Analysis of the disciplines of postgraduate rehabilitation programs in Brazil

Abstract Introduction: Due to the increasing number of postgraduate programs in rehabilitation science and of masters and doctoral researchers in Brazil, there has been significant improvement in the production and quality of these studies. However, this only addresses some research fields but not others, which highlights the need to show the current professional development process and discuss the role of these professionals in an interdisciplinary framework. Objective: To analyze the research lines and disciplines of Brazilians’ postgraduate programs in rehabilitation science. Method: A qualitative descriptive study used the Sucupira platform and data sought from websites properly registered on Capes (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel). Data frequency analysis and the relation between research lines and disciplines were achieved using TextStat (Simple Text Analysis Tool), version 3.0. Results: The most frequent fields of study among the postgraduate programs analyzed were neurology, cardiorespiratory, and musculoskeletal. The description of the research lines and their objectives aim the assessment or intervention for rehabilitation comprehension. Conclusion: The research lines and disciplines do not follow epistemological discussions, neither the change of concepts or paradigms necessary for the successful entry of these professionals into an interdisciplinary framework.