Alum Spotlight: Titilayo Ukagwu

Titilayo Ukagwu graduated from the Department of Physical Therapy’s Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapy Bridging Program in 2021. We asked Titilayo to share her experience in the program and how the bridging program helped her to establish a network of friends and colleagues here in Canada. 

Before moving to Canada and enrolling in the bridging program, I completed my physical therapy education in Nigeria and had worked for about a year and a half there. In Nigeria, physical therapists must complete a one-year internship where we work under supervision and rotate through different areas of practice, like neurology, paediatrics and pelvic physical therapy.  

After completing my internship and graduating, I was required to do one year of service to the government. I started working at a military hospital, but I didn’t get a chance to complete the year of service due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

I knew I would be moving to Canada once I finished my education in Nigeria. I researched how to become a licensed physical therapist here and that’s how I learned about bridging programs. I chose this program because the program is not only focused on passing the exam but also getting hands-on experience. 

The bridging program covered the most prominent topics, which made studying for the exam easier, and helped me identify gaps in my knowledge. I learned useful skills that I still use every day – like notetaking and assessing patients.  

The internships were also great for building my network. I was able to have one of my preceptors write me a reference letter for my current job, which I found through a connection I made in the bridging program. The Black Physiotherapists Association has been another great resource for meeting other physical therapists I can reach out to ask questions. 

Since finishing the bridging program, I have successfully passed the licensing exam and have been working as a physical therapist in Mississauga for a few years now. My first role was working in a hospital as a floater where I moved around to different units. Currently, I work at Trillium Health Partners where I work in medicine. I also do some community physical therapy on the side, which I find gives me more diversity in the work I do. 

I would encourage anyone joining the bridging program to use the program to its full capacity – you need to invest yourself fully in the program to get the best results. It is also a great way to connect with peers. Some of my closest friends in Canada are people I met in the program, and I know I can reach out to them if I need anything.