Experiences of Foreign-Trained Physical Therapists in the US

Foreign-trained physical therapists (FTPT) play a role in helping to meet the demand of badly needed rehabilitation services in the United States (US) and other parts of the world. This book examines the issues faced by FTPTs who are seeking licensure in the US. Descriptive phenomenological methods were used to analyze interviews of FTPTs on their professional experiences of working in the US.  Motivations, issues, and barriers to this phenomenon were explored in our research questions. Results from this study may help inform communities and organizations on how to best recruit and retain physical therapist professionals to meet the increasing diversity in the patient populations we serve. It is our hope that our research will open the discussion of the need to examine policy and ethical standards of practice to protect the public, maintain professional integrity, and address the need for diversity in our health-care system.