List date(s) this work was published or aired.
Jun-12
Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
There is a national effort to encourage more students — especially females — to study (and enter professions dependent upon) science, technology, engineering, and math (so-called STEM subjects). What roles are physical therapists playing in this effort? What additional roles can they play? And how will these programs affect the provision of physical therapy and the delivery of health care?
Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
Various studies and reports on STEM education were reviewed. We also considered policy statements and other material.
Explain types of human sources used.
The bulk of the article relied on interviews with physical therapists and students studying to become physical therapists who are involved with–and in some cases have been the recipients of–STEM-related efforts.
Results:
The article generated strong positive feedback from physical therapists from a wide range of disciplines.
Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
No corrections or clarifications were necessary.
Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
We found few centralized sources of sources of information or points of contact for STEM in general–and none addressing the needs of physical therapists or health care. Most of the information we gathered and interviews we conducted came through referrals — one physical therapist who knew about a single similar program elsewhere. The subjects were very willing to talk; locating them was the challenge.