BACKGROUND: The rehabilitation industry suffered in a terrible economic climate caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Healthcare resources and the labor force were directed towards epidemic prevention of post-pandemic, which exacerbated the issue. This study evaluated the professional identity (PI) of new graduates majoring in rehabilitation therapy during the final harsh phase of COVID-19 and explored the factors influencing PI.

METHODS: A cross-sectional investigation with a questionnaire was used in this study. A convenience sample of new graduates who majored in rehabilitation were recruited from hospitals and universities nationwide. The data collected demographic information and scores of professional identities for students in the final phase of the strict COVID-19 control policy in 2022.

RESULTS: This study indicated that the average PI was quite a distance from the degree of ‘agree’ (3.84 on average), particularly for the fitness dimension (3.64 on average). The results identified two influencing variables: employment (Beta= -0.09, P< 0.05) and educational patterns (Beta= 0.12, P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Higher education in rehabilitation should respond to the present shift in the structure of the rehabilitation industry post-COVID-19. Meanwhile, the occupational environment of rehabilitation therapists and the medical value of rehabilitation therapy deserves more attention. This study provides evidence for managers to improve organizational justice and adjust policies on the distribution of medical resources.

KEYWORDS: Education, employment, professional identity, questionnaire, rehabilitation