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Objective. The objective of this observational study was to test a proposed conceptual model depicting the influence of personal and environmental attributes of clinical learning environments on rehabilitation professionals' career satisfaction and intention to stay with their current organization. The mediating effects of 2 loci of engagement were also assessed. Methods. Rehabilitation professionals (physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and registered nurses; n = 436) from 4 health care organizations in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions in the USA completed a battery of questionnaires related to personal attributes (resilience and orientation toward lifelong learning), environmental attributes (innovation support and basic psychological need satisfaction at work), loci of engagement (professional and organizational), career satisfaction, and intention to stay. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results. The measurement and structural model fit was acceptable. The greatest total effects on career satisfaction (r = .459) and intention to stay (r = .462) were observed through the influences of basic psychological need satisfaction, professional engagement, and organizational engagement. Orientation toward lifelong learning was negatively associated with career satisfaction (r = -.208) and intention to stay (r = -.154), but this was mitigated by organizational engagement (r = -.060 and - .134, respectively). Small but significant total effects were also observed between innovation support, professional and organizational engagement, and intention to stay (r = .144) and resilience, professional and organizational engagement, and career satisfaction (r = .110). Conclusion. Clinical learning environments that support rehabilitation professionals' basic psychological needs (autonomy, competency, and relatedness) are associated with greater career satisfaction and intention to stay. This association is further enhanced by organizational engagement and innovation support. Impact. Rehabilitation organizations interested in developing and retaining master adaptive learners should create clinical learning environments that reinforce rehabilitation professionals' sense of autonomy, competency, and relatedness, and are supportive on innovative behaviors. Keywords: Education: Postprofessional, Learning and Development, Professional Issues, Structural Equation Modeling, Workplace, Introduction The expansion of postprofessional education (eg, residency and fellowship) in rehabilitation professions, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing, places clinical rehabilitation organizations on the frontline of health [...]

Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe common perspectives important to achieving excellence and success in physical therapist residency education programs. Methods. Individuals with direct responsibility for creating and revising physical therapist residency program goals participated in a mixed-methods study using Q-methodology. They sorted 31 goal topics based on the level of importance for achieving excellence and success in physical therapist residency education. By-participant factor analysis identified dominant perspectives, which were interpreted based on emergent themes from the topics identified as the most important. Participants' rationale for selecting goal topics as the most important were extracted from the post-survey. Results. Seventy-three individuals responded, representing 9 of the 11 clinical residency areas of practice. Three main perspectives emerged: resident behaviors, resident achievements, and program attributes. One shared perspective emerged across all 3 factors that emphasized the residents' ability to become self-regulated, lifelong learners who integrate learning into practice: preparation for future learning. Conclusions. Variability in weighting the importance of program goals associated with each perspective may include a program's organization and mission, individual beliefs and experiences related to program leadership, and resource availability. Although respondent emphasis placed importance of some items over others, the findings do not suggest that items ranked lower were unnecessary or unimportant in achieving program excellence. The relative importance of items was weighted differently based on the perspective of program leadership and the individual completing the sorting activity. Impact. The results of this study suggest that physical therapist residency programs should have at least 1 or 2 goals in each of the 3 distinct perspectives, as well as the 1 shared perspective identified in our findings. Some consistency in program goals based on the perspectives identified here may enable further research exploring excellence, value, and outcomes in physical therapist residency education. Keywords: Accreditation, Physical Therapist Residency Education, Post-Professional Education, Program Goals, Q Methodology, Introduction Significant transformation in the educational preparation of physical therapists in the USA has occurred as the result of ongoing changes to the nation's health care system, increased societal needs [...]

Keywords: Education: Postprofessional, Education: Professional, Education: Competency-Based, Education: Accreditation, A pandemic has disrupted every facet of life. Educators have scrambled to adapt what existed 'pre-COVID,' attempting to salvage plans while considering how to meet requirements that previously seemed important [...]

Background. Residency training is recognized as a valuable form of professional development and pathway to specialization. Currently residency is voluntary for physical therapists, with less than 12% of DPT students choosing to apply upon graduation. Motivations that drive the decision to pursue residency are currently unknown as is the extent of similarity and difference in perspective among various stakeholders. Objective. The purpose of this study was to identify the dominant perspectives on motivations to pursue residency held by various stakeholders. Design. This study was conducted using Q Methodology, which incorporates aspects of quantitative and qualitative techniques into the examination of human subjectivity. Methods. Program directors, faculty, and current residents from all accredited physical therapy residency programs were invited to complete a forced-choice sorting activity where potential motivations for residency were sorted by perceived level of importance. Principal component analysis was used to identify dominant perspectives, which were interpreted based on emergent themes in the cluster of motivations identified as most important. Results. Four dominant perspectives were identified: (1) desire to provide better patient care, (2) preparation for specialty practice, (3) fast track to expert practice, and (4) career advancement. These perspectives provided context and utility to 2 broad meta-motivations: improved clinical reasoning and receiving mentoring. Both within- and between-group differences among stakeholders were identified. However, subsets from each role-group population were found to share similar perspectives. Limitations. Results from this study may not apply to potential residents in all specialty areas, and the implications of having a particular perspective are unknown. Conclusions. Identification of the dominant perspective on motivations for pursuing residency may aid in promoting participation, program development, matching residents to programs and mentors, and future research., Residency training is recognized and promoted by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) as a valuable means of meeting professional development expectations and pursuing board certification in a specialty area [...]