The Situation

In August 2017, the College was contacted by the Executive Director of a Family Health Team. She explained that a Kelvin (Karl) Cheung had applied for the Director of Allied Health Programs & Services, a position involving supervision of around 100 clinical staff who work with family physicians.

The role did not involve physiotherapy treatment, but did require the applicant to be registered with an Ontario regulatory College. Mr. Cheung had presented himself as a physiotherapist and referenced a “Bachelor of Medical Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy” in his resume.

The Executive Director soon came across an article by the CBC about Cheung’s convictions of forgery and false representation (see articles here and here). She immediately rescinded the offer of employment, and told the College she felt it necessary to bring the matter to the College’s attention. Our official statement is here.

The Standard

As the regulatory body established by the provincial government to oversee the practice of the more than 8,800 physiotherapists in Ontario, our role is to protect and serve the public interest by ensuring physiotherapists provide high quality, competent and ethical services.

In Ontario, only someone registered with our College may identify themselves as a physiotherapist (or physical therapist) or use any abbreviations of these titles.

Kelvin Cheung was not registered with the College and is therefore prohibited by law from referring to himself as a physiotherapist or using any abbreviation. He was also prohibited from misleading others into believing he was a physiotherapist who can practice in Ontario.

The Lesson

The Family Health Team did not check the College’s website (the Public Register/Find a Physiotherapist) to confirm if Kelvin Cheung was registered or to look for any conduct history before offering him a position at their business.

Physiotherapy professionals, clinic owners and members of the public alike are encouraged to visit our website at www.collegept.org to see if a potential hire or health care professional is registered with the College. Use the Public Register to confirm this information for you. And if you cannot find the person, you can always contact the College to inquire at registration@collegept.org.