title: Empowering the Physiotherapy Profession in Ethiopia through Leadership Development within the Doctoring Process.
abstract: Ethiopia recently introduced the Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT) degree at Addis Ababa University as a mechanism to increase the work force capacity of primary care providers in the health sector. The DPT program was supported by an international academic partnership and was designed to empower physiotherapists as leaders to move the profession forward. The curriculum was framed by core pedagogical principles and strategies and was phased into two programs. First, the 4-year Advanced Standing DPT program focused on developing registered Ethiopian physiotherapists with Bachelor of Science degrees as academic faculty. Second, these new faculty would then sustain a 6-year Generic DPT program that would matriculate students upon graduation from high school. The curriculum represented depth and breadth of foundation and clinical sciences, evidence-based practice, clinical reasoning skills, and interprofessional education opportunities. A leadership thread provided opportunities to develop skills necessary to effectively navigate and manage the challenges faced by the profession. The main outcomes included (1) an 8-year international partnership, (2) the academic performance of students, and (3) and leadership capabilities as demonstrated through activities and assignments. While the program has been criticized as an unnecessary extravagance for Ethiopia, the advantages of the DPT degree were revealed in a direct comparison to other academic physiotherapy programs in Ethiopia. In the end, because the DPT is new to the country, it will take time to fully understand the true impact within the Ethiopian health system.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Regis University , Denver, CO , USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl Burditt
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Footer
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; St. Paul's Hospital, Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Hailu Seifu
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Tsegaye
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tesfaye Asnake
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Yitnagashaw
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Wintana
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
authors.affiliation: College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Alert Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Tizita Destaw
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Shiferaw
authors.affiliation: Cure Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Ethiopian Physiotherapy Association, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Endashaw
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abera
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Therapy, Regis University , Denver, CO , USA.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davis
keywords: Doctor of Physiotherapy; Ethiopia; academic partnership; empowerment; leadership development