Understanding postgraduate physiotherapy student’s challenges and barriers for academic publication

Academic publication is a crucial component of postgraduate education, promoting scholarly development, enhancing academic visibility, and promoting evidence-based practice. However, doctoral students in allied health sciences, particularly physiotherapy, often face multiple challenges in research writing and publication. This study aimed to identify and analyze the barriers and challenges encountered by postgraduate physiotherapy students in the academic publishing process.

A cross-sectional ethnographic cohort study was conducted among 120 postgraduate physiotherapy students from public and private universities. A self-constructed, validated questionnaire was administered, comprising 30 items across three domains—Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception—along with demographic data. Content validation was performed by experts, and internal consistency was confirmed (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA to compare domain scores across subgroups.

Participants reported moderate knowledge (mean score: 2.4 ± 1.1/5), with only 22% aware of the h-index and 14% of the i-index. The majority agreed that high publication fees (70%), lack of faculty guidance (74%), and structural writing difficulties (68%) were significant obstacles. Confidence in manuscript writing was low (38%), despite 77% acknowledging that publication is essential in postgraduate education. Statistically significant differences were observed in attitude and perception scores among students who had access to workshops and mentoring (p < 0.05).

The study identifies limited research knowledge, structural and financial constraints, and weak institutional support as key barriers to academic publishing among postgraduate physiotherapy students. Targeted training, effective mentorship, and supportive institutional policies are essential to improve academic writing and publication outcomes.