Determinants of retention rates among occupational and physical therapy programs in the United States

Our country may be facing a shortage of occupational and physical therapists in the immediate future. This is due to a reduction in government reimbursements of services, fewer people entering the professions, and concerns regarding retention of graduate occupational and physical therapy students.; Nationally, academic standards for occupational and physical therapy programs are challenging. After completing all science, clinical, core, and general education requirements, students are required to complete six to nine months of clinical rotations.; A significant concern among deans and program chairs for these programs is how to recruit and retain students who enter 355 masters or doctoral programs across the country. Due to the decline in the number of applicants, many institutions are forced to lower their admissions standards in order to achieve a full complement of students. There is a wealth of knowledge pertaining to the retention of college students. However, there is a significant gap in the literature pertaining to the retention of allied healthcare students. Therefore, this study addresses retention of occupational and physical therapy students. In short, are retention programs necessary, and are they effective?; I examined the effectiveness of institutional retention programs for occupational and physical therapy graduate students. Using an email survey, I targeted all academic deans and chairs of universities/colleges, in the United States, who currently oversee accredited occupational or physical therapy programs.; Inferential and descriptive statistics were utilized to evaluate the eighteen hypotheses. The data revealed that there was minimal association between institutional retention programs and the retention rates of occupational and physical therapy students. Variables were assessed in a conceptual model which evaluated faculty and institutional characteristics, support services, and student characteristics. Seven of the eighteen hypotheses were moderately supported and fifteen were not supported.; In this population study of academic deans, institutional retention programs have not been associated with retention rates of occupational and physical therapy students. Therefore, it is difficult to infer that retention programs are a necessary element in retaining either occupational or physical therapy students.