Scholarly research productivity is not related to higher three-year licensure pass rates for physical therapy academic programs

Abstract

BackgroundIn the domain of academia, the scholarship of research may include, but not limited to, peer-reviewed publications, presentations, or grant submissions. Programmatic research productivity is one of many measures of academic program reputation and ranking. Another measure or tool for quantifying learning success among physical therapists education programs in the USA is 100 % three year pass rates of graduates on the standardized National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE). In this study, we endeavored to determine if there was an association between research productivity through artifacts and 100 % three year pass rates on the NPTE.MethodsThis observational study involved using pre-approved database exploration representing all accredited programs in the USA who graduated physical therapists during 2009, 2010 and 2011. Descriptive variables captured included raw research productivity artifacts such as peer reviewed publications and books, number of professional presentations, number of scholarly submissions, total grant dollars, and numbers of grants submitted. Descriptive statistics and comparisons (using chi square and t-tests) among program characteristics and research artifacts were calculated. Univariate logistic regression analyses, with appropriate control variables were used to determine associations between research artifacts and 100 % pass rates.ResultsNumber of scholarly artifacts submitted, faculty with grants, and grant proposals submitted were significantly higher in programs with 100 % three year pass rates. However, after controlling for program characteristics such as grade point average, diversity percentage of cohort, public/private institution, and number of faculty, there were no significant associations between scholarly artifacts and 100 % three year pass rates.ConclusionsFactors outside of research artifacts are likely better predictors for passing the NPTE.

Excellence in Academic Physical Therapy: Promoting a Culture of Data Sharing

“…23 However, very few metrics are collected and monitored by all academic programs beyond those required by the accrediting body. Although AAR data gathered and shared by CAPTE 20 have been valuable in addressing specific questions in academic PT, [24][25][26][27] the data address the minimum requirements for accreditation. Details on the learning experience and program processes remain limited, 24 briefly described, and housed within individual programs' self-studies and not publicly available.…”

“…Although AAR data gathered and shared by CAPTE 20 have been valuable in addressing specific questions in academic PT, [24][25][26][27] the data address the minimum requirements for accreditation. Details on the learning experience and program processes remain limited, 24 briefly described, and housed within individual programs' self-studies and not publicly available. In addition, although program costs, graduation rate, and licensure rate must be shared on individual program Web sites, there is no efficient process or data system by which a program may view aggregated national data beyond that collected by CAPTE.…”

Research productivity of Doctor of Physical Therapy faculty promoted in the Western United States

“…It has also been shown that Physical Therapy faculty research productivity does not correlate with their students' academic success when controlling for number of faculty, student undergraduate GPA and demographic profile, among other factors (Cook et al 2015). A possible interpretation of these results is that faculty research productivity contributes substantially to a sense of prestige for the program or institution but does not materially benefit Physical Therapy student learning or outcomes.…”

Predictors of research productivity among physical therapy programs in the United States: an observational study

“…CAPTE requires a minimum standard for scholarship for faculty within a DPT program that at least 50% of a program's core faculty hold an advanced academic doctoral degree beyond a clinically-based DPT [5]. Beyond CAPTE, scholarly activity is a common program requirement for all academic faculty members used to determine the qualitative strength and ranking of a program [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Scholarly activity refers to much more than traditional research.…”

“…Scholarly activity is historically low among physical therapy programs [6], although a program's level of productivity does not seem to influence a program's National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) pass rate in a recent study [7]. To date, the NPTE pass rates are most notably influenced by student-level factors such as mean undergraduate GPA [10].…”