This is Part 3 of my Big List of "Back-Up" Plans for Premeds series, intended to give a brief introduction to some alternate careers in health care that premeds might consider pursuing.
I would like to introduce physiotherapists (PT) and occupational therapists (OT)- both professions play critical roles in healthcare, helping patients improve in ways different from medicine. They work in a variety of healthcare settings- hospitals, private practice, home care, industry, government.
PTs are responsible for "evaluating, restoring and/or enhancing physical function and independence" through their "knowledge of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones of your body along with a thorough understanding of how they all work together." (Manitoba Physiotherapy Association)
OTs "provide the skills for the job of living and solves the problems that interfere with peoples ability to do the activities or occupations that are important to them." (CAOT)
PTs are responsible for "evaluating, restoring and/or enhancing physical function and independence" through their "knowledge of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones of your body along with a thorough understanding of how they all work together." (Manitoba Physiotherapy Association)
OTs "provide the skills for the job of living and solves the problems that interfere with peoples ability to do the activities or occupations that are important to them." (CAOT)
PTs and OTs perform a wide range of services for patients to improve their quality of life- you can find out more from Canadian Physiotherapy Association and Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
Important points regarding PT/OT Programs in Canada:
- Generally 2-year long course-based Masters programs with integrated clinical education.
- GPA is most important factor in admissions (sometimes the only factor in admissions), with some schools placing emphasis on extracurriculars and interviews.
Here are some large charts summarizing general information and prereqs regarding PT/OT programs in Canada- information regarding francophone schools (Laval, Montreal, Ottawa) has not been included because all information is in French only:
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| Figure 1. Canadian Physiotherapy Programs-click to enlarge |
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| Figure 2. Canadian Physiotherapy Programs prereqs- click to enlarge. |
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| Figure 4. Canadian Occupational Therapy Programs prereqs- click to enlarge |
Statistics
Regarding Ontario OT/PT programs, there are ~600-1300 applications for ~60-80 seats per school- see stats at ORPAS. For other programs, competition seems fairly lax- anywhere from 100-700 applications for a decent number of seats.
Non-academic
Most schools require you to submit CVs, personal statements/letter of intent detailing your personal aspirations and extracurricular activities. Check school websites for more details.
Regarding Ontario OT/PT programs, there are ~600-1300 applications for ~60-80 seats per school- see stats at ORPAS. For other programs, competition seems fairly lax- anywhere from 100-700 applications for a decent number of seats.
Non-academic
Most schools require you to submit CVs, personal statements/letter of intent detailing your personal aspirations and extracurricular activities. Check school websites for more details.
Potential salary & Job security/market
In both professions, salaries can vary greatly depending on your experience, scope and location of practice (hospital or private, Ontario or Alberta, for example).
In 2010, PTs' hourly wages ranged from $26.55 to $41.52. In Alberta, pay scale can range from $32.00 to $48.00. According to CAOT, new OTs earn from $40,000 to $45,000- hourly wages for OTs ranged from $29.32 to as high as $42.50 in Toronto (2010).
Links to school websites
Dalhousie University: PT OT
McGill University
Queen's University
McMaster University
University of Toronto: PT OT
Western University: PT OT
University of Manitoba: PT OT
University of Saskatchewan (PT only)
University of Alberta
UBC: PT OT
In both professions, salaries can vary greatly depending on your experience, scope and location of practice (hospital or private, Ontario or Alberta, for example).
In 2010, PTs' hourly wages ranged from $26.55 to $41.52. In Alberta, pay scale can range from $32.00 to $48.00. According to CAOT, new OTs earn from $40,000 to $45,000- hourly wages for OTs ranged from $29.32 to as high as $42.50 in Toronto (2010).
Links to school websites
Dalhousie University: PT OT
McGill University
Queen's University
McMaster University
University of Toronto: PT OT
Western University: PT OT
University of Manitoba: PT OT
University of Saskatchewan (PT only)
University of Alberta
UBC: PT OT
You wouldn't believe how long it took me to make those charts... definitely longer than what was needed. I think I will stop with overly-detailed charts from now on. Part 4 will feature Nursing, Accelerated/Compressed Nursing programs in Canada.
Matt
