PT Nominees

Winner – Michael Belcamino – Walser and Associates Physiotherapy

Mike is an encouraging and supportive mentor who exemplifies evidence-based practice and patient collaboration. He provided positive and constructive feedback in a timely manner around specific aspects of my performance. He was also open to learning and receiving feedback from me as well, and he highlighted important aspects of healthcare in northern Ontario. Mike and the other staff members went out of their way to augment my learning experience. I was exposed to new areas of physio (pelvic health) and had the opportunity to work with a McKenzie trained therapist.

Nominees:

• Michael Belcamino – Walser and Associates Physiotherapy
• Sasha McFadden – St. Joseph’s Continuing Care

Winner – Julie Lo – St Joseph’s Care Group

Julie demonstrated ongoing initiative, leadership and dedication to not only the PT practice but also within the Neuro day program as a whole. She shared her passion for the PT Neuro field through endless hands on opportunities and ongoing discussions. She emphasized the importance of not only basic PT specific knowledge (anatomy, treatment modalities, etc.) but also the therapist- client relationship. Julie went over and above for her patients, ensuring they not only felt safe and heard but also understood. Julie made sure I felt welcomed and understood. She shared an immense amount of experiences and past stories with me to help guide me through my clinical placement. She showcased the whole picture as a registered PT and guided me to finding my own place in the domain.

Nominees:

• Julie Lo – St. Joseph’s Care Group
• Shannon McMillan – Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
• Jessica Popert – St. Joseph’s Care Group
• Stephen Magnoff – St. Joseph’s Care Group
• Cheryl Alderdice – Symetrics

Winner – Jason Taddeo – Fairway Physiotherapy & Sports Injuries Clinic

Jay was an absolutely amazing CI. He was extremely committed to my clinical education. He carved out ample time throughout our days to have clinical sessions with me to go over new or old skills and to talk through clinical reasoning. Not only did he set aside time but he took any opportunity both with a patient or without a patient to teach me. Additionally, he spent lots of time teaching me the skills of PT that are not related to PT practice which I found extremely valuable (ie. scheduling, billing, forms, etc.). His entire practice is highly focused on interprofessional collaboration as he works with many other PTs, OTs, Kinesiologists, sports medicine, PTAs, and chiropractors. He taught me how to collaborate ethically and within our scope of practice. He also made it very clear that at any point if the learning environment was not what I needed to speak up and he would adjust. Jason is a truly amazing CI and the teaching does not stop within the program. He has made it clear to me that he is a resource for life and that I can reach out anytime.

Nominee:

• Jason Taddeo – Fairway Physiotherapy & Sports Injuries Clinic

Winner – Anne-Marie Fequet – St Joseph’s Care Group

Anne-Marie was an amazing preceptor. I was told many times by patients and other staff within the hospital about her amazing competence as a physiotherapist and teacher. Throughout my placement, I have seen her teach other staff members about her specialties (specifically about the PegAssist for wound care), and actively seek learning opportunities about their specialities. I have also observed Anne-Marie collaborate regularly with other health specialties (OT, physiatrist, students) for Amputee Clinic assessments and follow-ups, oftentimes taking a leadership position if needed. Her colleagues say that Anne-Marie is THE inter-professional collaborator-she works from a team-based model with the client at the core of the team-identifying their goals. She is respectful and inclusive of everyone’s role on the team and the different perspectives and value each person brings to the team. She sees the strengths and positives in all interactions. She is so patient and persistent always seeing the opportunities for change to do better client care- more accessible, more effective, more efficient, and a better experience.

Nominees:

• Anne-Marie Fequet – St. Joseph’s Care Group
• Jill Whitwam – Temiskaming Hospital (Blanche River Health)

Winner – Melissa Harvey – Nipigon District Memorial Hospital

Melissa always looks for unique learning opportunities for her students. She organizes days where they can shadow other healthcare professionals and goes out of her way to ensure students work with patients with complex conditions. Melissa takes the time to explain concepts and give demonstrations.
She always meets with her students to discuss patient cases and provides resources/advice for appropriate treatment options. During midterm and final evaluations, she provided in-depth, personalized feedback to highlight areas for improvement. Melissa ensures her students feel supported and comfortable while living in a new community. Beyond being a knowledgeable and competent physiotherapist, Melissa is a kind person. She genuinely cares for the wellbeing of her students and goes out of her way to help them succeed.

Nominee:

• Melissa Harvey – Nipigon District Memorial Hospital