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Top rated universities for physio??

Hey, i've just finished college and now moving on to my gap year before university entry in 2007. i have BBBb in my A levels so now im looking into applying for physiotherapy at uni... i have a fair idea of where im hoping to apply but i was just wondering whether anyone knows of which universities are best for the course?? I've been searching for info on this but all the rankings and university tables ive found are very general, nothing specific to physiotherapy.... can anyone help?? :smile:

Mel

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Reply 1
Mel2077
Hey, i've just finished college and now moving on to my gap year before university entry in 2007. i have BBBb in my A levels so now im looking into applying for physiotherapy at uni... i have a fair idea of where im hoping to apply but i was just wondering whether anyone knows of which universities are best for the course?? I've been searching for info on this but all the rankings and university tables ive found are very general, nothing specific to physiotherapy.... can anyone help?? :smile:

Mel

There are no league tables for Physio. The "best" uni's tend to be those that have been around longest, but I use the term "best" loosely as length of time around doesn't necessarily equate to having a decent course if you see what I mean. The uni's that have the best reputation appear to be Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Kings, Georges.........but to be honest its abit like a medicine degree now - where you get yuor degree from means nothing in the grand scheme of things as long as you get it, and you appear to be equally emplyable as anyone else.

As someone who has eben through the application process twice I would suugest you get the prospectuses of the uni's your interested and look at the layout of the course.......look at how much emphasis they place on theory compared to practical, how much self directed work there is, how often you're in ect and go for the course that best suits the way you work.............every uni is different despite offering the same course. For example, Georges students are in 5 days a week most days, with gaps given for working, whereas UEL only have 3 days a week and you're expected to work on the other 2 days..........generally Georges tend to place alot of emphasis on practical whilst it appears that this is less so on courses like Kings.

I would consider reputation when you're thinking of where you want to go, but don't let it blind you when you make your final decision. Reputation is great however, its not going to help you pass your degree if they work in a way that is totally unsuited to your learning habits
Reply 2
I thought Queen Margaret in Edinburgh had a very high reputation for physiotherapy. I just got that information from the Head of Physiotherapy at my local hospital who said if she was hiring someone she would prefer a four year degree rather than a three year one. She's also heard a lot of good things about QMUC. The fees are a big issue though, and I'm sure Jackie was just talking about England.

Another thing you might want to consider is that some courses allow you summers off, while some have placements during summer. The prestige value in physiotherapy degrees are hardly that important, I'd presume it's what kind of degree you come out the other end with.

Good luck with your application either way, it's difficult, but not impossible. Experience experience experience...!!!!
Reply 3
Improbably
I thought Queen Margaret in Edinburgh had a very high reputation for physiotherapy. I just got that information from the Head of Physiotherapy at my local hospital who said if she was hiring someone she would prefer a four year degree rather than a three year one. She's also heard a lot of good things about QMUC. The fees are a big issue though, and I'm sure Jackie was just talking about England.

Another thing you might want to consider is that some courses allow you summers off, while some have placements during summer. The prestige value in physiotherapy degrees are hardly that important, I'd presume it's what kind of degree you come out the other end with.

Good luck with your application either way, it's difficult, but not impossible. Experience experience experience...!!!!

Queen Margarets does have a good reputation you're right. Its ok to prefer to 4 year to a 3 year but at the end of the day only a handful of students will have that now as with the exception of scotland physios degrees in the UL are 3 years long (with the exception of the fast track MScs obviously). Fees are definitely a huge issue - no fee support in scotland if I remember correctly - and its about 6k per year if you want to do the fast track (but I'm not sure about the 3 year).

My personal opinion is that you wouldn't want placements during the summer......I was knackered at the end of my first year and these 3 months off has been great to refresh and revitalise myself for next year and my up and coming placement..........I also would prefer no placements during summer as I need to earn cash to pay for next year! But each to their own!

At the end of the day - a good reputation will only get you so far............its not going to guarantee you're a good physio and work well with your patients. What will help to guaranteeing this is a course that works very well alongside your learning habits and well as your personal and social situation, and a place where you feel comfy and at home. No point going to a uni you feel is "snobbish and stuffy" just cos yu think it'll give you an upper hand over the others applying. It about what you learn, how you use it, and how you apply yourself

Where are you thinking of applying?
Reply 4
i agree with jackie, when i made my decisions i looked at how the course was run (ie how much theory and practical) and made my decision from that. Im going to study at St Georges because i learn better practically rather than full on theory, but you might like more theory than practical. good luck!!
Reply 5
I think it's silly to get elitist about which uni is best. The physio degree is already elitist enough as it's so hard to get onto, it doesn't need to be taken any further. As long as you get a good degree at the end of the course, I really don't think it matters. Also, work experience will count for a lot too when coming to apply for jobs. If you do some form of care work\nursing\work experience with physios in the holidays\term time, that will count for a lot more on your CV than if you stack shelves in tesco part time or do nothing. It's best to go with which uni you feel is best and which you will be most comfortable at, although not everybody is lucky enough to get their first choice of uni. Good luck anyway.
Reply 6
Thanks guys, lots of helpful comments :smile:

JackieS
Where are you thinking of applying?


At the moment im thinking... Kings, Liverpool, Sheffield hallam, Keele, Nottingham and one other... maybe manchester met or salford?? its difficult. i dont really want to move all the way up to scotland or way down south to plymouth/brighton/etc. i know places like cardiff, birmingham and southampton are out as i dont have the grades. My mind changes constantly as i read through the different prospectuses so i have some open days lined up to get a better insight!
Reply 7
Before I applied I thought the best uni's would be Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester etc. But having spoken to qualified physio's a degree in physio is a degree in physio no matter where you get it from. I go to Keele and apparently it has a better reputation than I thought-I chose to go there coz I liked the place and the course so reputation is just a bonus!

Mel I too didn't want to travel too far North or South I applied to: Keele, Salford, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bradford and Leeds Met. Best thing is to have a look at them at open days.
Reply 8
Well that is a relief to hear that the physio degree u obtain is not judged on where u studied. takes some of the pressure off. Out of interest which of those require interview?? because i always thought that every pysio course required interview but after reading a little deeper it seems that some dont... which i think is rather strange?
Reply 9
Mel2077
Well that is a relief to hear that the physio degree u obtain is not judged on where u studied. takes some of the pressure off. Out of interest which of those require interview?? because i always thought that every pysio course required interview but after reading a little deeper it seems that some dont... which i think is rather strange?



Keele and Salford don't, don't think Leeds Met or Bradford do either as my letter back off them said that they selected using a computer draw out of all suitable applicants. I'm pretty sure Nottingham do interview tho.
Reply 10
rugby_gal
Keele and Salford don't, don't think Leeds Met or Bradford do either as my letter back off them said that they selected using a computer draw out of all suitable applicants. I'm pretty sure Nottingham do interview tho.

I think the uni's listed above don't interview - all the remaining ones do though....
Reply 11
rugby_gal
Keele and Salford don't, don't think Leeds Met or Bradford do either as my letter back off them said that they selected using a computer draw out of all suitable applicants. I'm pretty sure Nottingham do interview tho.


Bradford do interview, but don't let that put you off. They're really nice, and their facilities and course structure are excellent. Leeds Met don't interview, they just screen applications and put the ones they like into a computer-selection programme. The down side to this is that they get a huge number of applications and I think they've only got about 40 places on offer, so you need to be lucky.
i have a place on leeds met physio course, they have cut the numbers down to about 36 i think now. so it is just a lottery
Reply 13
Masterplanner
i have a place on leeds met physio course, they have cut the numbers down to about 36 i think now. so it is just a lottery

alot of places have been cut to deal with the amount of future graduates without jobs........
Reply 14
i do not like this lottery system. i agree its a good way to handle the huge amount of applicants for just a few course places but to think that a computer is deciding whether i do or dont get into my favourite universities.... hmmmmm....
Reply 15
Mel2077
i do not like this lottery system. i agree its a good way to handle the huge amount of applicants for just a few course places but to think that a computer is deciding whether i do or dont get into my favourite universities.... hmmmmm....


yea i know its shocking and to think your probably a much better applicant than the few the computer picks at random.
Reply 16
Hi
I got a letter offering me a place from Herts, they never even interviewed me! Nottinghams interview was a little tense I was given a debate topic, and well had to debate it :frown: plus two separate people interview you, Keele ask you to give them a five minute presentation, which wasnt so bad I made a hand out using power point which they seemed to be impressed by, but I chose Herts!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply 17
Improbably
I thought Queen Margaret in Edinburgh had a very high reputation for physiotherapy. I just got that information from the Head of Physiotherapy at my local hospital who said if she was hiring someone she would prefer a four year degree rather than a three year one. She's also heard a lot of good things about QMUC. The fees are a big issue though, and I'm sure Jackie was just talking about England.

Another thing you might want to consider is that some courses allow you summers off, while some have placements during summer. The prestige value in physiotherapy degrees are hardly that important, I'd presume it's what kind of degree you come out the other end with.

Good luck with your application either way, it's difficult, but not impossible. Experience experience experience...!!!!


LOL I won't disagree, I'm at QMU!!:wink:

In Scotland QMU is generally well respected, but there are only 3 uni's in scotland that do physio so there aren't that many to compare! I know QMU seem to do more exams anyway than the other two...:rolleyes: The 4 year course is only structured that way because students are at uni in year 1 and 2, year 3 is all placements (5 placements with small gaps between each) year 4 is dissertation and 2 more placements. My course (Msc) is different in that we do our placements over the summer, oh and get no holidays! I agree with Jackie, I've not really minded doing placements over the summer but if you want to earn money then you need your summer hols! I don't think any undergrad programmes do placements over the summers though so you are pretty safe!:smile:

Don't worry about 'best' uni's, I would look at things like number of clinical placements you go on, where they will be (really crucial if you don't want to go miles away for 6 weeks) and the variety of areas you will work in. Everything else is much the same wherever you go...
I would also suggest looking at the module content as well. I've been looking at Northumbria's modules and they seem to be a lot more social science based than I am doing at Teesside.

Fine, if you want to do stacks of behavioural study or to do research after you graduate but not quite as interesting, imo, as having modules which aim to produce a good, knowledgeable physiotherapist.

At Northumbria

http://northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=UUFPHY1


And at Teesside

http://www.tees.ac.uk/Undergraduate_courses/Health_&_Social_Care/BSc_(Hons)_Physiotherapy.cfm

One thing I don't like about Northumbria's programme is the early placement after just six weeks. In reality you probably know very little and can't do very much except stand around watching. At Teesside there is an observational placement during the first year but the real placements don't start until year two. I feel more confident about the year two placements because I already have gained a lot of knowledge during year one. I'm not sure that I would like to be thrown to the wolves after just 6 weeks!


And most important when you are choosing where you want to work after uni. It would be helpful to have worked in that region, so that you know the places and the people rather than, say, training in Glasgow and working in Brighton. It would make more sense to train in Brighton.
Reply 19
jinglepupskye
And most important when you are choosing where you want to work after uni. It would be helpful to have worked in that region, so that you know the places and the people rather than, say, training in Glasgow and working in Brighton. It would make more sense to train in Brighton.


Very true, well said:biggrin:

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