Student Retention in Health Sciences

Our country may be facing a shortage of occupational and physical therapists in the immediate future. This is due to a reduction in government reimbursements of services, fewer people entering the professions, and concerns regarding retention of graduate occupational and physical therapy students. Nationally, academic standards for occupational and physical therapy programs are challenging. A significant concern among deans and program chairs for these programs is how to recruit and retain students who enter masters or doctoral programs. Due to the decline in the number of applicants, many institutions are forced to lower their admissions standards in order to achieve a full complement of students. There is a wealth of knowledge pertaining to the retention of college students. However, there is a significant gap in the literature pertaining to the retention of allied healthcare students. Therefore, this study addresses retention of occupational and physical therapy students. In short, are retention programs necessary, and are they effective?