title: Attitudes of European physiotherapy students towards their chosen career in the context of different educational systems and legal regulations pertaining to the practice of physiotherapy: implications for university curricula.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Differences in the organisation of educational systems and regulations pertaining to the practice of a profession can influence the attitudes of students towards their chosen career and their perceptions of employment possibilities. The aim of this paper was to discuss the different educational systems and legal regulations pertaining to the practice of physiotherapy in selected countries of the European Union (EU), and to present some conclusions regarding the influence of these differences on the perceptions of first-year physiotherapy students on their chosen career.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative questionnaire-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one university-level schools in the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Spain and the U.K.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred and sixty-seven first-year physiotherapy students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean response rate was 74%. Most students (79%) reported that a personal interest was the main reason why they had decided to study physiotherapy (79%). Most students from Spain and the Czech Republic reported that, on completion of their studies, they would like to work as physiotherapists (61/120, 51% Czech Republic; 140/250, 56% Spain), compared with only 4% of Polish students (P<0.001). Most students from Poland and Spain were not familiar with employment opportunities in their respective countries (202/250, 81% Spain; 212/250, 85% Poland), and claimed that it is difficult to find employment as a physiotherapist in their country. Most students from the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Spain and the U.K. claimed that it is easy to find a job in other EU countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most physiotherapy students chose their course because of an interest in physiotherapy. They were not familiar with employment possibilities for graduates, and believed that it is easier to find work in other EU countries. Both factors may further aggravate the problem of unemployment among physiotherapists.
authors.affiliation: Division of Teaching and Outcomes of Education, Faculty of Health Science, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland. joanna.gotlib@wum.edu.pl
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gotlib
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Białoszewski
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Opavsky
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garrod
authors.forename: Nicolas Estévez
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Fuertes
authors.forename: Lucia Pérez
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.forename: Berta Paz
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Lourido
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monterde
authors.forename: Carmen Suarez
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sacco
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kunicka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003479:Curriculum; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult