Clinical hours necessary to obtain membership in both the national associations and provincial licensing bodies for each profession are included within the professional master's programs (M.Sc.A. Occupational Therapy and M.Sc.A. Physical Therapy). This standard is compatible with the licensing requirements in other provinces where legislation is in force.

Working knowledge of both English and French is essential for students who will be working in clinical affiliations throughout the province of Quebec. French is the official language in Quebec and thus health and social services administered by the Ministry of Health are bound by the Charter of the French Language. This means that all health and social service institutions operate in French. Certain institutions have a bilingual mandate for patient care, but team meetings and dealings with third party agencies operate in French only. Some of the clinical communication competencies you will exercise during your studies include: listening to a client or their family describe the reason for consulting, asking questions to learn more, explaining a condition in formal and informal terms, and communicating with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists. This could be in-person, on the phone, or with written documentation.

As such, all applicants should be aware that any clinical placements in the province of Quebec require the ability to communicate (written and oral) in French. Refer to the details for the admission requirements of proof of French proficiency in the Qualifying Year Admissions Guides.

Students must therefore possess the recommended minimum level of oral and written French, as outlined in the admission guides, prior to the start of clinical practica. Students who do not speak French will have limited clinical placement opportunities. This may result in delayed graduation from the program.

Valid CPR/AED Level (Health Care Provider) certification or equivalent is required prior to going into any of the clinical affiliation placements and must be maintained throughout the professional master’s program.

Vaccinations

Prior to starting their first clinical course, students registered in a health care program will need to ensure that they have completed all required series of immunizations prior to being placed in a clinical setting. We recommend starting the process as soon as possible as some vaccines may require you to follow immunization schedules that last several months. Students must upload their immunization file to the Wellness portal in September of their U3 or Qualifying Year. Once their file is reviewed by the Wellness Hub, it can take several months for students to complete missing vaccinations. All vaccination requirements must be complete by March 1 of the U3 or Qualifying Year in preparation for the M1 Summer term of two clinical courses.

For complete details, consult the Student Wellness Hub. Please also refer to the Vaccination/Immunization Requirements for Health Sciences Programs in the Undergraduate eCalendar's Health Professions – Immunization Requirement.