The History of Rehabilitation at 91涩漫
The School has a remarkable history, marked by a tradition of ongoing innovation and leadership. Our School is one of the oldest in Canada, beginning in 1943 as a program for physical therapists, and evolving into the first Canadian BSc program in Physical and Occupational Therapy in 1954. Our PhD program in Rehabilitation Science, now over twenty years old, was also the first doctoral program in this field in Canada. The PT and OT programs at 91涩漫 are the only ones in Canada that function as a joint school within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science. Their curricula have a strong interprofessional education philosophy that includes interprofessional educational sessions with students from four other professional schools (medicine, dentistry, nursing, and communication sciences and disorders) (Asseraf-Pasin, 2012; Purden et al., 2006). We have the only Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy programs in the country with two entry points for admission. Our School now has close to 700 students enrolled in 8 different undergraduate and graduate programs including two on-line graduate certificates.
In response to the marked need for rehabilitation specialists in Canada at the time of the Second World War and then the Poliomyelitis epidemics, the School of Physiotherapy was started at 91涩漫 in 1943. It was the first Canadian School to be under the aegis of a Faculty of Medicine. Initially, the School offered a two-year program in physiotherapy plus internship, and was upgraded to a three-year program in 1947. In 1950, Occupational Therapy was introduced in a three-year combined Physical and Occupational Therapy diploma program, followed by two months of internship in each profession. The School was given its present name - the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy - the following year. In 1954, 91涩漫 introduced Canada's first BSc program in Physical & Occupational Therapy, together with separate diploma programs in Physical Therapy and in Occupational Therapy.
Due to the advancement of science and technology and to the increasing emphasis on health care needs of society, the programs have evolved, integrating a greater academic and scientific base over the ensuing decades. Thus, the diploma programs were phased out, allowing for the creation of the BSc degree in Physical Therapy in 1969, and the BSc degree in Occupational Therapy in 1971. The School vigilantly and continuously revises these science-based curricula, to prepare the best qualified graduates for entry into professional practice or advanced studies in rehabilitation. At the graduate level, an MSc (Applied) program in Health Science (Rehabilitation) was initiated in 1972 and formally approved in 1976. To provide the foundation for the development of a doctorate degree, it was changed from an applied to a thesis degree (MSc. Rehab. Sci.)听in 1982. Since 1988, the School has offered a PhD program in Rehabilitation Science, the first of its kind in Canada.
The School began offering online Graduate Certificate in Driving Rehabilitation, in early 2006, followed by the online Graduate Certificate in Chronic Pain Management, in fall of 2012.听
From 2007-2009, the School transitioned from the former B.Sc. (Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy) to offering a non-practicing undergraduate degree and a professional Master鈥檚 degree, after which graduates are eligible to apply for a license to practice. The undergraduate degree is a B.Sc. Rehabilitation Science (with a major in Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy), providing foundational knowledge in the life sciences (e.g. anatomy, physiology), human movement (e.g. biomechanics), psychology, and statistics. The first class of the new professional Master鈥檚 degree, designated M.Sc. Applied (Occupational Therapy or Physical Therapy), completed their studies in fall 2010 and convocated in spring 2011.
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The Rich History of our Buildings:
Mansions of the Golden Square Mile, 1950-1930; Remillard & Merrett (1987). Almost all the mansions in the Golden Square Mile of Montreal from the early 1900s were built in the Beaux-Arts Style. These mansions typically were symmetrical and very classical in nature. They were characterized by a mansard roof, the presence of columns and ornamentation with sculptures of animals such as horses, forest animals, and cornucopia. Hosmer House is an example of French Beaux-Arts style architecture. The English Renaissance, or Edwardian architectural style is seen in Davis House, with its many gables and bay windows. Together both houses have been the home of the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy for over 50 years. These two Golden Square Mile Mansions were the work of renowned Montreal architects Edward Maxwell and William S. Maxwell. These two brothers became architectural partners in 1902, one year after the completion of Hosmer House. Hosmer House was commissioned by Charles R. Hosmer who was an entrepreneur and the director of the Canadian Pacific Railway鈥檚 telegraph service. In 1968 Hosmer House was sold to 91涩漫 and the rooms were converted to classrooms. James T. Davis commissioned the building of Davis House which was completed in 1909. Its superstructure was concrete and steel, unusual in private residences but a nod to the engineering and construction background or its owner.听
