All applicants must meet the following general requirements, in addition to the specific requirements outlined below for each applicant group.

• A minimum bachelor's degree from a recognized university and at least a (B) standing (or equivalent) over the final two years of the program
• Advanced computer skills
• Two references
  • Academic (if attended university within the last five years) and professional
• Demonstrated English language proficiency, including both written and oral communication
  • See below for more information

• A current license to practice in Canada
• Evidence of more than two years of experience in sport/musculoskeletal physical therapy inclusive of more than 50 hours of sport event coverage/volunteering
  • A paragraph describing the applicant's role in delivering care to an active population, or equivalent; and a reference letter that endorses the evidence of experience
• Be a member in good standing with Sport Physiotherapy Canada (SPC)

• A current license to practice in Canada
• Evidence of more than two years of experience in sport/musculoskeletal medicine inclusive of more than 50 hours of sport event coverage/volunteering, or equivalent
  • A paragraph describing the applicant's role in delivering care to an active population and a reference letter that endorses the evidence of experience
• Members in good standing with the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM) and home provincial regulatory college at the time of application

• Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS is recommended)
• A minimum TOEFL score of 620 (paper-based), 105 (internet-based), 260 (computer-based) or an IELTS score of 7.5 is required
• Students who, after admission, show an inadequate command of spoken or written English must improve their proficiency to the satisfaction of the Faculty of Health Sciences
• Students may be asked to withdraw from the program if their command of English interferes with their ability to provide quality professional services
• Students who are required to present evidence of proficiency in English must make their own arrangements to write the TOEFL and to have the official results sent directly to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
• The English language proficiency requirements outlined above do not apply to students from Quebec

Have questions about applying?

Email ahcp@uwo.ca.

To apply to the Advanced Health Care Practice program, students should:

• Visit the  online application website
• Follow the instructions on that page to access the application
• Select "Advanced Health Care Practice" from the program options in the application and select the appropriate field

Application Deadline

• Applications will open November 1 and close June 1
• Applications maybe accepted after that date if space is available
• Offers of admission are sent out beginning in late April and continue until the program is filled

The annual domestic tuition fee for this program is approximately $14,000 including ancillary fees (plus $2,100 mentor fee i.e. $700/term***) which is payable over three terms (September, January and May), plus course fees payable in the Fall term.

In addition, there is a $510 course fee to cover strapping and the first responder microcredential, which is payable in the Fall term.

These fees are subject to change and are set by Western University. Instructions for students paying tuition from a Canadian bank are available from the Office of the Registrar.

***Please note all fees including mentorship fees and course fees are currently under review and are subject to change and adjustment***

OSAP Eligible

• Research Methods
• Advanced Management in Sport and Exercise Medicine 1: Lower Quadrant
  • Includes on-campus component
• Clinical Mentorship
• Research Experience

• Advanced Professional Practice
• Advanced Management in Sport and Exercise Medicine 2: Upper Quadrant
  • Includes on-campus component
• Clinical Mentorship (continued)
• Research Experience (continued)

• Transformational Topics in Sport and Exercise Medicine
  • Includes on-campus component
• Clinical Mentorship (continued)
• Research Experience (continued)
  • Includes Research Day

Physiotherapists who already possess the Sport Physiotherapy Canada Diploma will receive advanced standing for the following courses (will not be required to take but are able to audit):

• Advanced Management in Sport and Exercise Medicine 1: Lower Quadrant
• Advanced Management in Sport and Exercise Medicine 2: Upper Quadrant
• Transformational Topics in Sport and Exercise Medicine
• Clinical Mentorship

Course requirements will focus on:

• Research Methods (AHCP9600)
• Advanced Professional Practice (AHCP9610)
• Research Experience (AHCP9630)

More information about program structure and course offerings is available below.

Through a Continuing Professional Development framework, this course facilitates the synthesis of the theoretical and practical aspects of a student’s development in Sport and Exercise Medicine through a period of mentorship within the work-based/practice environment and documented with a professional portfolio. Students will have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings to enable development of existing knowledge and skills and advanced practice. The Clinical Mentor(s) will enable a student’s development through a partnership of teaching; researching; managing; observing and discussing with innovative practice being encouraged within the framework of safe, legal, and ethical practice as made explicit in any applicable published standards (e.g. professional registration body, specialist competencies etc). Clinical mentorship for this field would come from a variety of sport and exercise medicine practitioners who are willing to act as mentors.

The student will undertake pre-mentorship preparation through an online half-day study day, and online preparatory reflective exercise of self evaluation. Students will undertake a minimum of 150 hours of experience in a work-based/practice/field environment. Learning needs may necessitate a range of environments as part of the mentored experience to ensure that all outcomes are achieved. The selection of the work-based environment is negotiated by the student in collaboration with the field leader, dependent upon their individual learning needs and their program field and any specialist requirements. A variety of patterns of delivery of the 150 hours experience are possible, encompassing part time and full time modes as well as a variety of models of experience e.g. clinical practice, observation of practice, case analysis, situational online clinical reasoning, telehealth, e-mentoring, face-to-face mentoring etc. Current registration with appropriate professional/regulatory bodies is required as appropriate to the negotiated mentored practice.

For future challenging of Sport Physiotherapy Canada's certification and diploma exam, physiotherapist students will be required to complete the following field experiences as part of their mentored clinical practice and these requirements will be included in their learning contract additional to the mentorship:

• Minimum 300 hours
• Minimum six different sports inclusive of:
  • Two contact/combat/collision sports for minimum of 75 hrs each
  • The equivalent of two different sports followed for a full season

Students are responsible for securing their own SPC-registered clinical mentor(s).

Upon successfully completing the program, students should have the ability to:

• Critically analyze and integrate the principles underpinning sport and exercise medicine to inform interventions that optimize activity/performance for persons/athletes
• Evaluate clinical history and examination findings to inform individualized athlete/client-centred acute emergency management/triage, management and rehabilitation within a biopsychosocial and interdisciplinary framework
• Implement and justify evidence-informed management and rehabilitation interventions to optimize activity/performance
• Synthesize knowledge, skills and attributes to demonstrate advanced practice in sport and exercise medicine
• Develop research skills enabling active participation and competency in clinical research
• Communicate and apply ethical principles and practices in patient care and research activities
• Develop communication strategies that foster therapeutic alliance and shared decision-making with the person/athlete
• Develop iterative self-reflection skills and continued life-long learning