Motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand: A mixed methods study

Michelle R Kaminski^{1

2

3}, Glen A Whittaker¹, Caroline Robinson⁴, Matthew Cotchett¹, Malia Ho³, Shannon E Munteanu¹, Mollie Dollinger⁵, Sia Kazantzis⁶, Xia Li⁷, Ryan S Causby⁸, Mike Frecklington⁹, Steven Walmsley¹⁰, Vivienne Chuter¹¹, Sarah L Casey¹², Burke Hugo¹³, Daniel R Bonanno¹

Affiliations

¹ Discipline of Podiatry, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
² Department of Podiatry, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
⁶ Department of Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Mathematics and Statistics, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Allied Health and Human Performance Unit, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁹ Department of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁰ Discipline of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹¹ School of Health Science, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² Discipline of Podiatry, School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
¹³ Division of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

PMID: 39229789
PMCID: PMC11372464
DOI: 10.1002/jfa2.70004

Motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand: A mixed methods study

Michelle R Kaminski et al. J Foot Ankle Res. 2024 Sep.

. 2024 Sep;17(3):e70004.

doi: 10.1002/jfa2.70004.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Discipline of Podiatry, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
² Department of Podiatry, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
⁶ Department of Physiotherapy, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Mathematics and Statistics, School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ Allied Health and Human Performance Unit, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁹ Department of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁰ Discipline of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
¹¹ School of Health Science, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² Discipline of Podiatry, School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia.
¹³ Division of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, School of Allied Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

PMID: 39229789
PMCID: PMC11372464
DOI: 10.1002/jfa2.70004

Abstract

Background: Podiatry enrolments at Australian and New Zealand universities have decreased by 17.3% since 2015, which threatens the profession's sustainability and the health and wellbeing of Australian and New Zealand people and communities. Reasons for this decline remain unclear due to insufficient evidence on factors influencing career choices. The overarching aim of this study was to identify motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand.

Methods: This study used a convergent mixed methods design. Students enrolled in (i) podiatry and (ii) relevant non-podiatry health, sport or science programs at nine Australian and one New Zealand university, were invited to participate in an online survey. First-year podiatry students were also invited to participate in an online workshop. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and linear/logistic regression models. Three independent assessors used inductive thematic analysis for the qualitative data.

Results: Overall, 278 podiatry students (mean age 24.9 ± 8.5 years, 65.1% female) and 553 non-podiatry students (mean age 24.8 ± 8.2 years, 75.4% female; 32.2% from physiotherapy and 29.1% from occupational therapy) responded to the survey. Interest in a health-related career, wanting to make a difference to people's health, and opportunity to care for people from different backgrounds/age groups were key motivating factors among podiatry students. Barriers to studying podiatry were encountered by 28.1% of podiatry students. Thematic analysis identified seven themes concerning career choice, which are as follows: (i) awareness of profession and scope of practice; (ii) stereotypes and negative perceptions of the profession; (iii) awareness of career pathways; (iv) job prospects and earning potential; (v) working with people and building relationships; (vi) podiatry is not the first preference; and (vii) barriers which limit student enrolment.

Conclusions: There are a variety of factors that motivate and influence students to study podiatry, however, altruistic reasons are most highly rated. Allied health students have limited understanding of the scope of practice and career opportunities in podiatry. Additionally, the podiatry profession often faces negative stereotypes. Further work is required to reverse the negative stereotypes and perceptions of podiatry and build knowledge of the profession's scope of practice, career pathways/opportunities, job prospects and earning potential.

Keywords: career choice; health workforce; podiatry; students; university.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Thematic map of motivators and barriers for studying podiatry.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Health . 2022. Future Focused Primary Health Care: Australia's Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022–2032. Canberra (AU): Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australias‐primary‐heal....
1. Couch, Anna G. , Haines Terry, O'Sullivan Belinda, Menz Hylton B., and Williams Cylie M.. 2023. “Financial Characteristics and Security of Podiatry Work in Victoria: the PAIGE Cross Sectional Study of Australian Podiatrists.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 16(1): 61. 10.1186/s13047-023-00657-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Ministry of Health New Zealand . 2020. The Cost and Value of Employment in the Health and Disability Sector. Wellington (NZ): Ministry of Health. https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/cost‐and‐value‐employment‐health‐....
1. Australian Podiatry Association . 2023. What Is podiatry? Melbourne (AU): Australian Podiatry Association. https://www.podiatry.org.au/about/what‐is‐podiatry.
1. Carroll, Matthew , Jepson Hannah, Molyneux Prue, and Brenton‐Rule Angela. 2020. “The New Zealand Podiatry Profession—A Workforce in Crisis?” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 13(1): 62. 10.1186/s13047-020-00430-y. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand: A mixed methods study

Affiliations

Motivators and barriers for studying podiatry in Australia and New Zealand: A mixed methods study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

MeSH terms

Grants and funding