Career satisfaction of physical therapy faculty during their pretenure years

The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction and Faculty Turnover Among Physician Assistant Educators During the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

This research explored the relationship between job satisfaction and intent to leave among physician assistant (PA) educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study aimed to identify differences in PA educators' job satisfaction within gender and their intention to stay at their current employment.

METHODS

A nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1788 PA educators at 232 accredited programs nationally. A Web-based survey was employed to measure job satisfaction and intent to leave and to collect demographic information. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the study population, and logistic regression was used to analyze the independent variables predicting faculty turnover.

RESULTS

PA educators were generally satisfied with their jobs (51.2%, n = 251), with the nature of the work, quality of supervision, and collegial relationships contributing the most to job satisfaction. Males were generally more satisfied with their jobs than females. More than half of the PA educators (52.4%, n = 257) considered leaving academia in the past year. Job satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] = .945, 95% confidence interval [CI] = .936-.956) and individual facets-including the nature of the work (OR = .806, 95% CI = .731-.888); communication (OR = .926, 95% CI = .860-.997); and quality of supervision (OR = .904, 95% CI = .850-.960)-were predictive of intent to leave. Gender was not found to significantly affect the relationship between job satisfaction and intent to leave.

DISCUSSION

The findings from the study suggest the need for faculty retention to be prioritized among program and institutional leadership. PA programs need experienced leadership to develop, guide, and mentor faculty. Lastly, program and institutional leadership should create a supportive work environment that communicates clear expectations.

Impact of the Perceived Mental Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Students' Loneliness Feelings and Future Career Choice: A Preliminary Survey Study

The outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic continues to unfold globally, and its negative impact on the public's mental health is starting to reveal. Serving as reserve talents for the healthcare system, medical students are not yet professionally matured enough to face one of the worst global public health crises. This may exert increased mental stress and loneliness feelings, which in turn negatively influence medical students' future career choice. To address the issue, we conducted three online survey studies investigating how the epidemic affects the mental health as well as career attitude of medical students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The results revealed preliminary evidence showing that the perceived stress induced by the COVID-19 epidemic might negatively affect medical students' future career choice, and the feeling of loneliness may play a mediating role. This study invites more attention to medical students' mental health during severe public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Job and career satisfaction among Indian physiotherapists: A preliminary survey

Background/Aims:

Job and career satisfaction is an integral part of an individual's professional life. It affects job performance, consequently influencing growth of the profession. Physiotherapy in India is maturing making such data indispensable. This study aims to assess the level of job and career satisfaction among Indian physiotherapists.

Methods:

A cross-sectional pilot survey was done with a self-administered e-questionnaire and the 265 surveys collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis.

Results:

Overall job satisfaction is 63.68% (3.35±1.32) and career satisfaction is 56.39% (2.84±1.39).

Conclusions:

The majority of physiotherapists were moderately satisfied with their jobs and careers. It is essential to incorporate favourable factors in the workplace that promote professional satisfaction and there is a need to enhance opportunities for continued medical education. This study provides a global outlook of a developing country.

Changes in pharmacy practice faculty 1995-2001: implications for junior faculty development

OBJECTIVE

To compare changes in United States pharmacy practice faculty demographics from 1995-2001 and to discuss the implications for junior faculty development.

METHODS

Demographic data were extracted from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy institutional research system for academic years 1995-1996 and 2000-2001.

RESULTS

In 2000-2001, pharmacy practice was the largest faculty discipline, 3.8 times larger than the next three disciplines. Junior pharmacy practice faculty occupied 65% of all junior full-time pharmacy faculty positions. Tenure track assistant professors decreased 4% from 283 to 271, and nontenure track assistant professors increased 58% from 427 to 677 (chi2 = 20.0, p<0.05). In 2000-2001, 72% of all pharmacy practice assistant professors were nontenure track, up from 59% in 1995-1996. Women assistant professors in pharmacy practice outnumbered men by 2:1. Challenges faced by new faculty include balancing teaching, practice, and research demands; selecting a nontenure or tenure track and understanding its expectations; limiting teaching preparation time; developing productive writing habits; setting performance goals; managing time; and handling the mental and physical stress of academic life. Senior faculty must actively help new members appreciate the many positive aspects of academic life by sharing their strategies and success stories.

CONCLUSION

Schools and colleges of pharmacy relied heavily on increasing the number of nontenure track junior pharmacy practice faculty to meet increased clinical education demands.