Winter 2020 Director's Message
Working Together for Local Community
Faculty member Gail Dechman is passionate about providing care for people living with lung disease. As a volunteer on the board of the Canadian Lung Association, the Nova Scotia Lung Association and several other committees like the Canadian Thoracic Society and COPD Assembly, it seemed fitting for her to take on the Nova Scotia Stair Hero Event Challenge. Joined by other SoPT faculty, students (and Gail's neice) Gail surpassed her fundraising goal to raise a total of $2133 to support the Nova Scotia Lung Association.
I have every confidence in our students and their journey of becoming extraordinary physiotherapists.
by Interim Director, Dr. Lynn Shaw
Welcome to the winter edition of Physiotherapy Matters. The past few months at the School of Physiotherapy have and been full of excitement and activity.
Recently, we welcomed the on-site accreditation Peer Review Team: Laura Galiana, Dr Denise Connelly, Uriel Pierre and Suzanne Daneault, to the School. Thank you to all School faculty and staff, university leaders, preceptors, students, employers and alumni who assisted in the on site visit and interviews.
We acknowledge that the Fall of 2019 introduction to a revised curriculum schedule required extra focus, and we have every confidence in our students and their journey to becoming extraordinary physiotherapists. We send a heartfelt appreciation to our clinical community who have supported the new approach to clinical education in December of 2019 and at the same time continues to provide excellence in precepting to our Class of 2020.
Congratulations to our students, who showed commendable compassion for their community as they led the participating Faculty of Health Schools/Units in raising $18,000 for “Inclusive Movement”, a not-for-profit program that provides individuals with disabilities with a safe place to learn to dance and be active. Kudos to event Chairs, Kiera Rigby and Chandler Scott for their leadership and hard work, and also to Olivia Grimshaw and Emma Presley for orchestrating the SoPT performance that earned the School winning accolades. Not to stand idle, the students literally "stepped-up" to assist faculty member Gail Dechman in raising over $2K for people living with lung disease. (see Stair Heroes right). Also to be celebrated for showing tremendous leadership qualities is Dr. Adria Quigley who, under the advisement of Dr. MacKay Lyons, successfully defended her thesis to become the first graduate from the PhD in Health program.
As the School of Physiotherapy team said good bye to 2019 it also, sadly, said good bye to the very talented lab instructor, Laura McCrossin. Always armed with a ready smile, Laura left an empty space in our halls and our hearts as she left us to spend time with her “other” family. In addition to Laura’s commitment and dedication to our MScPT students, Laura was instrumental in the Forrest Fitness initiative - soon to be launched on the 4th floor of the Forrest Building.
For other news of School celebrations, accomplishments, and impactful achievements, I encourage you to take a moment to catch up on our latest research update, faculty and alumni profiles, student news, clinical instructor award recipients and upcoming events.