It’s a rewarding role to fulfill. I’m excited to see all the places where Michener can go to continue to succeed in delivering healthcare professionals into Ontario’s health system.
Megan Brittain, Academic Chair, Foot Care Programs
A career in care was always in the cards for Megan Brittain, Michener’s Academic Chair, Foot Care Programs. A career in academia was not. Chiropody would step in to bridge the two and bring her to a leadership role in healthcare education.
“I always knew I wanted to be someone who was able to help other people, but what that looked like exactly I didn’t know for the longest time,” says Megan.
Megan leads Canada’s only English-language chiropody program at The Michener Institute of Education at UHN, which prepares the next wave of chiropodists to provide hands-on, patient-centered care.
How she discovered the profession was a fortunate twist of fate.
While studying at the University of Waterloo, Megan took a trip to the United Kingdom to visit family. During her travels, she noticed signs for podiatry clinics appearing across the UK. Her grandfather also happened to work in foot care in private practice back home in Ontario, which gave her a personal connection to the field and sparked her interest further.
She decided to pursue formal training, and following her studies Megan went on to work within the UK’s National Health Service where she gained valuable professional experience.
Five years later, following her marriage and the start of a successful career overseas, Megan decided to return home to Canada. When she was ready to enter the local workforce, she found another fortunate opening at Michener – an unexpected turn in her journey that she would once again fully embrace.
“Throughout my studies I envisioned myself in private practice, a common route for chiropodists. A career in academia was not my planned trajectory,” she says. “But as I explored my opportunities, I saw the great things being done at Michener to help bolster the profession.”
Megan specifically highlights Michener’s Chiropody Clinic, which is located on-site and provides the ability for students to gain real-world experience as they learn.
“A unique aspect of our program is that our students get to experience hands-on clinical exposure to patients in year one,” she says. “Clinical exposure is integrated every step of the way, every semester. It’s incredibly helpful for our students to apply their learnings as they go.”
Megan says she appreciates the opportunities that have presented themselves, and for the chance to help prepare future foot care specialists to serve those in need.
“It’s a rewarding role to fulfill,” she says. “I’m excited to see all the places where Michener can go to continue to succeed in delivering healthcare professionals into Ontario’s health system.”