Professional activity during studies by physiotherapy students of Master’s Degree course of university-level schools in Poland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12923/j.0044-2011/123-3/a.04Keywords:
graduates of vocational studies, physiotherapists, professional activity, educational profileAbstract
Introduction. In Poland, graduation from a Bachelor’s degree course with a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy makes it possible to take on employment as a physiotherapist. However, a majority of students continues their education on a Master’s degree course and simultaneously works either as a physiotherapist or in another profession. We differ in this from other European countries.
Aim. The aim of the study was to analyse the issue of taking on professional activity by second-year Physiotherapy students of a Master’s degree course of university-level schools of different educational profiles, i.e.: medical universities (PM), universities of physical education (PWF), and other schools (IP).
Material and methods. The study enrolled 1942 second-year students of a Master’s degree course of 17 university-level schools A mean questionnaire return rate was: 53%. Women constituted 77% of the study participants, the mean age was 21 years. As many as 736 (45%) of the study participants started a Master’s degree course at the same university-level school at which they had graduated from a Bachelor’s degree course. The approval of the Ethical Review Board of Warsaw Medical University was not necessary to conduct the voluntary and anonymous questionnaire study. Statistical analysis: STATISTICA 10.0 (licensed to Warsaw Medical University), non-parametric statistical tests: Chi-square, Kruskall-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U, p<0.05.
Results. Thirty-five percent of the study participants reported that the organisation of classes at a Master’s degree course makes it possible to take on employment. Thirty percent of the study participants reported that they worked as physiotherapists. Twenty-two percent of the study participants started searching for a job immediately after graduation from a Bachelor’s degree course. Thirty-eight percent of the study participants were searching for a job in the field of physiotherapy on the Internet. The largest group of students (18%) reported that their current earnings were between PLN 1000÷1500.
Conclusions.The organisation of classes did not constitute a significant problem in taking on employment during studies for the study participants in neither group of Physiotherapy students of a Master’s degree course.In the study group of students, the educational profile significantly influenced the frequency of taking on employment as a physiotherapist during a Master’s degree course. In the study group of students, the educational profile did not significantly influence the method of searching for a job in the field of physiotherapy.
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