Abstract:

In Poland Physiotherapy is offered at three types of school: 1) medical universities (PM), 2) universities of physical education (PWF), and 3) schools not specialising in either the medical sciences or physical education (IP).
Graduation from a Bachelor degree course with a Bachelor degree makes it possible to take on employment as a physiotherapist. However, in Poland a vast majority of students starts a Master degree course. Master degree courses prepare students for further scientific work and management of health care settings but they do not improve qualifications necessary to work..

The aim of the study was to analyze the realization of scientific projects during a Master degree course in the light of occupational and scientific plans of students of Master degree Physiotherapy course at university-level schools of different educational profiles.The total of 1600 second year Physiotherapy students took part in the study. A mean questionnaire return rate was 53%.

Voluntary and anonymous questionnaire. Statistical analysis: non-parametric tests: Chi-square, Kruskall-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U, p<0.05. The majority of students declared that at their school there was no student research society or they were not interested in its activity (p<.000). 6% engaged themselves in the activity of a Student Research Society (SRS) connected with physiotherapy during their Master degree course (p<.000). PM students significantly more frequently declared participation in the SRS activity. 28% actively took part during their Master degree course in a scientific conference (p<0.834) and 50% declared passive participation in a scientific conference (p<0.947). 18% actively participated during their Master degree course in a research study/research project (p<.000). PWF students significantly more frequently took part in research projects. The vast majority of students declared that during their Master degree course they did not publish any article.

The majority of students would like to start a professional activity after graduation from a Master degree course. 11% would like to start PhD studies, 9% would like to start a professional activity and continue their education at various courses, and 2% would like to start a post-graduation course. The largest group of students would like to work for a privately-owned rehabilitation centre (p<0.144), 14% would like to work in a public hospital (teaching hospital (p<0.012), 3% would like to take on scientific and teaching-related activity at university (p<0.031).

1.The education profile of a university-level school may influence students' activity in student research societies.
2. Polish state-owned medical universities and universities of physical education, which are traditionally connected with conducting research studies, significantly more frequently engage their students in scientific activity performed within university programmes.
3. In the study group of students the profile of a university-level school did not influence future occupational and scientific plans of the students – the Physiotherapy students were not interested in taking on scientific activity regardless of the educational profile of the school.
4. University-level schools should develop programmes to pick up outstandingly talented individuals in order to provide them with an individual path of scientific development and build closer tights between these graduates and the school in the future.

Keywords:

Physiotherapy students, scientific work, occupational plans.