The CHART Model: A Framework for Holistic Admissions Reviewer Training in Physical Therapy Education

Holistic admissions in health professional programs aim to foster equity, inclusivity, and alignment with the program's mission. To ensure a consistent and reliable review process, programs must thoughtfully design, implement, and evaluate their approach, with reviewer development and training as a central component. While design and implementation are somewhat described in the literature, evaluation of rubric use and reviewer interpretation remains underexplored, raising the important question of how reliable and consistent reviewers are when scoring applicants. This paper introduces a structured training model to enhance reviewer alignment, reliability, and consistency in holistic admissions.

Inspired by Quality Improvement (QI) methodology, the Cycle of Holistic Admissions Reviewer Training (CHART) model, developed through the post hoc analysis of 3 Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs, outlines a six-component training cycle encompassing early preparation, formal instruction, reviewer calibration through quality checks, structured feedback, and continuous improvement. Despite institutional differences, each program operationalizes the model, demonstrating its adaptability across diverse institutional contexts.

Examples from 3 DPT programs within the 2023-2024 admissions cycle demonstrate the use of strategies like calibration exercises, scoring checks, and end-of-cycle analysis within and across cycles. All reported improved reviewer preparedness, scoring consistency, and bias awareness.

The CHART model provides a flexible yet structured framework for training holistic admission reviewers. Its adaptability supports programs of varying size, format, and resources, promoting consistency, reliability, and integrity in evolving admissions practices across health professional education.