Douglas M. White wrote:
>
> Dear Yong:
>
> Thank you for writing this insightful post and placing much of the discussion
> in a valuable context. Your last statement about the "confines of a 3 or 4-year
> baccalaureate course" raises a different issue. Namely, the type of degree
> awarded a physical therapist. The USA has moved to a graduate degree for entry
> into the profession. Several months ago 25% of the PT programs in the USA were
> awarding or in the process of transitioning to the Doctor of Physical Therapy
> (DPT) degree as entry to the profession. Since then I am aware of several more
> programs intending to transition to the DPT. This is one of the fastest
> fundamental changes in the history of PT education in the USA. A discussion
> about education standards and degrees awarded around the world would be most
> interesting from my perspective.
>
Dear Douglas,
you have touched on a subject that I have found frustrating for many
years. In Australia most Physiotherapists graduate with a
(registerable)4 year Bachelors degree In Physio. Post graduate work
(usually in a specialty area)will eventually earn them a Master's or
PhD- a long and expensive process.
In contrast, Chiropractors (who, in Australia, were not even a
profession covered by Government regulation via a Registration Act until
1977) were awarded (and able to promote) the honorary "Dr" title
following completion of their Bachelor's programme. I believe that in
Australia this has been to the detriment of Physiotherapists (especially
in Manual Medicine) who often have advanced qualifications (for example,
I am currently enrolled in my second Master's Degree), yet who are seen
by the public as "not as qualified" as their 23 year old newly graduated
chiropractor- after all, he/she is a "doctor"!
I am interested in the way the US is moving, but how are the (now
apparently less qualified) currently practicing PT's affected?
Sheree Hunt BAppSc(Physio) MAppSc(ManipPhysio)
PS IFOMT in Perth in two weeks looks like a great Manual Therapy forum!
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|