Faces of U of T Medicine: Celine Nathoo

Celine Nathoo is passionate about volunteerism and global health. During her time at U of T, Nathoo co-founded the student-led Community Philanthropic Committee for the Department of Physical Therapy and served as a member of the Global Health Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. As she prepares to graduate on November 7th, she shared some of her most rewarding moments at U of T with Faculty of Medicine writer Julia Soudat.

What are your research interests and what sparked your interest in that field of study?

I am most interested in neurorehabilitation. When I was 19, my dad had a stroke. After seeing how big of a role his allied health team played in his recovery, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in physiotherapy. While growing up as a competitive figure skater, I had some experience seeing a physiotherapist in a private clinic, but it wasn’t until my dad has his stroke that I realized how many other settings physiotherapists could work in and have an impact. I hope that I can gain work experience and eventually do my PhD in stroke rehabilitation.

What have been some of the most rewarding moments at U of T?

Some of my most rewarding moments have been my internships and working directly with patients. Seeing the impact physiotherapy can have on someone’s quality of life has been eye opening, and has taught me so many lessons in compassion and empathy. I was fortunate enough this past year to be the Community Philanthropic Director, where I organized various fundraisers, awareness events, and volunteer opportunities for our department to participate in. It was so rewarding being able to get our class involved and giving back to the community.

Where do you see yourself in five years? What are your plans after graduation?

My last placement was in an inpatient stroke setting. Getting the opportunity to work with the same patients and their families every day and seeing their improvements throughout their Rehab stay definitely confirmed my love for neuro. I intend on pursuing additional neuro courses that will enhance my ability to treat patients with neurological disorders. I hope to find my way into a position in neurorehabilitation after graduation. I don’t know where I will be five years from now, but I have a lot of ideas of what I would like to be doing, and am open to seeing where world takes me. I would like to be pursuing or at least on the verge of pursuing my PhD, and I would like to still be actively involved with the department of Physical Therapy in terms of student supervision, research, or committees.

What advice would you give new and incoming students?

Soak in every minute of the program because the two years goes by quicker than you think. Take advantage of your internships, don’t worry about making mistakes. Internships are the most valuable place for you to apply what you’ve learned in class and get real time feedback from clinicians and a patients one-on-one. Get involved with the faculty and program! PT is a small community and getting involved with committees, clubs, and events is an amazing way to expand your network and learn about things that are going on within the field. 

 

Faces of U of T Medicine introduces you to some of the interesting people studying in the Faculty of Medicine. From advising political leaders to providing care to Toronto’s most vulnerable populations, our students are making an impact on communities at home and around the world.

Do you have an interesting story to share? Contact us at medicine.communications@utoronto.ca.