In this episode of PT Outcast, Eric Robertson, Carly Lochala, with guests Kendra Gagnon, and Mary Blackinton take a deep dive into the provocative position paper “Beyond Scarcity: Reimagining an Abundant Future for Physical Therapist Education.” Together, they unpack one of the most pressing issues facing the profession today: how deeply scarcity thinking shapes the way PT education is designed, delivered, and regulated—and how that scarcity mindset limits possibility, access, affordability, and growth.

The panel explores the structural forces that sustain scarcity in higher education, including accreditation requirements, program costs, limited faculty capacity, and the traditional definitions of what constitutes “quality.” They highlight how well-intentioned accreditation and regulatory systems can inadvertently restrict innovation and increase barriers for students, especially those from diverse and underserved communities.

The discussion moves beyond critique and into imagination, asking what it would take to design educational systems defined by abundance instead of limitation—where quality is reimagined, cost structures are reframed, and learning can scale without compromising standards or outcomes. The group examines emerging educational models, hybrid pathways, and collaborative solutions that could expand access while increasing affordability, capacity, and clinical readiness.

Rather than treating quality and access as opposing forces, the conversation emphasizes the potential for collaborative, community-driven models where educators, institutions, and practice environments work together to rethink the ecosystem. The episode challenges listeners to reconsider entrenched assumptions about who can teach, where learning happens, how quality is evaluated, and how the profession can meaningfully address equity and sustainability.

What can our future hold?