What are your choices, and why?

[SheepE]

Just wondering why you guys would pick certain schools over others. This is opened to PT and OT, so feel free to express your opinion!

 

For me, I think UT would be my #1 choice for both PT and OT due to its catchment area being in Toronto. I think it is easier to find placements in hospitals graduating from UT versus other schools.

 

What do you guys think?

[Dr_Scully]

I don't think the school matters in terms of finding placements during school, or employment afterwards. They find placements for everyone while you're in school. May not be your top choice but you will get a placement. And everyone has to take the test to become licensed after they graduate so I don't think which particular school you went to will have an effect on that. You either do well in school and do well on the test or you don't.

 

If you go outside Toronto/GTA it will probably be easier to find a job, or at least a higher-paying one. At least that's the general consensus since there are so many people in Toronto/GTA. But I'm sure you can still find something.

 

In terms of OT schools, UofT is my top pick simply because with Queens & Western I'd have to move away from home which will cost more money from student/bank loans. That's my only reason. I think all of the programs will be good, no matter what school I go to.

[BurstFracture]

Just wondering why you guys would pick certain schools over others. This is opened to PT and OT, so feel free to express your opinion!

 

For me, I think UT would be my #1 choice for both PT and OT due to its catchment area being in Toronto. I think it is easier to find placements in hospitals graduating from UT versus other schools.

 

What do you guys think?

 

I haven't applied yet, but I plan to apply solely to the University of Alberta for Physical Therapy, and hopefully attend their Calgary campus. I will also likely apply to the Advanced Certificate in Athletic Therapy at Mount Royal University, and the Master of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary as my "back ups." My main motivation is the location, since Calgary is ultimately where I want to work and close to my family.

[Guest Physioprospect]

I haven't applied yet, but I plan to apply solely to the University of Alberta for Physical Therapy, and hopefully attend their Calgary campus. I will also likely apply to the Advanced Certificate in Athletic Therapy at Mount Royal University, and the Master of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary as my "back ups." My main motivation is the location, since Calgary is ultimately where I want to work and close to my family.

 

Id be really careful applying to those programs as a back up if I were you. There are a few people in my class that completed a Athletic Therapy cert. and are now in PT cuz there is no jobs for ATs. Also I have a friend that did a masters in Kin and he is also jobless so unless you are doing that to kill time or eventually do a PhD I would strongly suggest against it. Theres nothing to do at the end of a masters in kin.

[SheepE]

I don't think the school matters in terms of finding placements during school, or employment afterwards. They find placements for everyone while you're in school. May not be your top choice but you will get a placement. And everyone has to take the test to become licensed after they graduate so I don't think which particular school you went to will have an effect on that. You either do well in school and do well on the test or you don't.

 

If you go outside Toronto/GTA it will probably be easier to find a job, or at least a higher-paying one. At least that's the general consensus since there are so many people in Toronto/GTA. But I'm sure you can still find something.

 

In terms of OT schools, UofT is my top pick simply because with Queens & Western I'd have to move away from home which will cost more money from student/bank loans. That's my only reason. I think all of the programs will be good, no matter what school I go to.

 

I would think that having your placements in Toronto hospitals will give you an advantage once you're fully certified. The idea is similar to volunteering at a place, getting to know the people in that place, then ultimately become full time there.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think there are pros and cons for each school. I would agree with you that outside Toronto would probably offer better opportunities as Toronto is saturated with PTs and OTs. Would you say that the outer Toronto jobs are private clinics? Or public (ie hospitals)?

[BurstFracture]

Id be really careful applying to those programs as a back up if I were you. There are a few people in my class that completed a Athletic Therapy cert. and are now in PT cuz there is no jobs for ATs. Also I have a friend that did a masters in Kin and he is also jobless so unless you are doing that to kill time or eventually do a PhD I would strongly suggest against it. Theres nothing to do at the end of a masters in kin.

 

Hey, thanks for your input! That's really unfortunate to hear actually. Up until a few months ago I planned to apply to Medical School, but I really wanted to be more directly involved with athletes when it comes to conditioning and rehabilitation. My undergraduate degree isn't in kinesiology, so I thought that through the MKin I could complete all the prerequisites for CSEP-CEP, and that through Athletic Therapy I could develop skills that would benefit practicing in Sport Physiotherapy (SPC training). I put back up in quotes, because I would still continue to apply to physiotherapy until I was accepted. Just hypothetically, I would like to continue expanding my knowledge and skill set... Ideally, I'll get into Physical Therapy the first time and won't have to worry about it!

[Skier_Chic]

Although I don't have a background in PT, or the Physical Sciences, I will give my two cents about jobs and job opportunities given my experience working over the last 7 years or so. Finding a job is 20% having the right degree and 80% having the right relationships and experience (paid or otherwise). You have to connect and network with others to stand a chance at getting an interview. You have to get involved in associations and related organizations. Show a commitment and desire through your extracurricular's.

 

On the flip side, check out some job advertisements and job postings before making final school decisions. Speak to people at say Hockey Canada or Ski Canada about who they hire. Find out what education, skills and experience really matters. 'Practical' knowledge is power.

 

Cheers and best of luck achieving your dreams.

[Dr_Scully]

I would think that having your placements in Toronto hospitals will give you an advantage once you're fully certified. The idea is similar to volunteering at a place, getting to know the people in that place, then ultimately become full time there.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think there are pros and cons for each school. I would agree with you that outside Toronto would probably offer better opportunities as Toronto is saturated with PTs and OTs. Would you say that the outer Toronto jobs are private clinics? Or public (ie hospitals)?

 

You do placements in each school so I dont see why toronto hospitals would be more beneficial (unless you plan on working in toronto after). If you want to stay in Hamilton you can just get a job there. I too am hoping that one of my placements like me enough to give me a job after.

 

I heard that in general there are more private jobs around. Typically there are more private clinics around than hospitals. Hospitals give benefits but I heard its harder to find full-time employment in them.

[Guest Physioprospect]

You do placements in each school so I dont see why toronto hospitals would be more beneficial (unless you plan on working in toronto after). If you want to stay in Hamilton you can just get a job there. I too am hoping that one of my placements like me enough to give me a job after.

 

I heard that in general there are more private jobs around. Typically there are more private clinics around than hospitals. Hospitals give benefits but I heard its harder to find full-time employment in them.

 

It really depends on what you want to do with your PT degree as well. If you want to be part of a big multi-disciplinary team and take a small (and to me boring role) of getting people out of bed, working on very basic exercises, suctioning crap out of peoples lungs, trying to get people to cough, then hospital may be for you. I like the private practice setting because your independent and are the sole primary care giver in that setting. I feel like in that situation you get to put your 6+ years of education to good use. I've shadowed in the hospital and felt like I could have been trained to do that stuff in a few days. But everyone likes something different.

[Pink Tulip]

I would like to go to McMaster because of three things:

 

- Northern Studies Stream (more and more jobs are rural and I'd prefer to experience life in a rural setting before I move out there for some of the only jobs left in Ontario)

 

- PBL (makes you better at clinical practice in the long run from what I have heard, and employers prefer these students sometimes)

 

- you have to complete a placement in mental health (this is for OT btw) I have a strong interest in mental health and McMaster guarantees that I will get a placement in that setting

 

#2 would be Queens because of their emphasis on mental health and community OT!

 

After speaking with students from Toronto, I have learned that it would not be the place for me. The students there are extremely science based and lack the sociology/arts side of OT where I am stronger, so it would be a bad mix. I have heard great reviews about their placements. The advantage to Toronto concerning placements is 1) you rarely if ever need a car because their transport stretches over almost all of their cachement area 2) larger variety of placement opportunities (Toronto has more hospitals and specialized care centres). Disadvantage is if you want or have to ever work rural it will be hard coming from training solely in Toronto if that is what you do.

[PurpleOT]

I agree with everything you said about Mac, plus another reason that I'd like to go there is I have the greatest respect for their admissions process or more specifically, organizing and holding the MMI, which is great for separating those who applied to OT as a backup with no interest in it at all.

 

 

I would like to go to McMaster because of three things:

 

- Northern Studies Stream (more and more jobs are rural and I'd prefer to experience life in a rural setting before I move out there for some of the only jobs left in Ontario)

 

- PBL (makes you better at clinical practice in the long run from what I have heard, and employers prefer these students sometimes)

 

- you have to complete a placement in mental health (this is for OT btw) I have a strong interest in mental health and McMaster guarantees that I will get a placement in that setting

 

#2 would be Queens because of their emphasis on mental health and community OT!

 

After speaking with students from Toronto, I have learned that it would not be the place for me. The students there are extremely science based and lack the sociology/arts side of OT where I am stronger, so it would be a bad mix. I have heard great reviews about their placements. The advantage to Toronto concerning placements is 1) you rarely if ever need a car because their transport stretches over almost all of their cachement area 2) larger variety of placement opportunities (Toronto has more hospitals and specialized care centres). Disadvantage is if you want or have to ever work rural it will be hard coming from training solely in Toronto if that is what you do.

[Dr_Scully]

I agree with everything you said about Mac, plus another reason that I'd like to go there is I have the greatest respect for their admissions process or more specifically, organizing and holding the MMI, which is great for separating those who applied to OT as a backup with no interest in it at all.

 

That's actually one thing I don't like about Mac. I love having the interview process in general (I think all schools should do it), but I don't like how the interview cut-off is only based on GPA. To me, that doesn't separate people who applied as a backup or not.

 

I much prefer Queens and UofT's approach of needing reference letters, essays, and resumes which I think gives me a chance to showcase what I have to offer and my passion more than my grades on a transcript.

[Mhunte03]

That's actually one thing I don't like about Mac. I love having the interview process in general (I think all schools should do it), but I don't like how the interview cut-off is only based on GPA. To me, that doesn't separate people who applied as a backup or not.

 

I much prefer Queens and UofT's approach of needing reference letters, essays, and resumes which I think gives me a chance to showcase what I have to offer and my passion more than my grades on a transcript.

 

I definitely agree with this - I hate feeling like a number when I am so much more than that.

[Pink Tulip]

I feel like the interview weeds out people who are invited fairly well. The essays and references are also a good way to weed people out, but then you get people in programs like Toronto's with less social skills who have to talk and discuss a client's issues with them personally. You can't judge those skills on paper.

 

I think the way it's set up now is good because the different schools highlight different strengths between people. Some are better at expressing themselves vocally and some by writing. Gives you a chance to get in somewhere!

 

For the GPA thing, give the Universities a little break. They sort out anywhere between 900-1,200 applicants per program down to 60-100. Having a minimum GPA standard before they look at your application is the only way to save time on their part. Only Queens will not consider GPA as a strong deciding factor, so props to them for having the time to personally go through close to 2,000 people (so maybe 3,000 PT essays and 2,000 OT essays).

[PurpleOT]

That's actually one thing I don't like about Mac. I love having the interview process in general (I think all schools should do it), but I don't like how the interview cut-off is only based on GPA. To me, that doesn't separate people who applied as a backup or not.

 

I much prefer Queens and UofT's approach of needing reference letters, essays, and resumes which I think gives me a chance to showcase what I have to offer and my passion more than my grades on a transcript.

 

You bring up a great point! I'm sorry that you didn't your shot at Mac - from many of your posts that I've come across, you definitely deserve it! I wish you the best of luck for Queens and UofT. That being said, the different approaches that schools use give students with different strengths/weaknesses a chance to get into some school.

 

Although Mac bases interview invites only on gpa (I do agree that it'd be better if they used other methods as well like you mentioned), the MMI does do a good job of separating those who slipped into the top 300 with not much interest in the field.

[Dr_Scully]

Yeah I definitely like the interview process in general. Especially in a field where you're working so closely with people every single day - why not have an interview? Some people might be great on paper but have no bedside manners at all. And of course it helps separate those who really want to be there from those who don't.

 

I sort of wish they did it like UofT medical school, so UofT OT would have their usual 75%/B+ cutoff, essays, references, resume, but choose a few hundred and do interviews on top of that.

 

Thanks for your kind words PurpleOT, you're sweet Good luck to you too!

[otapply]

That's actually one thing I don't like about Mac. I love having the interview process in general (I think all schools should do it), but I don't like how the interview cut-off is only based on GPA. To me, that doesn't separate people who applied as a backup or not.

 

 

 

Yeah the thing about the Mac MMI is that if you make the cutoff for both the PT and OT MMIs, once you're there, you're going to do both. If you don't get into PT but you get into OT.... then I'm sure that's still an OT spot going to the a person who had it as their second choice.

[cc3]

I'd like U of T for the international reputation and for the catchment area as well as personal reasons, but I like Mac for PBL and the way they organize their terms/placements. Also the OT's I've talked to have highly regarded Mac graduates, so it seems like Mac has the "local" reputation while Toronto has the international reputation.

 

Just wondering if anyone knows more about the science aspects of the Ontario schools for OT? Unfortunately I don't know anyone personally who has done OT, and I'm a little nervous for the more science based courses! It seems like people are saying U of T is more science-heavy than say Mac, but my understanding is that the schools all incorporate them differently, so Mac may not be "easier" per se? Any input or thoughts people have would help

[Pink Tulip]

You learn the same sciences in all the programs. A student I knew who had never done an Anatomy course before said she spent 5-6 hours studying a day to keep up with everything. You're at a huge disadvantage if you have NO science knowledge at all. I would seriously suggest some light summer reading if this is the case.

 

Mac isn't easier, it is self-directed. It means that if you already know something, you won't need to spend as much time looking it up and studying it. If you know nothing about a subject, then you spend all your extra time gained from what you do know and apply it to what you don't. So in this way Mac is easier because you do get more time to focus on what you need to learn and don't waste time in a classroom studying something you already know quite well.

[cc3]

Thank you I'm not in that boat; I've taken intro anatomy/physiology, and several additional applied physiology courses (physiological psychology, physio of cognitive and physical disabilities), and my second major in psych specialized in cognition and cognitive processes of the developing brain. I'll admit I suck at anatomy (I don't do well with strict memorization), but if the physio is applied I understand it and retain it a lot better.

 

I was just worried because I don't test well with anatomy/physio, even though I know my stuff. It helps to better understand how the programs will run in order to decide where I may be most successful. Thanks again!

[Pink Tulip]

Well you need to pass every clinical and each course you need 70% average to pass. It works like that for all programs

[yogaandtea]

I've heard a lot of good things about Queen's OT program (besides the admission lady lol) and the UofT OT program.

 

Can anyone share some insight on what UWO's OT program is like? Something to pass the time while we imagine best case scenario on may 17..

[Pink Tulip]

Western is supposed to have the OT gurus for their staff (or so I am told by an OT student who went there). I know you do a project in the first semester where you make a video about what is OT?

[WDP89]

Warning: I am completely biased as I attend Queen's (OT). Some may call me a "Queen's pusher" lol

 

Pink Tulip:

Every OT school requires/guarantees a mental health placement! It is a requirement for the program accreditation.

 

Also, I think Western and U of T might have similar set-ups, but here at Queen's the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) funds 4 placements for Northern Ontario; 1 for North-West (Thunder Bay) and 3 for North-East (North Bay & surrounding area). Priority is given to students from Northern Ontario, but if no one is either from NO or wants to go back, it goes to a lottery draw. The placement is fully funded and is so for all 3 placements. First placement we got extra placements funded, so 3 people went back to NO and 3 or 4 students won lottery for the additional placements.

 

If you are interested in Mental Health, Terri Krupa (MH prof) is a mental health goddess. Mental Health in Kingston is where it is today because of her. Look up some of her work! Also, Megan Edgelow is also awesome. She worked underneath Terri and taught us a few courses.

 

cc3:

You wrote about it in a different thread, but I am so sorry you had such a negative experience with Queen's. My jaw actually dropped when I read the comment about "frowning on applications". I don't know who that was, but I hope they were just having a really bad day!!! Unacceptable! I read it to my "learning team-mates" as well and they were equally taken aback! I have had nothing but positive experiences with the staff and faculty. Laurie Kerr is pretty much our end-all-be-all for everything admissions so I hope it wasn't her. We did a job demands analysis on her job for one of our classes though and wow she has a lot of responsibility! (lol)

 

Additional Notes:

 

UofT is a degree in Occupational Science, not Occupational Therapy. Do some research on the difference if you are having a tough time deciding between UofT and another school.

 

I am from NB and went back for level one placement. Another student on placement with me was from Western and we chatted a lot about the programs. One major difference was that Western has more, shorter, placements. So on this placement, I was there for 8 weeks and she was only there for 4. I felt at 4 weeks I was only getting my feet wet, as did she. I wouldn't have wanted to be finished after 4 weeks as I learned so much more in the remaining time I had. There is definitely another side of the coin in which she will get to experience OT in more settings than I will, which might be beneficial if you are unsure of which field of OT you're most interested in. It's up to you guys to decide which you would prefer. In regards to class demographics she told me the majority of her class was older.. mature students/married/had kids (this is not a good nor bad thing, strictly an observation). Not sure how this happened with the GPA focus for admissions, but that's what she said. She also felt like we had learned a lot more relevant things in the previous months than she had. She hadn't even learned about transfers/mobility aids/OT basics that would have been stressful not to know going into a placement. I guess that's why it was so short!

 

If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM me! Good luck tonight!! Seriously had you all in my thoughts today. Also, good luck on deciding which school to choose when you guys get accepted everywhere (I didn't have that luxury haha). Just the fact that you are on this forum indicates to me that you deserve it!!

 

To future Queen's rehabbers: we have your Facebook group ready and waiting;)

[Dr_Scully]

 

UofT is a degree in Occupational Science, not Occupational Therapy. Do some research on the difference if you are having a tough time deciding between UofT and another school.

 

 

I'm not 100% sure if this is the case, since the UofT website clearly says their program leads to a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT). http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/ps/admissions.asp It says leading to "the professional practice of Occupational Therapy" http://www.ot.utoronto.ca/ps/ps_faq.asp. They claim on the "about" page to have the first ever program in occupational therapy.

However, the department is now called "Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy". Maybe that's where the confusion is coming from?

 

 

Thanks for your info on the other schools... I think in any case they are all really good programs. Good luck to everyone tomorrow!