What are Physiotherapy Residents?

PhysiotherapistPhysical TherapyPhysiotherapy

Oct 21

What’s the difference between different physiotherapy titles?

Learn about the differences between the titles and why it (doesn’t) matter(s).

What is a physiotherapist resident?

A resident physiotherapist is an individual that has completed a Masters in Physiotherapy degree from an accredited university and is registered with the College of Physiotherapists Ontario. This means they have completed all educational requirements to become a physiotherapist and have completed roughly 1200 hours of clinical placement where they worked in real environments with real patients. PT residents are trained to take an integrated biopsychosocial and neuroanatomical approach to therapy. This means they are trained to assess you as a whole person with the goal to aide you towards full recovery.

What is the difference between a resident and a physiotherapist?

To be honest, not much. PT residents are physios that are currently in the process of studying for or waiting for the results of their final competency exam. The title Physiotherapy Resident is used by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario to identify those who are in this transitional phase. This means they are authorized by the CPO to render any treatments covered by their scope of practice.

Are Physiotherapy Residents qualified to treat me?

The short answer is yes! In order to qualify to being a PT resident, all applicants must have completed the written component of the Physiotherapy Competency Exam. Additionally, all applicants must NOT HAVE failed the clinical component of the exam previously. Lastly, they MUST have professional liability insurance that meets the requirements laid out by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario By-laws.

Why should I see a physiotherapy resident?

PT residents have the latest and most up-to-date training in appropriate therapy techniques and clinical reasoning. This means they know the newest theories and are familiar with the latest clinical research that’ll help you reach your goals. As they are currently studying to complete their final competency exam all of the knowledge learned from their formal education is still fresh in their minds. This includes knowledge on anatomy, diagnosis, and knowing the most recently studied plan of management methods.

Does insurance cover PT resident appointments?

Appointments completed by physiotherapy residents are almost always covered by the same insurance plans used by full fledged physiotherapists. This means that the PT residents receive their own license number by the CPO which will be provided on all invoiced appointments. This invoice can be submitted directly online by your physiotherapy clinic or submitted by yourself for reimbursement of funds.

Are PT residents worse than PTs?

Although many may have concerns with the quality of care delivered by a PT resident, often the title is irrelevant to the quality of care you will receive. This means that the caliber of the therapist or clinician treating you has less to do about their title and more to do with their passion for helping people and hunger to continually learn. At Rehab Hero, as part of our growth oriented culture, all PT residents are mentored by our senior clinicians in order to continue to cultivate everyone’s clinical reasoning and hands on skills.

If you still have reservations about the quality of care, it is always recommended to do your own research on the PT resident that you are about to see. You can refer to our Google Reviews to see how our PT residents have helped patients in the GTA. To book in an appointment with our Markham Physio Residents click the button below:

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What is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)?

A doctor of physical therapy or doctor of physiotherapy is a professional degree exclusively used in the United States and United Kingdom. This means that Canadian-trained physiotherapists will not have this title as it is not a requirement in Canada. A traditional DPT program is 3 years long.

The DPT degree is considered a first level professional degree or a Doctor’s degree-professional practice. Following the completion of the DPT program, continued training in a residency then fellowship may occur.