TY - JOUR
T1 - Program-level factors influencing positive graduate outcomes of physical therapy residency programs
AU - Hartley, Gregory W.
AU - Roach, Kathryn E.
AU - Harrington, Kendra L.
AU - McNally, Stephanie
N1 - Funding Information:
The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) oversees the accreditation of postprofessional residency and fellowship programs in physical therapy. ABPTRFE accreditation standards are not prescriptive in terms of program administration or structure. Wide variation thus exists in the organizational and operational design of REPs.5 To date, the focus of research on outcomes of residency training in physical therapy has been on patient-related outcomes.6,7 Due to the wide variability in both program and participant characteristics, studies investigating patient outcomes relative to residency training are difficult to conduct. Rodeghero et al found no difference in patient outcomes when comparing residency-trained with non–residency-trained physical therapists.7 However, an accompanying editorial highlighted that this research did not consider the wide variety of program characteristics that exist in physical therapy residencies, thereby limiting objective conclusions regarding the outcomes of physical therapy residency training.8 This situation is not unique to physical therapy. Medical education literature suggests that input (program and participant characteristics) is equally worthy of study and scrutiny as downstream output (patient outcomes).9
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Physical Therapy Association.
PY - 2019/2/1
Y1 - 2019/2/1
N2 - Background Physical therapist clinical residency programs vary widely in administrative structure, instructional characteristics, and program design. The impact of program-level factors on resident outcomes such as graduation and board certification is unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the influence of program-level factors on participant outcomes of physical therapist residency programs. Design This was a retrospective cohort study using data from accredited programs from 2010 to 2013. Methods Data were collected on program characteristics such as administrative structure, size, salary, tuition, full-or part-time options, didactic format, and clinical-site structure. The odds ratios were calculated to examine the impact of program characteristics on graduation, board certification, and passing the exam. A logistic regression analysis to determine the combined contribution of these characteristics on the 3 outcomes was performed. Results Data from 183 residency programs and 1589 residents were analyzed. Participants attending programs that were single site or multifacility, provided live didactic instruction, did not charge tuition, and paid residents ≥ 70% full-time equivalent salary were 9.8 times more likely to graduate, 5.1 times more likely to become board certified, and 3.2 times more likely to pass the specialty board examination. Limitations This study did not examine the impact of program location, resident attributes, or resident exposure to patient diagnostic volume and variety. Conclusions This study has identified some program-level factors that appear to influence the odds of graduating, becoming board-certified, and passing the specialty board examination. This information could inform existing and developing residency programs, as well as applicants, on program-level factors that might influence participant outcomes.
AB - Background Physical therapist clinical residency programs vary widely in administrative structure, instructional characteristics, and program design. The impact of program-level factors on resident outcomes such as graduation and board certification is unknown. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the influence of program-level factors on participant outcomes of physical therapist residency programs. Design This was a retrospective cohort study using data from accredited programs from 2010 to 2013. Methods Data were collected on program characteristics such as administrative structure, size, salary, tuition, full-or part-time options, didactic format, and clinical-site structure. The odds ratios were calculated to examine the impact of program characteristics on graduation, board certification, and passing the exam. A logistic regression analysis to determine the combined contribution of these characteristics on the 3 outcomes was performed. Results Data from 183 residency programs and 1589 residents were analyzed. Participants attending programs that were single site or multifacility, provided live didactic instruction, did not charge tuition, and paid residents ≥ 70% full-time equivalent salary were 9.8 times more likely to graduate, 5.1 times more likely to become board certified, and 3.2 times more likely to pass the specialty board examination. Limitations This study did not examine the impact of program location, resident attributes, or resident exposure to patient diagnostic volume and variety. Conclusions This study has identified some program-level factors that appear to influence the odds of graduating, becoming board-certified, and passing the specialty board examination. This information could inform existing and developing residency programs, as well as applicants, on program-level factors that might influence participant outcomes.
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U2 - 10.1093/ptj/pzy125
DO - 10.1093/ptj/pzy125
M3 - Article
C2 - 30329121
AN - SCOPUS:85060978414
VL - 99
SP - 173
EP - 182
JO - Physical Therapy
JF - Physical Therapy
SN - 0031-9023
IS - 2
ER -