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From Clinician to Educator: Why Physical Therapy Education Programs Must Prioritize New Faculty Development
Dawn S Brown1,2, Kristina Latva1,2
1Dawn S. Brown is the board-certified clinical specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, and an assistant chair of Curricular Affairs and assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, 645 N Michigan Ave, Suite 1100, Chicago, IL 60611 (dawn.brown@northwestern.edu). Please address all correspondence to Dawn S. Brown.
Background And Purpose:
Intentional support for new faculty development (NFD) within physical therapy education programs (PTEPs) is essential to help clinicians transition successfully into academic roles, reduce burnout, and strengthen educator capacity. Although structured NFD benefits all new faculty, this position paper emphasizes clinician-to-educator transitions given the profession's reliance on clinicians whose primary professional socialization occurs in clinical environments. Physical therapy education programs face faculty shortages, rising burnout, and rapid clinician-to-educator transitions, often compounded by limited institutional resources. When NFD is informal or inconsistent, these pressures intensify. This paper argues that PTEPs must deliberately prioritize and invest in NFD as a critical strategy to support successful transitions, faculty retention, and sustainable program performance.
Position And Rationale:
We assert that structured NFD is not optional enrichment but is integral to educational quality, accreditation integrity, faculty retention, and long-term program sustainability. Evidence across health professions demonstrates that new faculty frequently experience identity disruption, emotional strain, and pedagogical knowledge gaps, emphasizing the need for systematic development. Effective NFD enhances teaching effectiveness, scholarly engagement, professional identity formation, and retention. As increasing numbers of clinicians enter academia, reliance on ad hoc preparation is no longer viable. Physical therapy education program supported and prioritized NFD is, therefore, imperative.
Discussion And Conclusion:
Physical therapy education programs must recognize comprehensive NFD as a core responsibility and strategic investment. Ensuring access to foundational and physical therapy specific pedagogical development strengthens faculty effectiveness, retention, program quality, and accreditation readiness. This paper offers actionable recommendations for supporting meaningful participation in NFD and advancing excellence in physical therapy education.
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