Alum Spotlight: Mel Keddy

America (Mel) Keddy graduated from the Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapy Bridging Program in 2024. We asked Mel about her experience in the program and how the bridging program helped her prepare for a career in Canada after being out of practice for a few years.

I completed my physical therapy degree in Brazil in 2009. After that, I worked as a physical therapist for patients with complex chronic conditions, like kidney failure. I also worked as a preceptor for a physical therapy course and later returned to school to complete a master's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, before moving to Nova Scotia and pursuing a PhD degree.

I always wanted to get my physical therapy license when I moved to Canada. I knew that having not practiced for a few years while I was studying here put me a bit behind and I had a lot to learn about how the scope of practice differs in Canada. I attended the bridging program information session and after some consideration and with my family’s support, I decided to go ahead and apply to the program.

The program offers a great refresher on the different areas of physical therapy and the soft skills, like communication and time management, that physical therapists need. I also learned about differences in practicing in Canada versus Brazil. Of course, the human body and anatomy is the same, but, for example, I learned that in Canada, many physical therapists work with physical therapy assistants.

The program also helped me to reconsider which area of physical therapy I wanted to work in. The program exposed me to different areas of practice through the different units and internships. I completed two internships in areas I was interested in—one in cardiac surgery and one in neurology.

Professor Martine Quesnel, the academic coordinator of clinical education for the bridging program, works with clinical partners to match students to placements based on our preferences. I completed my first internship in Ontario, but I knew I wanted to move back to Nova Scotia to practice. Martine went above and beyond, connecting with contacts at Dalhousie University here in Nova Scotia to arrange an internship at Nova Scotia Health. I am very grateful for Martine and her commitment to making sure each student gets the most out of the program. I am happy to share that during my internship I was offered a resident position at Nova Scotia Health where I continue to work with neurological patients!

I would encourage those who are considering applying to learn more about the program and understand what foundational knowledge you have and how the program can help you build on it. It is also important to have a support system in place that will allow you to use this opportunity to experience as much as you can from all the resources the program provides.

I am very grateful for the program, Sharon Switzer-McIntyre and Martine Quesnel, its dedicated teachers, and colleagues from my class. Without them, my journey would be different. The program prepared me to pass the physiotherapy licensing exam on my first attempt and helped me to find the job I am in now.