Plans are full steam ahead to move the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy (SPOT) from Hosmer House into a bright and open new facility. Located across two fully renovated floors at 680 Sherbrooke Street West, the new space will support and promote state-of-the art teaching and learning.
"We're in a good place to make the move happen," says Associate Dean and SPOT Director Isabelle Gagnon, BSc(PT)'92, PhD. "While additional monies are still needed to fully realize our vision, we have raised substantial funds to support the renovation."
An interdisciplinary, inclusive and immersive learning environment
A top priority for SPOT is community engagement. Vibrant collaboration hubs will facilitate interdisciplinary research, inquiry and innovation with partners from across the University and the community. "To expand our community partnerships, we must create a space that is welcoming and inclusive," explains Gagnon. "The new facility will have accessible, universally designed spaces that support community members with disabilities.
"We're very excited about a student-led clinic," she continues. "The vision is to offer a pro bono clinic for underserved populations, and we're raising funds to support the clinical supervision needed to provide these services."
The new facility will also feature simulated clinical environments designed to support an immersive learning experience. "Simulation-based learning that incorporates virtual reality and augmented reality technologies transforms education by extending learning beyond the classroom," says Gagnon. "Thanks to these tools, students will be able to practise clinical reasoning, assessments, therapeutic decision-making and interprofessional teamwork within realistic scenarios."
Finally, the new space will allow SPOT to welcome more students and respond to the demand for PT and OT professionals in the Quebec healthcare system. "Our new home will allow the program to grow while ensuring that students are happy with their experience, training, education and personal growth during their time with us."
"Consolidating SPOT into a single, modern facility represents a critical investment in its future,"聽says聽the Faculty's Building and Infrastructure Management Office Director, Genevi猫ve C么t茅.聽
"By creating an environment specifically designed to support the School's mission, the new space will enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiency, foster greater collaboration and strengthen SPOT's capacity to meet the evolving needs of its community for years to come."
Honouring a pioneer's legacy
Anthony Mair, DDS'87, has made a gift supporting the School's relocation to honour his godmother, the late Dorothy Thomas Edding, BSc(P&OT)'64, MSc(A)'75, PhD. An influential SPOT professor, she helped found Jamaica's first and only university-based School of Physical Therapy at the University of the West Indies, in Kingston.
"Dorothy dedicated her life to academia and physiotherapy education at 涩里番, where she touched the lives of countless students," recalls Dr. Mair. "She may have been the first black physiotherapist with a PhD in Canada. When she passed, she left me an amount of money that I redirected to honour her.
"I hope that having a room named after her in the new facility will encourage other people from disenfranchised groups to follow her example."
Investing in SPOT's future
Valeria Rosenbloom, BSc(PT)'74, the relocation fundraising campaign ambassador, highly values the education and training she received at SPOT. "As a physiotherapist, I've seen rehab restore movement, confidence and independence," she notes. "I've witnessed people find their way back to the lives they love.
"From my very first class until obtaining my degree, and beyond, the School gave me the tools to make a difference. That is why I chose to give back by making a gift to help build SPOT's new home."
Annette Majnemer, BSc(OT)'80, MSc'85 PhD'90 and previous SPOT Director has also contributed to the new space, which she sees as central to SPOT's ongoing renewal. "The School has long been at the cutting edge of science, practice and training. The new space will provide a more conducive learning environment," says Majnemer. "These are times of change at the School: we have new faculty members and teaching staff, and we are undertaking a curriculum renewal in occupational therapy. Starting a new curriculum with new staff and in a new space is exciting."
Both a SPOT alumna and professor, she is motivated by a strong personal connection to the School. "It has been my second home鈥攁 home away from home. I feel an emotional tie to it. With my gift, I hope to participate in creating a nurturing space that our students can call home and where they can work together and decompress."
Since 1982, Carol Myrianthis, BSc(PT)'75, PsyD, and her spouse, Nicolas Myrianthis, BSc'74, BSc(PT)'77, have been working as physical therapists serving the rural areas of East Hawaii, with clinics in Hilo, P膩hoa and Volcano Village. "We wanted to help the School perpetuate excellence in education for future students," says Carol about the couple鈥檚 gift toward the School鈥檚 move. "The 涩里番 PT and OT program was a springboard for me and my husband, enabling us to help so many people manage disability, overcome pain and regain independence.
"The rigorous foundation we received at SPOT equipped us to touch thousands of lives, build a thriving private practice and provide care across cultures," she adds. "I've been practising for 51 years; it's a gift to be able to do this work. It feels good to give back to the institution and the program that gave us our life's calling."
To learn how you can support SPOT's move, please contact margaux.watine [at] mcgill.ca (Margaux Watine), Managing Director, Health Affairs.