Physical therapy students will gain practical experience and help patients in northern and rural communities thanks to a new post-secondary program announced today at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).

Through a joint effort by UNBC and the University of British Columbia (UBC), government established a northern and rural clinical cohort allowing for 20 physical therapy students to complete most of their clinical placements in northern B.C. and rural communities each year, with UNBC serving as the clinical education hub. The partnership also will enable all of UBC’s physical therapy students – 80 in each class – to pursue more of their five-week clinical rotations in the north.

MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie, Pat Bell and MLA for Prince George-Valemount, Shirley Bond were joined by UNBC and UBC faculty, staff and students, along with members of the community to announce this new program.

“We’d like to thank our partners who made this possible. We also want to thank especially our MLAs for strongly supporting UNBC’s shared desire to increase health-care professionals in the North,” says UNBC President George Iwama.