Starting in 16 months time, physiotherapy students will be able to learn their craft at the University of Northern British Columbia.
With the help of $2.2 million from the provincial government, UNBC will welcome its first intake of 20 masters of physiotherapy students in September 2020.
And by September 2022, a 16-student masters of occupational therapy program will be launched at UNBC. $1.1 million is being provided towards that goal.
B.C. Advanced Education, Skills and Training Minister Melanie Mark announced the long-awaited moves on Friday.
University of British Columbia in Vancouver is currently home to both progams while a 20-student "northern cohort" of physiotherapy students spends four weeks working at clinics in the northern B.C. region midway through their 26-month program. No northern cohort exists for occupational therapy students, who also go through a 26-month program.
A further 20 physiotherapy seats are to be established in the Fraser Valley by September 2022 and eight seats will be added to the the occupational therapy program at UBC.
Currently, there are 80 first-year physiotherapy seats at UBC and the number available across the province will rise to 120 by September 2022. On the occupational therapy side, there are 48 seats at UBC. This will increase to 72 first-year seats with the additions at UNBC and UBC.
"Adding more occupational and physical therapy seats has been a call to action for years," Mark said. "Our government listened and is investing in opportunities to bring education closer to home, because we know that when students live and train in the north, they are more likely to stay and work in the North."
Over the next decade, 1,920 job openings in physiotherapy and 1,160 job openings in occupational therapy are expected, according to the provincial government.
