Title: Inter-professional Perspectives: Evaluating how Future Medical and Allied Health Professionals View the Doctorate-Level Physiotherapist.

Abstract

Abstract Background: The educational framework of rehabilitation sciences is shifting with the emergence of the Doctorate-Level Physiotherapist (DPT). This study investigated the awareness and attitudes of future medical and allied health professionals toward this transition. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was utilized to gauge clinical students' familiarity and perceptions regarding the DPT model. Data analysis included frequency distributions, ANOVA, and Post Hoc Tukey HSD tests to determine variations across departments. Results: While general awareness of physiotherapy is nearly universal (98.5%), an implementation gap exists, with only 54.2% aware of the extended six-year training program. Although 61.8% of respondents believe the DPT will improve professional respect, 43.5% foresee the "Doctor" title causing inter-professional friction. Perceptions were consistent across age and gender (p = 0.471). However, significant disciplinary divides were found: Nursing Science students showed the highest resistance, with scores significantly lower than peers in Physiotherapy (p = 0.013) and Radiography (p = 0.003). Additionally, MBBS students' views differed significantly from those in Nursing (p = 0.000) and BMLS (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Future healthcare practitioners recognize the professional prestige associated with the DPT but harbor reservations concerning clinical hierarchies and academic necessity. The observed departmental friction, particularly from Nursing and Medical students, underscores the need for inter-professional education to ensure collaborative clinical environments.