Perception of the physiotherapist profession by first-year students of Polish universities of various educational orientations

Joanna Gotlib, Dariusz Białoszewski, Anna Cabak, Katarzyna Barczyk, Aleksandra Bauer, Wojciech Kułak, Piotr Majcher, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Maciej Płaszewski, Janusz Sierdziński

Joanna Gotlib, Dariusz Białoszewski, Anna Cabak, Katarzyna Barczyk, Aleksandra Bauer, Wojciech Kułak, Piotr Majcher, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Maciej Płaszewski, Janusz Sierdziński – Perception of the physiotherapist profession by first-year students of Polish universities of various educational orientations. Fizjoterapia Polska 2009; 9(2); 109-121

Abstract
Background. In Poland at present, physiotherapy studies are offered at three types of school: medical universities, universities of physical education, and schools not specialising in either the medical sciences or physical education. The aim was to compare the perception of the physiotherapist profession by first-year students of different types of universities. Material and methods. The study sample comprised 1145 1st year BA programme students from eleven schools in Poland. The study utili-sed the diagnostic poll method – a questionnaire, which comprised three parts. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used along with the median test and the Chi-squared test (p<0.05). Results. Most students stated that the professional status of physiotherapists is lower than that of doctors (above 52%), but is higher than that of nurses (above 70%). 92% of the students believed that physiotherapists and physicians should work together as partners (p=NS). The vast ma-jority (70%) of the students believed that the physiotherapist profession is related to medicine rather than physical education. Conclusions. 1. The educational orientation of the university did not influence first-year students’ perception of their futurę profession in this study with most of the surveyed stating that physiotherapist is a medical profession. 2. In the light of the findmgs of foreign authors, there is a ne-ed to carry out a study in Poland that would address the issue of the position of the physiotherapist in the therapeutic team in relation to the doctor and the team nurse as well as the other members of the team: dietitian, psychologist and occupational adviser.
Key words:
medical education, physiotherapy, type of university, perception of the profession
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Motivations for studying physiotherapy and familiarity with employment situation among physiotherapy students at variously oriented university-level schools in Poland

Joanna Gotlib, Dariusz Białoszewski, Anna Cabak, Katarzyna Barczyk, Aleksandra Bauer, Wojciech Kułak, Piotr Majcher, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Maciej Płaszewski, Janusz Sierdziński

Tomasz Wolny, Edward Saulicz, Rafał Gnat, Mirosław Kokosz, Michał Kuszewski, Andrzej Myśliwiec – Motivations for studying physiotherapy and familiarity with employment situation among physiotherapy students at variously oriented university-level schools in Poland. Fizjoterapia Polska 2009; 9(3); 232-244

Abstract
Background. There is considerable interest in studying physiotherapy in Poland and in many countries of the European Union. The objective was to identify the factors that motivate applicants to choose Physiotherapy studies and find out what students know about working in Poland and other EU countries. Material and methods. The study sample comprised 954 1st year BA students from eleven universities: medical sciences (MS), physical education (PE), and other universities (OU). The statistical analysis was based on questionnaires obtained from : 211 MS, 118 PE and 625 OU. Results. Students relied on advice of active physiotherapists when choosing a study programme: 62% ME, 57% PE and 68% OU. Respondents would like to study for the Master’s degree and take up work: 55% PM, 56% PWF and 62% IP. Students were not familiar with employment opportunities: 87% MS, 91% PE and 73%. The most important factors aiding in finding a job are knowledge and skills: 43% MS, 42% PE and 45% OU. Conclusions. 1. The respondents did not choose studies by accident but based their decision on stereotypes. 2. Universities should set great store by their teaching standards as applicants decide to choose a university on the basis of opinions about the particular university. 3. There is a need to develop a professional information service on study opportunities in physiotherapy in Poland that would necessarily include objective information regarding employment opportunities for physiotherapists in EU countries and in the world.
Key words:
employment situation, motivation, European Union, physiotherapy, type of university
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Analysis of changes in attitudes towards starting the chosen career among physiotherapy students during their Bachelor program studies at university-level schools of differenteducational orientations

Joanna Gotlib, Dariusz Białoszewski, Anna Cabak, Katarzyna Barczyk, Aleksandra Bauer, Wojciech Kuła, Piotr Majcher, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Maciej Płaszewski, Janusz Sierdziński, Andrzej Wall

Joanna Gotlib, Dariusz Białoszewski, Anna Cabak, Katarzyna Barczyk, Aleksandra Bauer, Wojciech Kuła, Piotr Majcher, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Maciej Płaszewski, Janusz Sierdziński, Andrzej Wall – Analysis of changes in attitudes towards starting the chosen career among physiotherapy students during their Bachelor program studies at university-level schools of differenteducational orientations. Fizjoterapia Polska 2010; 10(1); 25-36

Abstract
Background. The education of physiotherapists in Poland takes place at three types of university-level schools: medical universities, universities of physical education and universities of other orientations. The orientations differ in terms of: educational traditions, teaching quality and various approaches to the subject of study. The objective of this study was to analyze the perception of the futurę career in physiotherapy by comparing first- and third-year students from universities of different orientations. Material and methods. The study involved 1145 students from 11 university-level schools. The same students were sun/eyed twice: during the first and third year of their studies. The research tool was a yoluntary anonymous questionnaire designed by the authors containing a total of 88 questions. The analysis (Statsoft STATISTICA 8) was based on the following non-parametric statistical tests: the chi-square (x2) test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p<0.05). Results. The third-year students were morę willing to undertake Master-level studies and significantly less willing to embarkon their chosen career than when they were in the first year. While the familiarity with opportunities for starting their career as physiotherapists had increased significantly, most students still declared that they were not familiar with them. Most students claimed that it was easy to findajob in other European Union countnes. Conclusions. 1. In the study group, the school orientation had no significant influence on the students’attitude towards their futurę chosen career. 2. It is important that the education curricula for the students of Bachelor-level studies in physiotherapy be complemented with objecth/e source.
Key words:
students, vocational attitudes, starting a career, European Union
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Motivations for studying physiotherapy and familiarity with employment situation – differences between female and male students of physiotherapy at university-level schools in Poland

Katarzyna Barczyk, Joanna Gotlib, Aleksandra Bauer, Dariusz Białoszewski, Piotr Majcher, Maciej Płaszewski, Anna Cabak, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Wojciech Kułak, Janusz Sierdziński

Katarzyna Barczyk, Joanna Gotlib, Aleksandra Bauer, Dariusz Białoszewski, Piotr Majcher, Maciej Płaszewski, Anna Cabak, Olga Nowotny-Czupryna, Wojciech Kułak, Janusz Sierdziński – Motivations for studying physiotherapy and familiarity with employment situation – differences between female and male students of physiotherapy at university-level schools in Poland. Fizjoterapia Polska 2010; 10(4); 307-316

Abstract
Background. The present paper analyses and compares the factors that motivate female and male students of physiotherapy to take up these studies and examines students awareness of the employment situation in their future profession.
Material and methods. The diagnostic poll method (anonymous and voluntary question naire). The study sample comprised 1st year Bachelor programme students from eleven university-level schools. The statistical analysis was based on question naires obtained from 954 students. The survey was carried out in 2006, at the beginning of the 1st semester of the Bachelor’s programme. Outcome measures The Mann–Whitney U test was used at a significance level of p<0.05. Results. Personal interest was the only factor that influenced the decision to study physiotherapy and differentiated between the male and female students. For a significantly higher percentage of the female students (p<0.001), studying physiotherapy had been a life-long ambition. The vast majority of the students stated that they were not familiar with all opportunities for finding employment as physiotherapists. The vast majority of the students believed that it is easy to find employment as a physiotherapist in other European Union countries, with female students stating so significantly more frequently (p<0.05) than their male counter parts
Conclusion. Men and women share similar expectations of their future job and motivations
Key words:
sex differences, physiotherapy, education, occupations, perception, students
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