Welcome to the PHTH 652 course!

Integrated Clinical Exercise Rehabilitation

Fall 2023

Tania Janaudis-Ferreira, BSc(PT), MSc, PhD

(Coordinator and Instructor)
 Land Acknowledgement
"McGill University is on land which has long
served as a site of meeting and exchange
amongst Indigenous peoples, including the
Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations.”

As an immigrant in Canada and Professor at McGill

University, I acknowledge and thank the diverse
Indigenous peoples whose presence marks this territory
on which peoples of the world now gather and on which I
teach PT students every year.
About me
 My teaching philosophy
• Values and philosophies that guide my teaching:
 Facilitator of knowledge rather than only a disseminator
of knowledge and to encourage students to be active in
their learning
 I incorporate evidence-based information into teaching to
ensure a strong foundation for clinical practice and
promote critical thinking
 I place a large emphasis on being accessible to students
 I cultivate respect for my students
 Background
• The burden of chronic diseases is increasing and will continue
to grow worldwide in the next years (WHO 2015 and UN
2020).
• Three out of five Canadians aged 20 and older have a chronic
disease and four out of five are at risk (Government of
Canada 2020).
• According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases
are responsible for 36 million deaths globally (WHO 2015).
 Course Description
• Case-based course that presents current topics in
exercise rehabilitation in adult patients with
selective chronic diseases and/or multimorbidity
• 3 credits (39 hours, 13 weeks)
• Combination of lectures, CRW and labs
 Learning Goals
• Describe how the pathophysiology underlying different
chronic conditions affect the major physiological systems

• Identify the optimal way of assessing and prescribing

exercise interventions for these special populations to
improve physical function, exercise capacity and quality life
and reduce morbidity and mortality

This course also aims to enhance critical thinking and problem-

solving skills through interactive lectures, clinical reasoning
workshops and assignments
 Instructors
1. Tania Janaudis-Ferreira (coordinator)
2. Ahlam Zidan (TA)
3. Sarah Marshall Different expertise
4. Joana Alvarenga
5. Ana Maria Moga Different styles and
6. Timothy Wideman discussion formats
7. Isabelle Pearson
8. Shirin Shalwani
9. Special Olympics Québec Group

13 cases in total
 The Learning Pyramid

• Passive teaching
methods – promote
average retention rates
are between 5-30%

• Participatory teaching
methods – promote
retention rates between
50%-90%

Source: National Training Laboratories

 By the end of the course you
will….
• Be aware of current guidelines for exercise prescription in chronic
diseases and describe the benefits of exercise
• Understand how pathophysiology of the diseases can affect exercise
capacity
• Use the principles of exercise prescription (define initial intensity, plan for
progression!)
• Identify the optimal tests to assess patients (that are in line with patients’
goals and preferences)
• Prioritize diseases in case of multimorbidity, identify risk factors
• Develop patient-centered interventions
• Use strategies to help patients adhere to the treatment proposed
(engaging patients in the process of developing the treatment plan rather than
imposing a specific treatment plan and identifying early on potential barriers and
facilitators to exercise)
 Structure of the course
• Students are expected to do some preparatory reading prior
to the class (usually one research paper and one chapter of
the ACSM book)
• Short lecture in the beginning of the class followed by group
discussions (small or whole class)
• Three labs (physical function assessment, geriatrics case and
intellectual disabilities)
 Schedule
See on MyCourses
- Thursdays 14.30 -17.30pm (McMed 330)
- Labs on Wednesdays 14.30 -17.30pm: Sep 20th, Sep
27th, Oct 4th, Nov 22nd (subject to change)
Note:
- Thursday Nov 30th (no class)
 Attendance is mandatory
• Students are required to attend all scheduled
classes. Except in the case of a prior approved
absence or an emergency situation with a
subsequent approval, students who have missed
more than 15% of the classes will have their final
mark reduced by 10%

• Refer to “Rules and regulations” :

https://www.mcgill.ca/spot/files/spot/qualifying_year_for_m.sc_._applied
_in_physical_therapy_rules_and_regulations_2018-19_current.pdf
 Evaluation
• Quizzes, pre-lecture questions and small assignments= 20% 

• Group Work – CERT Checklist = 15%

• Oral presentation (Individual work) = 30%

• Final Exam (new clinical case; individual work in the

classroom; open book) = 35%
 Groups
• Groups may be created for specific lectures
• CERT checklist in pairs
• Oral presentation – individual but
presentation in small groups
 How to reach me:
• Thursdays 14:30-17:30 pm – before or after
each class
• Office hours by request (in-person or virtual)
• By email:
Tania.janaudis-ferreira@mcgill.ca