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Listening Time — 35:40

Academic programs have plenty of metrics, says Richard Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA, but they historically have been applied within individual institutions rather than bringing groups together to come up with common data elements that can be shared and used for benchmarking across institutions.

In this interview, Shields and Editor-in-Chief Alan Jette, PT, PhD, FAPTA, discuss the second wave of findings from the Physical Therapist-Graduation Questionnaire, with updated benchmarks that revealed strengths such as curricula emphasizing problem-solving, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning; and challenges such as low diversity and student debt.  

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Alan M. Jette, PT, PhD, FAPTA, is editor-in-chief of PTJ: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal.

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Richard K. Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA, is professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation science, Gary L. Soderberg endowed professor in physical therapy and rehabilitation science, and chair and department executive officer, in the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa.


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