Alumni Spotlight: Evan Wilton

While working as a physiotherapist at Vancouver Coastal Health, Evan Wilton valued the difference he could make in patients’ lives. Over time, he also began to see the limits of his influence within a purely clinical role. “I knew I could always make an impact as a physiotherapist,” he says. “But I wanted to build the skills to influence care at a broader, system level while staying connected to clinical practice.”

That perspective was shaped by his own experience navigating the health system. After training in Scotland, Evan moved to BC in 2020 and went through the licensing process as an internationally educated physiotherapist. During COVID-19, the cancellation of national licensing exams left many graduates unable to complete registration requirements, even as workforce shortages intensified across the sector. For Evan, it brought into focus the gap between system-level decision-making and its real-world impact on clinicians and patients.

Motivated by these experiences, Evan sought opportunities to contribute more directly to system-level work. He was elected by his peers to the Board of Directors of the College of Physical Therapists of BC, where he worked alongside the registrar and leadership team on issues related to registration, quality assurance and professional regulation. 

“It exposed me to a side of health care I hadn’t seen before and gave me a deeper appreciation for the complexity of regulatory decision-making and the importance of balancing multiple perspectives.”

Pursuing a master’s degree became a natural next step. The MHLP stood out as an in-person program that would allow him to continue working part-time while developing the leadership, policy, and systems-level skills needed to support broader change.

Thriving in a dynamic learning environment

Evan says that from his first few weeks, he knew the MHLP was the right decision. “It was energizing to be in a room of critical thinkers and problem-solvers,” he says. “My classmates had diverse backgrounds but, like me, were motivated to improve how things are done. They want things to get better and they want to be the people who are guiding and leading those changes.”

MHLP students take business and leadership courses taught through UBC Sauder’s Robert H. Lee Graduate School of Business – one of the world’s top-ranked business schools – alongside engineers, architects and city planners in the Master of Engineering Leadership program. “There is so much crossover between the two skill sets and how you identify issues and problem solve,” says Evan. “Whether you’re talking about managing teams or resolving conflict, it’s very powerful to be in a room with 20 others with such breadth of experience. I’ve done a lot of schooling in my life, but I’ve never before been in an education setting like this where everyone is fully participating and committed to innovation.”

Examining licensing pathways in his practicum

Clinical Education students complete a four-month practicum in the last semester of the program. Evan worked with the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia to conduct an environmental review of licensing pathways for internationally educated physiotherapists.

Through interviews with decision makers across the private and public sectors — including clinic owners and leaders responsible for rolling out physiotherapy services in primary care — he identified gaps in how new clinicians are supported in different practice settings. His work highlighted the need for more tailored transition supports to improve consistency, retention and workforce integration.

Advancing quality initiatives across VCH

Evan finished his degree at the end of December 2024 and transitioned into a role as a Quality Lead, Clinical Quality and Safety, at Vancouver Coastal Health. He now works with teams across long-term care, rehabilitation and community programs to identify improvement initiatives, conduct root cause analyses, provide mentorship and coaching, and support resource planning.

He also helps build structures to share best practices, so that high-performing teams can more easily share their ideas, enabling others to implement these practices or scale them up.

“I didn’t want to spend my entire day behind a desk,” he says. “I like getting out to sites and engaging with diverse teams of clinicians. It’s rewarding to see teams come up with and implement ideas and then see those ideas spread more broadly.”

Advice for future MHLP students

Evan says that the technical knowledge, business education and leadership experiences he gained in the MHLP opened the door to his current role. Looking back on the program, he encourages new students to attend events, connect with others and be curious.

“Put yourself in rooms with people who care about the world and are curious about how to make it better,” he says. 

“Some of my most meaningful experiences of the MHLP were the conversations with people who were further along in their careers and wanted to help. After every event I felt inspired by the people I’d met or the conversations I’d had with my classmates. It’s all part of the process of developing a better understanding of yourself and what you have to offer.”