Validation of pre-admission requirements in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program with a large representation of minority students Journal Article

  


Authors: Shiyko, M. P.; Pappas, E.
Article Title: Validation of pre-admission requirements in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program with a large representation of minority students
Abstract: Background and Purpose. Although professional physical therapist education has changed in the last decade with the Doctor of Physical Therapy (OPT) Degree becoming the norm, limited research exists on the validation of admission criteria, especially for doctoral programs with a large representation of minority students. The current study validated commonly used admission criteria in a racially diverse sample of OPT students. Subjects. Three consecutive OPT classes with the overall sample of 100 (43%:minorities, 30% over the age of25). Methods. Hierarchical linear and logistic regressions were performed to identify pre-admission factors predicting first-year grade point average and academic difficulties throughout the program. Results. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores were identified as strong predictors of academic success. Undergraduate GPA (UGPA) demonstrated differential validity, being a strong predictor for younger students, but not for older students. Overall, older students (over 25 years old) appeared to perform worse in the program. Academic performance of minority students was comparable to that of non-minority students. ESsays were found to be a moderate predictor of academic success. Discussion and Conclusion. GRE scores can be recommended for admission practices as a useful predictor of academic performance. UGPA information should be used cautiously for older applicants, for whom more recent pre-admission requirements maybe necessary. Additionally, physical therapist education programs neeq to identify valid criteria for admitting older students with the highest probability of success and develop strategies for retaining these students by addressing their unique needs and challenges.
Keywords: adult; odds ratio; age factors; confidence intervals; predictive validity; forecasting; validity; data analysis software; descriptive statistics; academic performance; education, doctoral; education, physical therapy; minority groups; student selection; academic achievement -- evaluation; aptitude tests; intraclass correlation coefficient; linear regression; logistic regression; mathematics; pearson's correlation coefficient; step-wise multiple regression
Journal Title: Journal of Physical Therapy Education
Volume: 23
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0899-1855
Publisher: American Physical Therapy Association  
Date Published: 2009-09-01
Start Page: 29
End Page: 36
Language: English
PROVIDER: EBSCOhost
PROVIDER: cin20
DOI/URL:

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cin20&AN=2010415179&site=ehost-live
Notes: --- - "Accession Number: 2010415179" - "Entry Date: 20091106" - "Revision Date: 20091218" - "Publication Type: journal article; equations & formulas; research; tables/charts" - "Journal Subset: Allied Health; Blind Peer Reviewed; Editorial Board Reviewed; Expert Peer Reviewed; Peer Reviewed; USA" - "Special Interest: Physical Therapy" - "NLM UID: 9306054." - "Source: cin20"