“I feel like this is an area where one can feel a lot of satisfaction”: Physiotherapy students’ preferences for their prospective area of practice

Figures & data

Table 1. Participants’ demographic characteristics by academic year.

	Pre N = 64	1^st N = 65	2^nd N = 43	3^rd N = 42	4^th N = 75	p-value
Age (years) median [minimum – maximum]	24 [21–34]	24 [20–38]	25 [22–44]	26 [24–34]	28 [22–34]	< 0.001
Gender-Female frequency (%)	36 (55)	46 (71)	27 (63)	34 (81)	50 (67)	0.07

P-value based on the Kruskal Wallis Test, ${\mathit{\chi }}^2$

Figure 1. The distribution of “area of internet” by academic year (percent of year), sequence by year of studying each area.

Table 2. I/Me/My sub-categories codes by year.

Sub-Category	Year	# Total codes	# Codes question 3	Students N(%)	Examples of codes
Feelings/ sensations	Pre	36	6	25(39)	I feel comfortable
	1^st	64	18	35(54)	I will enjoy it very much
	2^nd	39	9	23(53)	I feel like this is an area where one can feel a lot of satisfaction
	3^rd	51	9	26(62)	I like children very much and I feel I have a [positive] approach to them
	4^th	82	37	50(67)	The plan is to experiment as much as possible in as many areas and sense where my place is (#3)
	Total	272	79(29%)	p = .04
Interest/ knowledge/ understanding	Pre	49	18	39(61)	As far as it interests me on a personal and professional level
	1^st	40	6	34(52)	Develop my knowledge [in the area] and deepen it over time
	2^nd	39	8	25(58)	If there are topics that do not interest me – I will not pursue them with force (#3)
	3^rd	31	6	21(50)	Interesting and fertile and thought-and curiosity-provoking exposure to other areas (#3)
	4^th	34	11	25(33)	I’ve found them interesting and fascinating
	Total	193	49(25%)	p = .01
Concrete experience	Pre	30	0	27(42)	I come from a sports background and the area is familiar to me
	1^st	32	2	27(42)	I have been working with them [children] for several years on a voluntary basis
	2^nd	26	1	22(51)	My past as a paramedic and therapist in the areas of orthopedics and sports injuries
	3^rd	24	3	18(43)	My personal experience in the area. Perhaps this is the most important [reason] (#3)
	4^th	18	1	18(24)	I work as a bone strengthening trainer in a gym
	Total	130	7(5%)	p = .03
Holistic experience	Pre	20	4	19(30)	As the daughter of an amputee, I see the meaning of physiotherapy when it comes to learning to walk again and starting a new chapter as smoothly as possible
	1^st	18	3	18(28)	The experience I had as a patient
	2^nd	9	1	8(19)	I have scoliosis and I am interested in this treatment area. I did physiotherapy myself in the area
	3^rd	17	2	15(36)	I had the privilege of seeing a number of treatments that fascinated me and thanks to them I started studying physiotherapy
	4^th	16	5	14(19)	Especially a personal experience and I can relate to certain pathologies(#3)
	Total	80	15(19%)	p = .20

p-value based on ${\mathit{\chi }}^2$; Parentheses [] in quotes indicate additions to the translation to clarify and reflect the participants’ layers of meanings most accurately; (#3) in quotes indicate an answer to question number 3 regarding what might influence the preferences in the future.

Table 3. The physiotherapy studies program sub-category codes by year of study.

Sub-Category	Year	# Total codes	# Codes question 3	Students N(%)	Examples of codes
Theoretical aspects	Pre	21	15	20(31)	The studies are long and enriching and I am sure that during them I will encounter new topics that I am not aware of and that will change my mind (#3)
	1^st	26	18	20(31)	I became interested in neurology mainly since we started studying about the nervous system and the physiology of the nervous system
	2^nd	23	7	14(33)	There are areas we learn that help me understand which of them does not interest me; however, I also understand what speaks to me
	3^rd	25	5	18(43)	The amount of study in this area throughout my years of study – the depth of the area’s studies is greater than other [areas]
	4^th	9	2	9(12)	Learning theoretical material thoroughly and in-depth in academic courses
		104	47(45%)	p < .01
Practicum in the 3^rd and 4^th years	Pre	14	10	14(22)	The practicums in hospitals may reveal new areas to me that I did not know/thought to work in (#3)
	1^st	22	19	22(34)	I guess the practicums in the coming years will affect my choices [of preferred areas] (#3)
	2^nd	16	13	16(37)	I believe the practicums will show me more options
	3^rd	60	32	32(76)	The area of respiratory [physiotherapy] was one that I did not click with during the studies, but in my practicums I had an amazing clinical instructor who made me click with the area so I would not rule out working in it.
	4^th	42	4	35(47)	The rehabilitation practicum was extremely successful, challenging, varied and satisfying
		154	78(51%)	p < .01
Observations of patients and practice	Pre	9	7	9(14)	The exposure to different niches in the physiotherapy world (#3)
	1^st	59	37	43(65)	What I think will influence me is the exposure to more and more treatments (#3)
	2^nd	22	13	19(44)	We have not yet been exposed to all of the many and beautiful areas that our profession has to offer
	3^rd	13	8	9(21)	Lots of exposure to different areas during the studies, especially in the clinical field, observations, meeting with patients in the various courses
	4^th	8	3	7(9)	The personal experience during exposure to different populations
		111	68(62%)	p < .01
Significant others	Pre	4	3	3(5)	Lecturers in different areas with presence and influence (#3)
	1^st	12	10	11(17)	If possible, add conversations with experienced physiotherapists in a particular area of specialization who can explain about their work to first and second year [students] (#3)
	2^nd	4	3	3(7)	Inspiring professionals (#3)
	3^rd	21	10	14(33)	The lecturer’s enthusiasm and passion for the profession and for the topics he teaches
	4^th	9	2	8(11)	His (the lecturer’s) passion for an area swept me up as well as his level of professionalism
		50	28(56%)	p < .01

p-value based on ${\mathit{\chi }}^2$; Parentheses [] in quotes indicate additions to the translation to clarify and reflect the participants’ layers of meanings most accurately; (#3) in quotes indicate an answer to question number 3 regarding what might influence the preferences in the future.

Table 4. Physiotherapy practice sub-category codes by year.

Sub-Category	Year	# Total codes	# Codes question 3	Students N(%)	Examples of codes
Characteristics of the intervention	Pre	12	1	8(13)	[The intervention may] Give back to a person abilities he already had
	1^st	21	2	19(29)	[There is] Something in the gentleness and the importance of the [physical therapy] care
	2^nd	25	2	18(42)	Pediatrics- because the improvement and impact [on patients] will be long term, and relatively quick improvement [during treatment]
	3^rd	26	2	17(40)	[The intervention is] Something that is on the one hand a riddle and on the other a tremendous rehabilitation potential
	4^th	49	4	34(45)	[Allows] accompanying patients over time
		133	11(8%)	p < .01
Characteristics of the patients	Pre	12	0	9(14)	Older persons- smart and [perceived as] irrelevant people, are usually lonely, whose treatment may be both physical and mental
	1^st	8	0	8(12)	Tend to more functional populations but I am open [to other groups]
	2^nd	5	0	5(12)	Work with motivated persons
	3^rd	11	1	8(19)	Children – they are the most fun population!
	4^th	11	0	9(12)	Adult patients, with whom [treatment] goals can be discussed and achieved
		47	1(2%)	p = .87
Care	Pre	13	0	10(16)	The desire to help a person return to function
	1^st	16	0	14(22)	I believe there is a great demand for work with the elderly and the resources currently invested in them are insufficient
	2^nd	13	1	11(26)	Oncology – to support people through their difficulty
	3^rd	12	1	10(24)	The tremendous significance that our care has for the functioning and quality of life of our patients
	4^th	16	2	13(17)	A sense of mission and giving
		70	4(6%)	p = .70
Professional development	Pre	9	4	6(9)	[I am] Interested in creating change and finding research solutions to existing problems and injuries
	1^st	7	3	6(9)	I want to be a partner in discoveries in the field of physiotherapy
	2^nd	6	5	3(7)	In addition, and no less important – options for a variety [of cases] and professional advancement, a place that will allow further learning and development in the profession (#3)
	3^rd	6	4	4(10)	Meeting with interesting areas in continuing education courses, conferences (#3)
	4^th	14	7	12(16)	A desire to continue researching and specializing in these [preferred] areas
		42	23(55%)	p = .46

p-value based on ${\mathit{\chi }}^2$; Parentheses [] in quotes indicate additions to the translation to clarify and reflect the participants’ layers of meanings most accurately; (#3) in quotes indicate an answer to question number 3 regarding what might influence the preferences in the future.

Table 5. Working conditions of PT and The Work/Life balance sub-category codes by year.

Sub-Category	Year	# Total codes	# Codes question 3	Students Quotes N(%)	Examples of codes
Economic considerations (e.g., salary)	Pre	7	6	6(9)	Economic considerations (#3)
	1^st	2	2	2(3)	Market demand (#3)
	2^nd	9	8	7(16)	Employment conditions, of course
	3^rd	16	13	12(29)	A respectable and stable source of income (#3)
	4^th	43	39	41(55)	Salary (if I receive a higher salary compared to an employee at a burger chain, for example) (#3)
		77	68(88%)	p < .01
Work setting	Pre	3	3	3(5)	Open posts in hospitals or institutes (#3)
	1^st	7	6	7(11)	The working environment’s conditions themselves (#3)
	2^nd	9	9	6(14)	Options for a variety [of cases] and professional advancement, a place that will allow further learning and development in the profession (#3)
	3^rd	4	3	3(7)	[Physiotherapy institutes in the community that will provide] exposure to a large number of pathologies and populations (#3)
	4^th	40	36	29(39)	A place that will provide a sense of professional development and growth(#3)
		63	57(90%)	P < .01
Team	Pre	0	0
	1^st	0	0
	2^nd	0	0
	3^rd	7	3	4(10)	[A team that will provide] the possibility for collaborations within the profession and with other professions
	4^th	18	13	17(23)	The character of the team in the workplace (#3)
		25	16(64%)
Work/Life balance	Pre	2	2	2(3)	Changes in the family and other [personal] needs (#3)
	1^st	4	4	4(6)	To enter an area that will allow me to lead a comfortable life (#3)
	2^nd	6	6	4(9)	My position in life in terms of family life and place of residence (#3)
	3^rd	5	4	5(12)	The ability to make a separation between personal life and work (I really want to get pregnant and don’t know how much I will be able to refrain from thoughts like “why it will not happen to me”) (#3)
	4^th	30	30	24(32)	At the moment, mainly comfort and proximity to [my] place of residence (#3)
		47	46(98%)	P < .01

p-value based on ${\mathit{\chi }}^2$; Parentheses [] in quotes indicate additions to the translation to clarify and reflect the participants’ layers of meanings most accurately; (#3) in quotes indicate an answer to question number 3 regarding what might influence the preferences in the future.