Transitioning to Professional Practice Program for New Physical Therapists
The College recognizes the importance of engaging students, internationally educated applicants and new registrants into the work of the College. The College designed a program to interact with new and future physiotherapists and to build relationships and provide important information about professional regulation during this transitional phase of a physiotherapist’s career.
The program uses a phased approach as it is recognized that transitioning into professional practice is not a one- time event – it is a series of events that occur over time.
There are four phases in the program:
Phase 1: Pre-Registration
Phase 2: Initial Registration
Phase 3: First Year of Registration
Phase 4: Up to the Third Year of Registration
Phase 1: Pre-Registration
Phase 1 is the start of building a relationship with future registered physiotherapists. This group includes physiotherapy students and international candidates. This phase will cover all of our interactions with these future registrants and will include a program for current physiotherapy students in Ontario universities, modification of current application processes to allow all registrants to apply to the College prior to beginning The Alliance’s credentialing and examination processes, website enhancement of pre-registration information, electronic newsletters for future registrants and inclusion of regulatory information into the Bridging Program for internationally educated physiotherapists.
Additional Resources:
Access more information on Pre-Registration
Download the Pre-Registration Form
*Please note that pre-registered individuals are not registrants of the College and are not entitled to practice. The Physiotherapy Act restricts anyone other than a College registrant from using the titles "physiotherapy" and "physical therapist", variations and abbreviations thereof, or equivalent terms in other languages. Individuals may not use these protected titles in Ontario until they meet the qualifications and hold a valid practice certificate issued by this College.
Find more detailed information on how to register at the College.
Phase 2: Initial Registration
Phase 2 focuses on formally welcoming new registered physical therapists into professional practice and continues to build the relationship. This phase include receiving a welcome package, celebrations to mark the milestone and new registrant information sessions.
Transitioning to Professional Practice: A Manual for New Registrants
Phase 3: Year 1 of Registration
Phase 3 occurs in year 1 of registration and is focused on continued interactions with new registrants as they progress through their first year of registration. Phase 3 will provide additional supports and introduce the detailed requirements of the jurisprudence education program and the Quality Management professional portfolio which begin in the first year of practice.
Phase 4: Up to Year 3 of Registration
Phase 4 would be the final component of the program to assist with the transition into professional practice. This component will primarily provide an introduction to the Quality Management onsite assessment.
A program evaluation and review are currently underway. Program modifications will occur as a result of this review.
For more information, please contact ahumber@collegept.org.