Alumni Awards & Recognition

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The School of Physical Therapy Alumni of Distinction Award

Recognizes an alum who demonstrates significant impact in one or more of the following areas:

  • Professional achievement
    • The recipient is dedicated to their chosen profession and goes above and beyond in their line of work; they are a role model in their profession and this impact reaches groups, individuals, and/or their larger chosen profession
  • Significant contributions to research and/or education
    • The recipient stands out in the field of research as having made compelling and impactful progress towards the advancement of their discipline, and is committed to continuing their learning and education either through everyday practice or higher education
  • Commitment to community and leadership
    • The recipient is a leader who is committed to bettering their community or the Western community, successfully enriching the lives of others through community service and exemplary leadership

Current Winner

2025 Alumni of Distiction Award Recipient

Chandra Farrer 

Chandra Farrer

Chandra is a graduate of the Western University School of Physical Therapy class of 1998. Chandra has worked clinically as a physiotherapist and completed her Advanced Clinician Practitioner in Arthritis Care certification to work in the capacity of an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist in rheumatology. 

She currently works as the Quality Manager at Women’s College Hospital (WCH) and is the Associate Director at the Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS). She completed a Masters in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety and holds a clinical lecturer status in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto. Her quality improvement projects include: evaluation of rheumatology models of care, referral management, electronic patient record utilization and optimization, and improving communication for patient safety. Chandra has worked with the Ontario Rheumatology Association, advocating for models of care to leverage health human resources to provide equitable access to care in Northern Ontario.