Announcement of an agreement between UQAC and 㽶Ƶ regarding the implementation of physiotherapeutic training in Saguenay
The Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and 㽶Ƶ are
pleased to announce the signing today of a memorandum of
understanding allowing the implementation of physiotherapeutic
training in Saguenay Lac Saint-Jean. Due to this agreement,
effective September 2011, UQAC will be able to offer, by extension,
the Bachelor of Rehabilitation Science and Master of Science in
Physical Therapy programs of 㽶Ƶ’s School of Physical
and Occupational Therapy.
The arrival of these new programs in the region not only meets the
expectations expressed by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir
et du Sport, but those of the entire regional community.
Beginning in 2005, during the first consultations conducted by the
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, the regional community expressed
great interest in the establishment of a physiotherapy program at
the university. UQAC therefore oriented its approaches to the
possibility of an extension program, allowing it to benefit from
already well established university expertise and to have the
short-term possibility of training completely autonomous
training.
Discussions then began with 㽶Ƶ administrators,
concluding today with an agreement based on confident
collaboration, supported by sustained involvement of local
clinicians for supervision of internships and, in some cases, for
the development and delivery of teaching activities.
Lasting four-and-a-half years, the new Bachelor of Rehabilitation
Science program should receive its first students in September
2011. The beginning of activities of the Master of Science in
Physical Therapy program is scheduled for autumn 2013.
For Michel Belley, Rector of UQAC, this agreement with McGill
University is a clear example of the will of the Quebec university
research community to collaborate on the development of quality
university training offered in all regions of Quebec. This
association with one of the world’s best universities is a
guarantee of success and excellence. Mr. Belley also noted the
excellent collaboration of his McGill colleague, Professor Heather
Munroe-Blum, and of her entire team.
The Université du Québec à Chicoutimi will train competent
physiotherapists, relying on the expertise of 㽶Ƶ’s
School of Physical and Occupational Therapy and the collaboration
of the regional healthcare network partners of the greater
Saguenay, Lac Saint-Jean and North Shore region. In the next few
days, it will also proceed to open new faculty positions, which
will add to the expertise of Professor Louis-E Tremblay, PhD, PHT,
who is already on duty.
“We are delighted to establish this large-scale collaboration
between our institutions,” declared Professor Heather Munroe-Blum,
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of 㽶Ƶ. “This is a
wonderful opportunity for our two institutions to build on our
mutual strengths and work together in order to offer greater access
to these crucial programs, in the interest of the professionals and
citizens of the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region. This major partnership
was made possible by the leadership shown by the Université du
Québec à Chicoutimi and 㽶Ƶ’s School of Physical and
Occupational Therapy and Faculty of Medicine. We are confident that
this project will lay the foundations essential to future
collaborations, in other disciplines, between UQAC and McGill
University.”
UQAC’s new physiotherapy graduates will be well prepared to take on
the challenges in care and services, applying critical thinking and
clinical reasoning based on best practices, interdisciplinary work
and advanced physiotherapy.
The announcement of this new program arrives at the same time that
the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi administration is proceeding
to create a new Department of Health Sciences. This department will
include the disciplines of nursing, kinesiology, psychology and,
after today’s announcement, physiotherapy.