Overview
Clinical education is an essential part of the PT Program Curriculum because it provides students with the opportunity to apply knowledge they have acquired in the academic setting. Students gain practical experience in clinical settings interacting with clients while being supervised by clinical instructors who are registered physiotherapists.
Placement Opportunities
During the two year PT Program, students will have the opportunity to do placements within McMaster’s catchment area that may include a variety of health care facilities including teaching hospitals, community hospitals, health care agencies, specialized centres, private clinics, and other community facilities. Students may also have the chance to request placements outside of McMaster’s catchment area, to undertake an international placement in their final year, and participate in the Northern Studies Stream.
Although placements are limited and subject to availability, student preferences are taken into consideration where possible.
McMaster Catchment Area
Clinical placements are organized by the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE) and the opportunities occur within a broad range and scope of settings. Every university has their own geographical catchment area from which they obtain placements and McMaster’s catchment area allows student to gain valuable clinical experience in both urban and rural areas.
The McMaster catchment area extends to:
West to Paris
East to Milton
North to Orangeville
South to Niagara Region Border
- Northwestern Ontario (Northern Studies Stream)
Students can expect to complete placements within the above designated area. There may be opportunities to complete placements in other areas of Canada.
Students may also have the opportunity of completing an international placement in their final term of study.
Northern Studies Stream (NSS)
The NSS is a joint initiative between the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (located at Lakehead University) and McMaster University. It is a unique educational opportunity to explore remote and northern health care issues. The NSS encourages students who have an interest in small community or northern practice to undertake placement opportunities in various Northwestern Ontario health and community settings.
Read more about the Northern Studies Stream by clicking here.
Placements are limited and subject to availability. Many factors influence the matching of students to the available clinical placement offers. Although student preferences may be solicited, the best match will be determined by the ACCE who must take the needs of the program, community partners, current and future students into account. The assigned placement may be anywhere in the McMaster catchment which extends from Georgian Bay in the North to Niagara Falls in the South and includes Northwestern Ontario. Students are expected to provide their own means of transportation (excluding the NSS) to each clinical facility and to cover their own costs for travel, parking and accommodation.