A physical therapy program is being offered at UNBC to try to fill the gaps in services across Northern BC.
According to Paul Winwood, Regional Associate Dean for Northern BC for UBC, the demand is high.
“If you look at the figures, the number of physiotherapists per head of the population in Northern BC, it’s just about the lowest in the province.”
UBC launched the Master of Physical Therapy North program in partnership with UNBC last fall, and Winwood said educating people in the area the service is needed is important.
“We have demonstrated with other programs, and other programs across the country, that if you train health professionals in the communities that need them they are much more likely to stay.”
The program offers the same curriculum as the UBC course, but it will also expand its focus to working with Indigenous communities and have a northern and rural focus.
Over the past year, students in the program have been training and working in communities like Burns Lake, Campbell River, Terrace, Creston and Kitimat.