Submission ID 77783
| Code | P49 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Poster |
| Will the presenter be a: | Early Career Faculty - (Less than 7 years of practice) |
| Title | Physical Therapy Students' Perspectives of Faculty Mentorship in the Era of Covid-19: A Thematic Analysis of Two Open-Ended Survey Items to Inform Post-Pandemic Practices |
| Background/Purpose | Positive relationships with faculty mentors are a valuable contributor to healthcare students' academic outcomes, with recent COVID-19 curricular adjustments suggested to negatively impact mentor-mentee relationships. Unfortunately, investigations exploring physical therapy (PT) students' perspectives of faculty mentorship in the era of COVID-19 and suggestions to enhance mentorship are limited. To inform post-pandemic practices, this study explored PT students' perspectives of faculty mentorship in the era of COVID-19 and suggestions for improvement. |
| Methods | Guided by social constructionism, 180 PT students at a single program were invited to complete two open-ended items as part of a larger cross-sectional paper-based survey study on informal mentoring. Item one, for students with a faculty mentor, asked individuals to describe the influence of COVID-19 on faculty mentorship (n=103). Item two, for all students, regardless of mentorship status, asked individuals for suggestions to improve mentorship practices (n=146). Thematic analysis, as outlined by Braun and Clarke, was utilized to identify themes. |
| Results | Three themes for item one emerged: 1) positive perceptions of mentors' adaptability, accessibility via technology, and focus on mentees' health and wellbeing, 2) neutral perceptions, and 3) negative perceptions from decreased personalized connection and reduced social networking opportunities. Three themes for item two emerged, including increased: 1) access to faculty, 2) resources for student health, and 3) authentic learning experiences. |
| Discussion | Results offer pragmatic suggestions for healthcare education faculty and administrators to enhance post-pandemic faculty mentorship. This includes promoting accessible, individualized, and relationally driven connections with mentors, coupled with enhanced psychosocial support and increased resources for student health and well-being. |
| Keyword 1 | COVID-19 |
| Keyword 2 | faculty mentorship |
| Keyword 3 | physical therapy education |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Continuing Professional Development (CPD) (faculty development, CME) |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Faculty Development |
| Authors | Brad Willis Brad Willis |
