title: 'Oh my gosh I'm going to have to undress': potential barriers to greater ethnic diversity in the physiotherapy profession in the United Kingdom.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the views and experiences of South Asian participants in relation to the potential barriers to increasing ethnic diversity of the physiotherapy profession.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative research design was utilised, drawing on ethnographic traditions and including ethnographic interviews. The interviews were transcribed and the data were analysed using thematic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A venue of the participant's own choosing in the North west of England.
  From analysis of the data generated, three subthemes emerged in relation to the overarching theme; potential barriers: decreased knowledge of physiotherapy; issue of status; tension between cultures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that a lack of knowledge may impact negatively on BME potential students considering physiotherapy as a possible career. The status of the profession was found to be an important factor in career choice. However, a lack of knowledge led many to consider physiotherapy to be less prestigious than other healthcare professions. Finally, a lack of sensitivity with the information given during the selection process caused some participants anxiety and to question physiotherapy as a career choice. Due consideration should be given to these potential barriers to address the underrepresentation of BME groups in physiotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Professions, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M13 0JA, UK. Electronic address: g.yeowell@mmu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yeowell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty; D018907:Privacy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Barriers; Black and minority ethnic groups; Physiotherapy; Qualitative; South Asian