Kerri Huck

2008 Bella Coola, B.C.

Second year Physical Therapy student Kerri Huck recently completed her IRPbc placement in Bella Coola, B.C. from May to June 2008.  Originally from a small town, when Kerri heard of IRPbc through an instructor her interest was sparked because of her desire to return to a small town for both learning and practice.  Kerri’s time in Bella Coola was marked not only by an excellent learning opportunity, enjoyment of small town living and a strong sense of community but also by the natural beauty in the area. “Bella Coola is gorgeous! I’d heard of hiking and biking opportunities before I left and I was not disappointed when I got there.” 

As a Physical Therapy student, Kerri often works with other disciplines as part of the process of patient care. With a chance to both live and work with nursing students, Kerri found that her scope of practice evolved in a way that was of great benefit to the patients of Bella Coola. “Working in a small town is very different than working in a bigger centre. I’ve found that in small rural communities you get a chance to gain a lot of independence in your practice because they tend to have so few medical professionals.  In order to provide good patient care, you have to wear a lot of different hats. Not only did I get to work very closely with the nursing students but I also found that the barriers of who does which roles are blurred a bit more. This means I really had a chance to practice collaboratively and get involved in all aspects of patient care.”

Kerri’s time with IRPbc was a richly rewarding experience that has helped to influence the path of her professional life. “I definitely see myself back in a small town when I begin practicing. Who knows, maybe there will be a place for me in Bella Coola.”

“Are you a former IRPbc student?  If so, email Kathy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and let us know what you’re doing now. We look forward to hearing from you!”