Placements in the McMaster catchment area are organized by the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) and the opportunities occur within a broad range and scope of settings. McMaster’s catchment area allows students to gain valuable clinical experience in both urban and rural areas. Students can expect to complete placements within all areas of the designated McMaster catchment. Students are responsible for their own transportation and associated costs in order to complete program requirements.

The McMaster catchment area extends:

• West to Paris
• East to Milton
• North to Meaford
• South to Niagara Region border

Should you wish to make a recommendation of a clinical facility within the McMaster catchment, please complete and submit the Clinical Facility Recommendation Form (PDF)

Each university has their own geographical catchment area from which they obtain placements. Students may request to complete a placement in other areas of Ontario and Canada. All costs incurred for out of catchment (OOC) placements are the responsibility of the student. Costs may include, but are not limited to, application fee, travel, relocation, accommodations, vaccinations, insurance, and food. The McMaster Physiotherapy Program does not provide funds to assist students to cover related costs.

Ontario Universities with Physiotherapy Programs:

• Queen’s University
• University of Ottawa
• University of Toronto
• University of Western Ontario

Non-Ontario Universities with Physiotherapy Programs:

• Dalhousie University
• McGill University
• University of Alberta
• University of British Columbia
• Université Laval
• University of Manitoba
• Université de Montréal
• University of Saskatchewan
• Université de Sherbrooke

In-Catchment Facilities

• Absolute Physiotherapy & Wellness Sites
• ACT Physiotherapy and Health Service
• AIM Health Group
• Altima Physiotherapy
• Alton Physiotherapy and Sports Clinic
• Apex Physiotherapy
• Argyle Physiotherapy and Fitness
• Avenue Physiotherapy
• B3 Therapy
• Be In Motion
• Beamsville Physiotherapy
• Brampton Civic Hospital
• Brantford General Hospital
• Brock Sports Medicine Clinic
• Burlington Family Health Team
• Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic
• Caledonia Physiotherapy
• CBI Home Health Sites
• CBI Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Sites
• Compass Community Health
• Concept Neurological Physiotherapy
• Concession Sports Injury & Rehabilitation Centre
• CONNECT Communities
• David Braley Sport Medicine & Rehab Centre
• De dwa da dehs neys Aboriginal Health Centre
• DSD Management Sites
• Eramosa Physiotherapy Associates Sites
• ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development Sites
• Escarpment Sports Medicine Centre
• Essential Physiotherapy
• Fit for Life Physiotherapy
• Flamborough Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
• Gage Physiotherapy and Foot Clinic
• Gaitway Neurophysio
• Generations Sport & Spine Physiotherapy Centre Sites
• Georgian Bay Physiotherapy
• Grand River Physiotherapy – Fergus
• Grand River Physiotherapy – Trailside
• Great North Physiotherapy
• Greater Niagara General Hospital
• Guelph General Hospital
• Guelph Medical Place Physiotherapy
• Guelph Rehab Centre
• Haldimand War Memorial Hospital
• Halton Community Rehab Centre
• Halton Healthcare – Georgetown Hospital
• Halton Healthcare – Milton District Hospital
• Halton Healthcare – Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital
• Hamilton Family Health Team
• Hamilton Health Sciences – Hamilton General Hospital
• Hamilton Health Sciences – Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre
• Hamilton Health Sciences – McMaster University Medical Centre
• Hamilton Health Sciences – Regional Rehabilitation Centre
• Hamilton Health Sciences – Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre
• Hamilton Health Sciences – Satellite Health Facility
• Hamilton Health Sciences – St. Peter’s Hospital
• Hamilton Health Sciences – West Lincoln Memorial Hospital
• Hamilton Physio & Rehab
• Harvester Road Physiotherapy – pt Health
• Headwaters Health Care Centre
• Headwaters Physiotherapy
• Heal Health and Performance
• Health and Performance Centre | University of Guelph
• Health First Rehabilitation & Consultants
• Highland Physiotherapy
• Hotel Dieu Shaver Health & Rehab Centre
• iMove Clinic
• Impact Physiotherapy & Performance
• Infinity Health Centre
• InFocus Rehabilitation Centre
• Innova Physio & Sports Rehab
• Instil Physio
• Integro Physiotherapy
• ISM Rehab
• Joseph Brant Hospital
• Kids Physio – Ancaster
• Kinetic Physiotherapy Clinic
• Lansdowne Children’s Centre
• Lifemark Sites
• LV Physiotherapy
• Mainway Physiotherapy
• McMaster Family Health Team
• Meadowlands Physiotherapy
• Motion Physio
• Motion Plus Physiotherapy
• Niagara Children’s Centre
• Niagara Health Systems – Greater Niagara General Hospital
• Niagara Health Systems – Niagara Falls Site
• Niagara Health Systems – Port Colbourne Site
• Niagara Health Systems – St. Catharine’s Hospital
• Niagara Health Systems – Welland Site
• Niagara Orthopaedic Institute
• Norwich Rehabilitation & Wellness Clinic
• Partners in Rehab
• Peak Performance
• Physio in Motion
• Physio Sport Med of Oakville
• PhysioMAX Wellness
• Physiomed
• PhysioSense
• Physiotherapy on Wheels
• Pillars of Wellness
• Playful Strides
• Positive Living – Niagara
• Precision Physiotherapy Sites
• Preferred Rehab
• Preferred Rehab Physiotherapy Orthopaedic Centre (Limeridge)
• ProActive Rehab & Sport Injury Centre
• PT Health Sites
• Redhill Physio and Chiropractic
• Rehab Link Physiotherapy
• Rise Physiotherapy
• Ross Physiotherapy Solutions
• Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
• Saint Elizabeth Health Care
• Shelburne Physiotherapy Centre
• Simcoe Physiotherapy Centre
• Six Nations Health Services
• SMILE Therapy for Kids
• Speed River Physiotherapy
• Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Sport Medicine Experts
• St. Catharines Physiotherapy Centre
• St. Joseph’s Continuing Care Centre
• St. Joseph’s Health Centre Guelph
• St. Joseph’s Healthcare Sites
• Stonechurch Family Health Centre
• The Arthritis Society (Burlington)
• The Clinic on Elm
• The Physiotherapy Edge
• Thrive Physiotherapy
• Total Health Physiotherapy
• Triangle Physiotherapy
• UHN Altum Health
• Valeo Wellness Clinic
• Waterdown Physiotherapy
• Waterview Physiotherapy & Health Centre
• Wellington Ortho & Rehab Associates
• West Haldimand General Hospital
• Westmount Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation
• William Osler Health System – Brampton Civic Hospital
• William Osler Health System – Peel Memorial Hospital
• Winchester District Memorial Hospital
• Woolwich Community Health Centre
• Work-Fit Total Therapy Centre
• Wright Physiotherapy
• Zero Gravity Physiotherapy

Northern Studies Stream Facilities

• Absolute Health and Rehabilitation
• Anishnawbe Mushkiki Health Centre
• Atikokan General Hospital
• CBI Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation – Thunder Bay
• Colibri Physiotherapy
• Dryden Regional Health Centre
• Fairway Physiotherapy
• Fanti Physiotherapy
• Firefly Sites
• George Jeffrey Children’s Treatment Centre
• Geraldton District Hospital
• Group Health Centre
• Hand & Upper Limb Clinic
• Health Sciences North
• Health Tweak
• Home and Community Care Support Services North East
• Integrated Services for Northern Children
• Kenora Area Health Access Center (WAASEGIIZHIG NANAANDAWE’IYEWIGAMIG)
• Kenora Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Centre
• Kirkland Lake & District Hospital
• Kirsti Reinikka Private Practice
• Lake of the Woods Child Development Centre
• Lake of the Woods District Hospital
• Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital
• Lakehead Sports Medicine Clinic
• Manitoulin Health Centre
• Manitoulin Physio Centre
• Manitouwadge General Hospital
• Martel & Mitchell Physiotherapy
• McCausland Hospital
• Nipigon District Memorial Hospital
• North Bay Regional Health Centre
• North of Superior Healthcare Group
• Northern Chiropractic and Physiotherapy
• Northern Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic
• Notre-Dame Hospital
• One Kids Place
• Options Northwest/Community Resource Team
• Parry Sound District Hospital
• Partners in Rehab
• Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital
• Physio Solutions
• ProActive Rehab & Sport Injury Centre
• Reactivate Muskoka
• Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital
• Rehab Plus
• Restore Physiotherapy Timmins
• Riverside Health Care Facilities Inc
• Sault Area Hospital
• Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority
• Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
• St. Joseph’s Care Group
• Symetrics Physiotherapy Service
• Temiskaming Hospital
• The Arthritis Society (Thunder Bay)
• The McCausland Hospital
• Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
• Timmins & District Hospital
• Victoriaville Physiotherapy Centre
• Walser and Associates Physiotherapy
• West Parry Sound Health Centre
• Wilson Memorial General Hospital

International Facilities

• Elite Sports Physical Therapy (California, USA)
• Synthesis Physical Therapy (North Carolina, USA)
• Taylor Physiotherapy (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Vitalise Physiotherapy (New South Wales, Australia)

Students may have the opportunity to complete an international placement in their final clinical placement. All costs incurred for international placements are the responsibility of the student. Costs may include, but are not limited to, application fee, travel, relocation, accommodations, vaccinations, insurance and food. The McMaster Physiotherapy Program does not provide funds to assist the student to cover related costs.

The Northern Studies Stream (NSS) was established in 1991 to specifically address the shortage of OTs, PTs, and SLPs in Northwestern Ontario through various recruitment and retention initiatives. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) coordinates student placements across northern Ontario for a multitude of health disciplines.

The goals of the current NSS are below:

• Increasing students’ awareness and knowledge of the determinants of health unique to Northern and rural communities
• Increasing students’ awareness of Indigenous and Francophone health concerns and practices
• Providing students with the skills required for the unique practice of rural and remote healthcare
• Fostering the recruitment and retention of OTs, PTs and SLPs to Northern Ontario, including rural and remote practice areas
• Providing clinical teaching support to preceptors, program educators and other clinicians in Northern Ontario
• Building partnerships between rehabilitation professionals, McMaster, NOSM and the local community
• Fostering inter-institutional research collaboration and projects

With 25 years of documented success, the current NSS is focused on providing clinical education opportunities for students across northern Ontario. Approximately 50% of students in the PT Program will have the opportunity to participate in clinical education placements in Northern Ontario.

Students who are Northern Ontario residents will be given priority for placements, however, any student, regardless of residency, may apply. Funding for travel and accommodation is available, to a maximum cost paid for by the NSS, through funding made available by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Placement offers can be submitted by directly emailing ptcereq@mcmaster.ca. You will receive a confirmation email once we have processed your placement offer. Placement offers for Clinical Practice I – IV can be offered at any time of the year.

In order to provide excellent clinical experiences for our students, we have the following guidelines for physiotherapists that are interested in supervising students for clinical placements:

• Be licensed and in good standing with a recognized College of Physiotherapists
• Agree to abide by McMaster University policies and procedures
• Comply with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario Standards of Professional Practice, especially regarding Clinical Education

The Placement Process:

1. Placement request emails are sent to clinical sites within the McMaster University catchment area 4-5 months prior to the start of placement.
2. The Director of Clinical Education (DCE) follows up with the clinical sites ensuring an appropriate number of placement offers have been provided and attempts to ensure there are enough offers in each setting to meet student needs. Students may not make personal arrangements with clinical sites, clinical instructors, or with clinical coordinators without written permission from the DCE.
3. As placements are confirmed they are posted for students to view. Each student is assigned to an area of practice (i.e. community, rehabilitation, hospital/acute).
4. Eligible students select and submit their placement preferences online based on the assigned area of practice.
5. Students are matched to a placement considering their placement preferences and clinical requirements.
6. Once the placement matching process has been completed, students are able to view the results. Students are provided the opportunity to apply to switch placements with a classmate or to switch into an unassigned placement offer.
7. Once all placements are finalized, clinical sites are notified with their student assignment. Students are informed that they are able to contact their clinical site.

Separate processes are in place for out of catchment, Northern Studies Stream, and international placements.

1. What do I do if a student is injured while on placement?
   First, refer your student for proper medical attention and complete your facility’s Incident Report as necessary. Then, contact Jasdeep Dhir (Director of Clinical Education) and she will send you the McMaster Incident Report, which also needs to be completed. Fax/forward/email the McMaster Incident Report within 24 hours to Jasdeep Dhir (DCE).
2. What do I do if a student requests 3 days off their placement (e.g. to attend a wedding)?
   Students should submit planned absences prior to placement to Jasdeep Dhir (DCE) and she will negotiate with the preceptors (if approved). If a student requests time off to the preceptor, the preceptor should refer this to Jasdeep (so they are not put in the uncomfortable position of making this decision). Students are aware of this process for planned absences.
3. Will I still receive the honorarium if I take a PT student from another university
   Yes. You will receive the honorarium for any PT student you supervise, whether they are from McMaster, another Canadian university, or from a PT school in another country, as long as the placement was organized by the Clinical Coordinator from the PT program at McMaster.
4. Will taking a student for placement affect the WSIB or insurance premiums of my facility?
   No. The Ontario Ministry of Education pays for our students to be covered while they are out on clinical placement in case of injury. When you complete the Work Education Placement Agreement (WEPA) forms at the beginning of the placement, you are indicating to us which type of premium the Ministry needs to pay. For example, if you have WSIB coverage at your facility you would check that off on the WEPA form & that is paid for by the Ministry, not your facility.
5. What should I do if I don’t think my student is demonstrating appropriate skills or knowledge during their placement?
   When it is early on in the placement and you are noticing that your student is not performing at an appropriate level, it is easy to decide to wait and see if things improve on their own. However, placement weeks go very quickly and the longer that the problems are not addressed, the less time you and the student will have to work together on these issues. As soon as you notice problems, please document them and contact the DCE with your concerns and to discuss strategies to implement with your student.
6. I would be interested in being a preceptor but work part-time – what can I do to become involved with student placements?
   Please contact the PT Program Clinical Education Assistant anytime to express your interest – depending on your clinical setting and your hours, there are many possibilities and the DCE would be happy to discuss these with you.
7. Is it important to evaluate my student using the Learning Contract that they formulate?
   Yes. The Learning Contract is 1 of the 2 (the ACP 2.0 being the other) mandatory evaluation tools used to evaluate the students while on placement. It is a contract developed by the student and discussed with the preceptor within the first 2 weeks of placement. It includes 5 objectives—2 related to assessment, 2 related to treatment, and 1 ’other’ (e.g. in-service, documenting, etc.). It should be evaluated at midterm and final evaluation (although we do realize that many objectives may not have been met by midterm). The preceptor assigns a mark from 0-2 for each objective and, in the event an objective could not be met due to e.g. inability to be exposed to the content, a N/A could be indicated. It should then be signed by the preceptor and returned to the school by the student.
8. I would like to take a student this unit, however, I have vacation booked during this time. What are my options?
   Some terms offer flexibility regarding dates and students are to be flexible in this respect. We also welcome part-time or shared placement opportunities. Please contact the Clinical Education Team to discuss your specific situation, as we are always happy to accommodate.