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Holding Ourselves Accountable: Use of a Bias Reporting Process in an Academic Physical Therapy Program
Ndidiamaka Matthews1,2,3,4,5,6, Kathryn L Havens1,2,3,4,5,6, Libby Krause1,2,3,4,5,6
1Ndidiamaka Matthews is the associate professor of Clinical Physical Therapy, Vice Chair of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (dillibe@usc.edu). Please address all correspondence to Ndidiamaka Matthews.
Journal, Physical Therapy Education
|November 6, 2025
Summary
Implementing a bias reporting mechanism in physical therapy (PT) education fosters trust and engagement. This process supports educational equity and excellence by providing a confidential channel for reporting harmful behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Health Professions Education
- Physical Therapy
- Equity and Inclusion
Background:
- Bias is a documented issue in physical therapy (PT) educational settings, hindering educational equity and excellence.
- Bias reporting mechanisms offer a confidential method for addressing harmful behaviors experienced or witnessed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the implementation of a bias reporting mechanism in an academic PT program.
- To identify challenges and strategies for fostering community engagement and trust.
- To outline restorative actions for addressing individual and community needs.
Main Methods:
- Case report detailing the development and implementation of a bias reporting process.
- Focus on community engagement, trust-building strategies, and restorative actions.
- Analysis of reporting data over five years.
Main Results:
- The bias reporting mechanism achieved good community engagement, with 36 reports received over five years.
- An increasing percentage of non-anonymous reporters indicates growing trust in the process.
- The mechanism facilitated the addressing of individual and community needs through restorative actions.
Conclusions:
- A bias reporting process can be a valuable tool for academic PT programs.
- Such mechanisms contribute to achieving educational equity and excellence.
- Building trust and community engagement are key to the success of bias reporting systems.
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