The University of Winnipeg

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

At a Glance

The University of Winnipeg Athletic Therapy program was one of the first programs accredited by the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association in 1999.
The program is a flagship program in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Applied Health at the University of Winnipeg.
The University of Winnipeg is primarily an undergraduate institution of approximately 10,000 students focused on teaching at the undergraduate level. They pride themselves on the small classes where professors are able to be student centered.
The faculty members in the Athletic Therapy program have a wealth of experience and demonstrated leadership at the national and international levels. The faculty members have served at multiple Olympic Games and other international competitions.
The teaching, lab, and clinical facilities are state of the art which provide for optimal learning.

Education

The University of Winnipeg is a proud member of the World Federation of Athletic Training and Therapy.

The Enhanced Major in Athletic Therapy at the University of Winnipeg is a four-year BSc degree. The first two years are identified as “Pre Athletic Therapy” courses that include the foundational courses including Human Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Biomechanics and Prevention and Care of Sport Injuries. Following completion of the first two years, students apply for year three and four of the degree. The third and fourth year of the degree focus on athletic therapy specific courses including musculoskeletal assessment and rehabilitation, sport first responder, therapeutic modalities, MSK support techniques, injuries of the spine. Other professionally oriented courses include Business in Kinesiology and Professionalism in Applied Health.

Year three and four also include two full year Practicum courses that give students an invaluable real life hands experience in both clinical and sport settings. Clinical experiences occur on campus in our state-of-the-art Athletic Therapy Clinic and community based athletic therapy clinics many of which are supervised by our former graduates. We also enjoy a close collaboration with our own University of Winnipeg Wesmen sport teams including basketball, volleyball, and soccer. Our program enjoys the close collaboration with many community-based sports where our students learn under the direct supervision of a Certified Athletic Therapists. These sports include high school football ,community-based hockey, soccer, and rugby.

Graduates of our program are eligible to challenge the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association National Certification Exam

More Info

Faculty

Glen Bergeron, PhD, CAT(C)

Jeff Billeck, MSc, CAT(C)

Danielle Defries, PhD

Valerie Pelleck, MSc, CAT(C)

Rob Pryce, PhD, CAT(C)

Ben Trunzo, MSc, CAT(C)

Facilities

Students in our Athletic Therapy program enjoy access to our state-of-the-art Athletic Therapy Clinic. With over 4000 sq feet of space, the clinic is an open concept clinic including 8 treatment tables, a hydrotherapy area with two large full body whirlpools, an exercise area fully equipped with exercise bikes, weight training, proprioception and agility training equipment. The clinic also has two private treatment/Medical assessment rooms and a massage therapy room. The clinic is open to our own Wesmen athletes as well as the general public.

Next door to the clinic is the Athletic Therapy lab dedicated to our program. The lab is equipped with 20 treatment tables, state of the art audio visual and three large storage rooms. Those storage rooms are assigned to the courses taught in the facility and allow for storage and easy accessibility to ample learning resources such as anatomical models, resuscitation dolls, spine boards, protective equipment, therapeutic modalities, rehabilitation equipment and taping and splinting supplies. Courses taught in this space include:

Prevention and Care of Sport Injuries
Assessment of Upper and Lower Body Sport injuries
Rehabilitation of Upper and Lower Body Sport injuries
Sport Injuries of the Spine
Therapeutic Modalities
MSK Support Techniques
Sport First Responder
Soft Tissue Manual Therapy

News & Achievements

Practicum Community Outreach
- The U of W athletic therapy program works closely with the Manitoba High School Football Association to provide student therapists for high school teams under the direct supervision of Certified Athletic Therapists. We also work with community based, hockey, soccer and rugby.
Two faculty members inducted in the CATA Hall of Fame.
- Glen Bergeron and Ben Trunzo have both been inducted into to Canadian Athletic Therapists Association Hall of Fame.
Three members awarded CATA Educator award
- Glen Bergeron, Ben Trunzo and Valerie Pelleck have each been awarded the CATA Outstanding Educator Award.
One faculty member awarded the WFATT Achievement Award.
- Glen Bergeron was the first recipient of the WFATT Achievement Award
One faculty member Past President of the WFATT.
- Glen served as the President of the WFATT 2017–202.

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