Finding Voice: Experiences of Underrepresented Minority Faculty in Physical Therapist Education: A Qualitative Study

Many healthcare professions have found challenges in the recruitment and retention of minority faculty. The professional workforce in physical therapist education is not representative of the US population. Minorities who do achieve academic advancement face a unique set of challenges, including additional unpaid responsibilities, marginalization, and barriers to advancement. This qualitative study seeks to describe the experiences of underrepresented minority faculty in physical therapist education.

A convenience sample of 9 participants working in academic physical therapist programs.

This study used a qualitative, grounded theory approach to uncover the lived experiences of underrepresented minority physical therapy faculty.

Three interrelated themes were identified representing the contexts of the minority experience in academic physical therapy: Self, Institution, and Society. Understanding these themes can assist minority faculty in negotiating the higher education climate and can assist institutions in fostering inclusive environments.

This work informs common challenges facing minority faculty in physical therapy that must be addressed to create higher education environments that are healthy for all members of the community.