About Us

Our Vision

Health and participation for all.

Our Mission

Our mission is to “Create, inspire and uphold a scholarly community that contributes to the health of individuals and communities through research on occupation and education programs for occupational therapy students, health professionals, and scientists.”

Our Values

1. Curiosity | Innovation: We seek to foster an open and scholarly climate of engaged dialogue, critical appraisal, and innovative thought and action.
2. Excellence: We work hard to create an environment where people are supported and engaged in being excellent and achieving excellent outcomes across all programs, including the MOT, MRSc, MSc, and PhD programs.
3. Compassion: We honour the significant privilege of being researchers and educators in occupational science and occupational therapy and the public and personal duty to act with integrity.
4. Equity | Inclusion: We view respect for diversity of people, ideas, and actions as critical in order for people, programs, and communities to thrive.
5. Community: We believe that accountability to the public is essential, whether through research, occupational therapy practice, or academics, and is a responsibility of all students, staff and faculty.

The need for a school to train occupational and physical therapists at UBC was great at the time as the majority of occupational therapists practicing in Canada were foreign trained. In 1955, for example, there were 150 physical therapists practicing in BC, of which only 32 were trained in Canada. 

In the School’s beginning, students were required to complete one year of university (or equivalent) to be allowed entry into the 3-year certificate program. Two of these years were academic in nature, while one year was a supervised rotating internship. Students who graduated at this time were granted a Certificate Course in Physical Medicine Therapy (which combined both physio and occupational therapy). 

1962 saw the School begin to evolve into a full degree, 4-year program (3 year diploma with an optional “degree year”) that was solidified in 1969. By 1970, graduates of the School were granted a Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Medicine (B.S.R). 

Since its beginnings, the School has undergone many significant changes with some noteworthy moments in history. In 1976, the School was one of three used as a pilot study to develop C.P.A accreditation criteria. 1977 saw the School acquire 4,000 square feet of space in the Extended Care Unit (located in what is now the Instructional Resources Centre). Margaret Hood, who was the first instructor of occupational therapy at UBC, became director of the School in 1978. In June of 1979, the School moved to its present location, the 3^rd floor of the UBC Hospital. By 1992, the School had changed its name to the School of Rehabilitation ‘Sciences’. 

Make a difference to our research and to individual students by including the Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy department in your giving plans.

• Prepare a legacy
• Create a scholarship
• Donate to a fund

Explore the ways you can benefit the department

Our faculty and staff work cohesively as a team to achieve excellence in our teaching and research.

All our postings, including for faculty, staff and research positions, are posted on the UBC Careers website. Vacancies, when available, are also posted below, and you can follow us on Twitter for the latest updates.

• Become an instructor in our Rehabilitation Science Online Programs
  We are seeking experienced Course Instructors with a passion for rehabilitation science leadership and practice.
• Recruiting: Assistant Professor (tenure track) – Surrey site
  We are inviting applications for an Assistant Professor (tenure track) to join us at our Surrey site. Review of applications will begin March 15, 2024.
• Recruiting: Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) – UNBC Campus, Prince George
  Applications are now open for the Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track) for MOT at UNBC Campus, Prince George.
• Join our clinical faculty
  Have you considered joining our clinical faculty? Do you have a colleague who would be a great fieldwork or classroom… Read more: Join our clinical faculty