Claude H. Côté

Claude H. Côté became in 1985 the first non-clinician professor ever hired for the physiotherapy program and has had a remarkable impact on rehabilitation as a teacher, researcher, and manager. He has left an indelible mark on the field both in the University and outside it.

Training the future

Claude H. Côté has maintained an exemplary commitment to teaching and dedication to students throughout his 36-year career. Multiple evaluations attest to his excellence as a teacher, to his ability to establish a dynamic learning environment that awakens students’ intellectual curiosity.

At the graduate level, Professor Côté has supervised a large number of students: 14 at the master’s and 13 at the doctoral level. He has also directed 25 research fellows. More than 85% of his doctoral trainees no hold university positions. Such are his contributions to developing the next generation of teachers.

In 2004, he became the first director of the Faculty of Medicine’s new Department of Rehabilitation. His innovative ideas have enriched the student experience. He was instrumental in transitioning the occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs toward the bachelor–master’s continuum and in managing the relocation of all programs to the new interdisciplinary teaching complex. He was deeply involved in developing programs in Audiology and Rehabilitation Sciences. He was among the founders of the University’s speech-language pathology teaching clinic and physiotherapy clinic, two projects attesting to his commitment to the provision of practical, hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Today, Claude H. Côté still pursues his passion by teaching seniors at Université Laval’s Université du 3^e Âge.

Research that makes waves

Professor Côté has made important contributions to research. Between 1986 and 2016, he brought in close to $3.5 million in uninterrupted funding. In the course of his career he has published 77 scientific papers, delivered 179 presentations and given 32 lectures. His research has influenced professional practice in the management of musculoskeletal injuries. His contributions to committees and collaborative projects have added to his influence in the research, academic and professional communities.

The awards and distinctions that Claude H. Côté has received reflect that considerable influence in the field. He was awarded a prize from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis and the 2004 Quality of Life Research Award. He was honoured by Québec’s professional order of physiotherapists at its 2016 annual conference for his contributions to physiotherapy in Québec City. In 2021 he was presented with Prix Grande contribution à la réadaptation (Major Contribution to Rehabilitation Award) from the Department of Rehabilitation.

Professor Côté has been very involved in the administrative apparatus of the Faculty of Medicine. Under his leadership respectful and constructive links were established between program actors, resulting in an environment conducive to collaborative work and innovation. He is also the only professor in the Faculty of Medicine’s contemporary history to have held three distinct vice-deanships. From 2010 to 2018 he was associate dean of rehabilitation studies, in 2019 was acting vice dean of research and graduate studies, and in 2021 acting vice dean of social responsibility.

His enduring legacy extends well beyond the walls of the university to inspire future generations to take up teaching and shape the future of rehabilitation.