Career choice processes in occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and physiotherapy: a scoping review

Allied health professions, including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and physiotherapy, are integral to modern healthcare systems. Despite their importance, these fields face ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified professionals. A better understanding of the factors influencing career choice in these professions is essential for developing targeted workforce strategies. This scoping review aims to systematically identify, categorise, and synthesise influencing factors and underlying theoretical frameworks related to career choice processes in these fields, with particular attention to the German context. A scoping review was conducted in December 2024 across the databases PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible sources included quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, as well as relevant grey literature in English or German. Two reviewers independently screened and selected studies based on predefined criteria. Data were extracted and thematically analysed using qualitative coding in MAXQDA. Of 1,852 records screened, 37 studies were included. Thematic analysis identified four main categories of influencing factors: (1) personal factors (demographic characteristics, personality traits, altruism, fields of interest, qualifications, knowledge); (2) social influences (professionals, service users); (3) exposure to the profession (internships and part-time jobs, experience as a patient, media, advisor, events); and (4) professional factors (working conditions, scope of practice). Most studies originated from Australia, the USA, and the UK; none were conducted in Germany. Career choice in occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and physiotherapy results from a multifaceted interplay of individual, social, and structural factors. The absence of studies from Germany highlights a substantial research gap and underscores the need for context-specific empirical investigation. These findings offer a foundation for developing evidence-based recruitment and retention strategies and highlight the necessity for future research in the specific context of the German healthcare and educational system.