Career Opportunities

Professional Positions and Opportunities

Recent graduates of the MSc program were surveyed to find out the professional positions and professional activities that people are now involved in. Respondents wrote enthusiastically about the program here at Western, and reported the benefits of completing an MSc degree.

Professional Positions Job titles of the respondents included:

Project Manager
Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education
Research Fellow
Director of Physiotherapy
Co-Director of Clinical Research
Director of a Specialized Therapeutic Program
University Professor
Case Manager
Director, Practice-Based Research
PhD Student
Clinical Research Associate
Assistant Editor of a journal
Research Coordinator
Physiotherapy Associate
Ergonomics Consultant

Professional Activities

Respondents reported being involved with a wide range of activities. The primary responsibility at work was reported to be research, followed by clinical practice, administration and teaching. The main activity that respondents engaged in on a monthly, or at least annual, basis – in addition to their primary responsibilities – was teaching at the university level. Many respondents commented on the diversity of responsibilities they enjoyed after obtaining their MSc degree.

Research-related activities included involvement in both independent and collaborative research projects over a wide scope of physical therapy practice (e.g. cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, neurology, and clinical education) in different practice settings from critical care to community-based programs. Respondents reported spending time planning research projects, writing grant applications, implementing clinical research, giving conference presentations and writing manuscripts which were subsequently accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Several respondents reported maintaining clinical databases and evaluating the outcomes of their programs.

Teaching involved working with entry-to-practice students in both the academic (classroom, labs, tutorials) and clinical settings. Respondents also reported working with students on research projects, and with clinical instructors taking students on placements. Several people reported being involved in the development of entry-to-practice curricula for physical therapy schools. Finally, respondents reported developing and implementing evidence-based continuing education programs in their institutions and in the broader community.Administrative activities included coordinating students’ clinical placements, case management, and developing and implementing health policy.

Benefits of Completing an MSc Degree
Reported perceived benefits of completing an MSc degree ranged from practical to personal and included the following points:
Variety of career options (e.g. research and teaching in addition to clinical practice)
Opportunity to work in a place not available to those without master’s level training (e.g. teaching at the university level, securing a university appointment)
Ability to pursue a doctorate
Opportunity to improve writing and presentation skills
Ability to plan and implement clinical research projects independently
Improved ability to locate, access, and critically appraise new information to keep up with current knowledge relevant to practice
Networking with colleagues
Increased professional credibility (both within and outside physical therapy)
Increased self-confidence
Personal growth; development of a “more critical mind”
Personal satisfaction