PT grading system in canada

can anyone please explain the physio grading/ system in canada please?? i am a uk trained physio and here we do a 2 yr rotation (generally) to get basic experience in core physiotherapy areas. i was wondering how it works for new graduates in canada.

Hi there

In Canada, the junior system is only offered in some main hospitals, but its getting shut down slowly. You can work in a clinic after graduation easily, and wages might be slighlty better there, but definitely busier.

The england system is very good as you can learn alot.

The thing here is this:
The licence registration is too complicated, the written you can do, but the practical, I have been studying everyday for the past 9 months, and worked on all possible case scenarios. I dont know what they are eexpecting, I did my degree in Europe, and finished in 2004, (4 years), and they are telling me that a canadian new grad (now done in 2 years) has more knowledge than a physio who studied for 4 years. Give me a break. It seriously lets you down, and is a big demotivation for a young physio willing to improve his skills.....

Will definitley try again, as Nothing is impossible in life, you try your utmost to improve the quality of life of less fortunate people, and guess what, someone doesnt let you do what you Love in life....

If you Love something too much in life,you will lose it...

ill go back into my depressed cave now.....and more studying and reading physiotherapy, something which I love, and something that someone doesnt want me to exploit yet.........

hi there,

well actually the situation is a little more demoralising than you thought! i have graduated this yr about 7 months ago in the uk. i did a 3 yr degree and now after many many months of job hunting for a junior post, i have still had no luck. fortunately, i am working as an assistant however, this is getting to be rather annoying each day as i am a qualified physio doing an unqualified job! let alone the pay!!

the problem is quite serious in the uk and the majority of my friends are in the same situation.

my future plans are to move to canada (after having done a junior rotation in the uk) however this is taking forever and so i have started the educational assessments neccessary for canada. (whilst still job hunting in the uk)

do you mean to say that new graduates must work completely independantly without any kind of clinical supervision in canada?

no supervision here once u get the full licence

believe it or not, i was thinking of moving to England, i see so many opportunities there to improve

canada is too money oriented
i believe standars of living here are better

but this friggin exam is too hard to get

Easy on the ol' Canadians!!! Yes, it is a very difficult exam, and best done soon after graduation, as it does test the basic skills you should have been taught! I would like to know what institution teaches a 2 yr program ?? Most courses are 4+ years, with over 30 weeks of clinical rotation experience.

Canada is a brilliant place for continued education, we have an extensive program for advances in Manual Therapy skills, that is very comprehensive. If it is sports, there is also a series of courses available, and a recognized status to obtain.

Check out some of the Canadian web sites available throught the CPA, and better still, get out and meet some of the physio's in practice, to find out what is really going on.

It is a very rewarding carreer as a physio in Canada, if you want the quality of life factors too!

I am in Ireland at present, and it is fantastic here too!

:rollin

lol its great to know u said that!!! ive been hearing the exam is sooo hard and that itd be harder if u dont have much experience etc. ive just graduated under a yr ago and am having my credentials assessed. ive actually made a point of starting to study for the exams....do you have any suggestions?

Well,
Fortunately, I have maintained my CPA membership, and my provincial licensure, so I am grandfathered into most provinces, when I decide to return, so I have not sat the exam, and nor do I plan on it. Sorry.

I believe there is study guidelines available? Inquire and see, I am sure that there is something available. That, or find a contact that has sat the exam, they would be of more help. Good luck!

Hi Physioo,
I would be very interested where you can gat a 2 year course for physio in Canada!!!!!!!! we are moving towards Masters programs, and in many universities physio is already a masters program, which means you need a Bachelauriatr Degree to get in, that's probably why you all have to have your credentials and qualifications assessed. I think you, or whoever told you, confused the program for physio assistants with the physio program, the assistant's program is now 2 years in a lot of places, up from 10 months until recently.
thanks for the good word for Canada, it is indeed a wonderful place to live and work, physio is a very highly thought of profession here, and the educational level in the physio programs is very good. Thinking back to when I did the national exam, a lot of the practical scenarios were heavy on safety, safe handling of patients, body mechanics, temp. and sensory testing etc. maybe you can spend some time shadowing someone, that might give you some practical experience.
good luck!

[Liane]

Just a quick note, Im a Canadian trained and licensed Physio who wrote the national exam within a month of graduation and passed without a problem. The practical exam is looking for entry level. They are looking for you to introduce yourself to the patient, ask permission to do a treatment and perform a basic treatment or ealuation in a safe manner. It really isnt difficult. As well I am on the commitee to write the written exam, and many questions are thrown out because we feel they are too difficult. They try to keep younger physios (such as myself 3 years of experienc) on the board because we remember how little we knew when we graduated.

good luck

[oscar]

I'm doing the 2 year programme in the UK, and yes it does cover everything you do in a 3/4 year programme- we just don't get any holidays!!

We do the same 1000 hours clinical work experience and the same theory modules. As we all have previous degree's there is much more reliance on self study as we are fully capable of doing much of it on our own...allegedly! The important thing is we get the same amount of clinical practice

[samehahmed77]

I had a bachloer degree of 4 years.do i have to study another 2 years to sit for the copetancy exam