New Brunswickers looking to become physiotherapists will soon be able to train closer to home.
Provincial officials recently announced plans for a 12-seat program at l’Université de Moncton.
The move is being welcomed by the president of the New Brunswick Physiotherapy Association.
Annie Boudreau said the closest physiotherapy program currently is at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
“It’s proven statistically that when a student leaves the province, or even when they go away to study, and especially in a university, this is where you build your network, so you’re most likely to want to stay around that area,” said Boudreau.
“You’ve met friends, you might have met a spouse, you build your network, you want to have your friends around, so it’s harder to get them back into the province, especially when they’re away.”
Physiotherapy has been identified as a priority allied health profession by the province, according to a government news release.
Labour market forecasts indicate that New Brunswick will need more than 200 physiotherapists over 10 years due to retirements and increased demand.
Boudreau said while the new program is a start, it will not be nearly enough to meet that anticipated demand for physiotherapists over the coming years.
“Also, the fact that it’s not 12 new seats. Nine of those seats were already existing, and then they were given to Quebec,” she said.
New Brunswick currently funds nine physiotherapy seats in Quebec. That funding will be phased out and transitioned to the new program in Moncton, and three more seats will be created.
Boudreau said she would eventually like to see two programs throughout the province with 30 seats each.
The four-year program at l’Université de Moncton is expected to start accepting students in the 2027-28 academic year.
