Eleven UFV graduates land spots in competitive UBC physiotherapy program

This post was originally published here.

A group of 11 students graduating from the University of the Fraser Valley with kinesiology degrees are making the leap to graduate school, landing together in the University of British Columbia’s physiotherapy program.

The students heading to UBC are Nic Shain, Shawn Arora, Trinity Nacario, Megan Filiatrault, Ajaiveer Boparai, Samnit Sidhu, Armaan Gill, Tobias Siebenga, Drew Shannon, Owen Swan, and Samantha Boyd.

Megan says she’s incredibly excited.

“It almost doesn’t feel real,” she says. “Throughout my time at UFV, I’ve been working toward this goal through research, community engagement, and hands-on experiences, so being accepted into UBC’s program feels both validating and motivating.”

Getting into the program is an achievement, with UBC accepting 143 students per year. Having 11 from one school is notable. Michael Gaetz, UFV’s kinesiology program director, says it’s a testament to the teaching excellence and quality education provided by the university.

“Acceptance into UBC’s physiotherapy program is difficult because they receive a high number of excellent applications from across Canada and internationally. To have this number of UFV kinesiology students accepted into their program speaks to the accomplishments of the students and the reputation of our school for producing graduates that will excel. We couldn’t be prouder of them.”

At UFV, the students explored how the body moves and how it can be optimized for health, performance, and overall wellness. They learned foundational topics such as human anatomy, sport psychology, biomechanics, and human nutrition, as well as physical activity, health, and fitness.

Ajaiveer, who played on UFV’s men’s soccer squad, says the curriculum gave him a strong foundation in areas like anatomy, physiology, and exercise science, which are essential for physiotherapy. But it was the small class sizes and close connection to professors that allowed him to develop critical thinking skills, confidence, and interpersonal skills. Those skills, he says, will serve him well at UBC, and in the career that follows.

Tobias Siebenga agrees, saying UFV offers a unique combination with faculty members who are at the top of their respective academic fields and care deeply about teaching and the growth of their students. The result, he suggests, is a rigorous but rewarding education.

“I think many students who go through this program can attest to how accessible faculty members are for support, not just in course-specific questions, but also any general interests in the field or even career-related questions,” he says. “I can’t overstate how this program feels like a group of faculty who could easily be doing their research at the largest institutions in the country but instead are choosing to nurture and pour their expertise into their students.”

As she prepares for the next step in her academic journey, Armaan says it means the world to do so with people she’s learned and grown with at UFV.

“From first-year courses and study groups to now applying to this program together, we have supported each other every step of the way. Knowing there were such limited spots could have easily created competition between peers, but this group consistently leaned on one another and supported each other through both our time at UFV and the admissions process.”

Samnit says it’s motivating to be surrounded by students who share the same goals and drive for helping people, and her lasting impression of UFV will be the strong sense of community she found within the program, from her peers and professors.

“I will also remember the change I went through during my academic journey and how UFV reshaped the way I think about change,” Samnit says. “I learned to accept and welcome it rather than fear it. I will forever be grateful for the mentorship and support from professors who contributed to my confidence and growth as a student and person. Ultimately, I will look back at my time at UFV as the place where I learned how to keep moving forward, even when the path presented uncertainty or setbacks.”