RFESIG Journal Club - Bridging the Gap: Final-Year DPT Preferences for Employment and Postprofessional Education

This RFESIG Academy of Education Journal Club is a live, interactive session exploring the employment priorities, educational preferences, and residency pursuit trends of graduating Doctor of Physical Therapy students. Drawing from recent survey findings of final-year DPT students across 9 programs, this session examines key drivers in job selection—such as the balance between base pay, work flexibility, and organizational culture—alongside preferences for postprofessional continuing education and instructional delivery methods. Open to RFESIG members and the broader community, this session offers opportunities for knowledge sharing, professional development, and reflection on residency recruitment and curriculum design best practices. CEUs available upon completion of assessment.

Louw, C., Puentedura, E., Louw, A., Walker, M., Benz, L., & Smith, K. (2025). Final-Year Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Preferences for Employment and Postprofessional Education: An Exploratory Survey Study. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 40(1), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.00...  

Speaker: Adriaan Louw, PT, PhD

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1.    Evaluate key employment drivers for final-year DPT students, specifically base pay and company culture.
2.    Contrast student interest in residency with historical enrollment to identify recruitment barriers.
3.    Compare student preferences across hybrid, online, and in-person learning to optimize postprofessional education design.
4.    Analyze how broader physical therapy workforce challenges, such as student debt and burnout, influence early-career decisions and postprofessional education plans.