All registrants must complete the College’s new eLearning module specific to the topic of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct before they can renew their practice permit in August/September 2025.
To address the concerning trends related to sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, the College developed a new eLearning module for physiotherapists which was launched on January 15, 2025. The module highlights legislative requirements and definitions, and addresses foundational topics including therapeutic relationships, avoiding boundary erosions, and reviewing mandatory reporting requirements.
The Health Professions Act of Alberta requires that Colleges establish a patient relations program that includes measures for preventing and addressing sexual abuse of and sexual misconduct towards patients by registrants.
The College has a clear legislated duty to address this issue, and to do what it can to prevent the client harms that arise from the situations that lead to complaints of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct.
The Council of the College of Physiotherapists of Alberta has decided that all registrants must complete the eLearning module specific to the topic of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct.
Physiotherapists on the General Register and physiotherapist interns on the Provisional Register cannot renew their practice permits in August/September 2025 until they have completed the sexual abuse and sexual misconduct eLearning module.
Completion is mandatory under Sections 135.6 and 135.7 of the Health Professions Act. It is separate and distinct from the continuing competence requirements that physiotherapists must meet when renewing their practice permits.
The College is giving registrants notice of this requirement now, so they have ample time to complete the module.
Registrants must successfully complete all the content and the quiz at the end of the module, which will take approximately one hour. Note: You cannot save your progress on the module and return later. Set aside sufficient time to complete the module in one sitting. For the best experience, use a computer or tablet to complete the module.
The Protecting Patients from Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct eLearning module is available here.
