The recreational therapy faculty shortage: A crisis for the profession
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2015.0090Keywords:
doctorate, faculty, recreational therapy, shortageAbstract
A national shortage of doctorally prepared faculty is threatening the health and longevity of the field of recreational therapy. As more faculty reach retirement age, there are few new doctorally trained recreational therapists available to fill this gap. In 2014 alone, more than 15 faculty positions were available, and there was only one new PhD on the market. When existing faculty move to fill these positions, gaps are created in university recreational therapy programs across the country. This article reviews how substantial and potentially damaging this shortage is and provides a number of suggestions for addressing the shortage. These suggestions include retaining senior faculty, increasing the number of doctorally prepared recreational therapists, and recruiting new faculty.
References
Sklar SL, Autry CE: RT careers in higher education: The time is now! Paper presented at the ATRA Annual Conference On-Site Program, Oklahoma City, OK, 2014.
Stumbo NJ: Final Report of NART Ph.D. Task Force. National Academy of Recreational Therapists, May 8, 2012.
Sklar SL. Universities with PhD programs in RT/TR. 2014. Accessed October 2, 2014.
McCormick BP, Crawford ME, Austin DR: Issue and trends. In Austin DR, Crawford ME, McCormick BP, Van Puymbroeck M (eds.): Recreational Therapy: An Introduction. 4th ed. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing, 2015: 292-307.
Compton DC, Austin DR, Yang H: A national study of perceptions related to therapeutic recreation faculty and curricula. In Hitzhusen G (ed.): Expanding Horizons in Therapeutic Recreation XIX. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri, 2001: 49-60.
Anderson SC, Ashton-Shaeffer C, Autry CE: Therapeutic recreation education: 1999 survey. Ther Recreation J. 2000; 34(4): 335-347.
Autry CE, Anderson SC, Sklar SL: Therapeutic recreation education: 2009 survey. Ther Recreation J. 2010; 44(3): 161-181.
Austin DR, McCormick BP: Recreational therapy scholarship: A necessary contribution to the future of recreation therapy. Am J Recreation Ther. 2011; 10(2): 5-6.
American Therapeutic Recreation Association: University program. 2014. Available at https://www.atra-online.com/education/higher-education/university-programs. Accessed December 18, 2014.
Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association: Universities offering a degree in recreation or therapeutic recreation. 2014. Available at http://Canadian-tr.org/Educational-Institutions. Accessed December 18, 2014.
Allan JD, Aldebron J: A systematic assessment of strategies to address the nursing faculty shortage, U.S. Nurs Outlook. 2008; 56(6): 286-297.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing: Faculty Shortages in Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs: Scope of the Problem and Strategies for Expanding the Supply. Washington, DC: AACN, 2005.
Cusson R: How colleges can deal with the shortage of nursing professors. UCONN TODAY. March 20, 2014. Available at http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2014/03/how-collegescan-deal-with-the-shortage-of-nursing-professors/. Accessed December 18, 2014.
Hinshaw AS: A continuing challenge: The shortage of educationally prepared nursing faculty. Online J Issues Nurs. 2001; 6(1): manuscript 3.
Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate: Working principles for the EdD program design. 2009. Available at ttp://cpedinitiative.org/research-resources. Accessed December 18, 2014.
Yordy KD: The Nursing Faculty Shortage: A Crisis for Health Care. Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2006.
Austin DR: Keynote address. Paper presented at the Annual Conference, American Therapeutic Recreation Association, Oklahoma City, OK, September 13, 2014.
Moskowitz, MC: Academic Health Centers CEOs Say Faculty Shortages Major Problem. Association of Academic Health Centers. 2007. Available at http://www.aahcdc.org/policy/reddot/aahc_faculty_shortages.pdf. Accessed June 16, 2015.
Edwardson SR: Matching standards and needs in doctoral education in nursing. J Prof Nurs. 2004; 20(1): 40-46.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright 2000-2023, Weston Medical Publishing, LLC
All Rights Reserved
