for physical therapist education.
• This consensus provides a roadmap for preparing physical therapists to improve societal health and address inequities.
• Future research will focus on practical implementation strategies for JEDI content in physical therapist programs.