Physio Mentors Mentorship Program

 

Purpose: 

Physio Mentors offers a way to bridge the gap from new graduate to highly trained physiotherapist, to help negotiate the learning curve from novice to expert practitioner by allowing entry level physiotherapists a space to more effectively consolidate and imprint the knowledge gained in school, in postgraduate courses, and in clinical practice. 

 

Vision:

Consistent mentorship can allow for a smooth transition for new graduates, and will result in 

better patient outcomes, therapist satisfaction, and clinic productivity. We value the importance of skill development in a supportive environment that allows physiotherapists ample opportunity to ask questions, receive feedback, and grow from entry-level to skilled practitioner. The development of a formalized, ongoing mentorship structure makes this evolution more efficient for new graduates - similar to the way a medical residency program helps prepare new physicians for clinical practice. 

 

Mission:

To deliver a multimodal curriculum developed for clinicians participating in the mentorship program. Components include:

• Workshops - run by the founding senior physiotherapists and guest expert practitioners (8-10 sessions over two years)

• Clinical shadowing hours - every other month for two years

• 1:1 Zoom/emails/Facebook/website forum - ongoing access

• Constant communication to build and maintain community

 

Our framework is heavily influenced by the Neurofunctional approach developed by Dr Alejandro Elorriaga as it is holistic -  integrating the functionality of the neurological, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems with the structural education with which entry-level physiotherapists begin their clinical practice. We integrate this model with our own clinical experience and the breadth of knowledge we have gained from other postgraduate training and mentoring with other highly skilled practitioners. 

 

Additionally, the Neurofunctional approach helps the development of a stable, sustainable caseload as it gives the practitioner a framework to shift the conversation away from episodic therapy for acute injury management to a performance-optimization model of care, with emphasis on long-term preventative treatment. 

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