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ABSTRACT
The proportion of African American students enrolled in PT programs declined over the past 10 years from nearly 5% (4.7%) in 2007, to 3% in 2017. Additionally, only 3% of all PT program graduates in 2015 were African American. In order to foster diversity in the profession, PT programs, which enroll African American students, must ensure that these students are capable of passing the licensure examination. This article highlights the approach taken by a PT program with primarily African-American students, to increase the licensure exam success rate.
Keywords: * African Americans * NPTE pass rate * physical therapy students
INTRODUCTION
The health professional workforce does not equitably reflect all racial and ethnic groups. African Americans are underrepresented among physicians, registered nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and allied health professionals (Valentine, Wynn, & McLean, 2016). A diverse health care workforce is important because it will likely lead to improved public health by increasing access to care for underserved populations, and increasing opportunities for these populations to see practitioners with whom they share a common culture. Health care providers of color are more likely than others to address health disparities in a culturally competent manner (Valentine et al., 2016). Research supporting race concordance suggests that when Black patients are treated by Black providers, they are more satisfied, more likely to remain in care, and more likely to adhere to their treatment plans (Earl, Alegria, Mendieta, & Linhart, 2011).
African Americans are also underrepresented as students in the health professions. In 2016, the Diversity Task Force of the American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT) developed a definition of underrepresented minorities (URM) in physical therapist education. The URM definition extends beyond traditional racial and ethnic categories to also include individuals from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds (e.g., first-generation college students), individuals with low socioeconomic status, and geographically underrepresented areas (e.g., Appalachia) (American Council of Academic Physical Therapy, 2016). The Task Force also affirmed a rationale for promoting a diverse student population and workforce in physical therapy. From 2015 through 2018, URM represented approximately 20% of all physical therapy graduates. While African Americans currently represent approximately 13% of the US population, they have accounted for approximately 3% of physical therapy graduates from 2015 to the present (Commission on Accreditation in Physical...