Sports Medicine

I'm interested in applying to do a degree in this course but while the course itself really interests me, I'm not too sure what kind of jobs it will allow me to get, or wheather it can lead onto postgraduate study. So I was wondering if anyone has done it, as I'm looking for advice on it. Or even what sort of jobs it can eventually lead to?

Cheers folks!

Reply 1

x_dwin_ffeimys_x

11

I'm thinking of putting it downa s my back up plan if I don't get into vet0med, don't know how far I'll get with my PS though. this is waht is says on the glasgow web
"Our graduates have opportunities to pursue an academic career in sports medicine at postgraduate level. The qualification increases the opportunities for employment within the leisure and recreation industry in the provision of health and exercise services. In addition, you are eligible to apply for postgraduate courses in health-related sciences such as physiotherapy"

Reply 2

Ironmike

11

In my experience it qualifies you to get a job that you could have got in 9 out of 10 cases without a degree. Two of my colleagues at the gym have sports science degrees, one of my fellow swimming instructors has one, and a couple of people who coach at my triathlon club.

What is it that you want to do ultimately? If it's coaching/personal training, you can get there a lot quicker/cheaper by taking separate courses. For instance, it took me 6 months as opposed to 3 years to get to the same level on the register of exercise professionals that my sports science qualified colleagues are on. If it's working with top sportsmen/women, well ok you will be qualified to perform lactate testing and other such specialist services, but again, you can do the courses separately, and you also face the fact that it's unlikely you'll come straight out of university and onto the GB olympic coaching team.

In my experience it seems to be a course that leads onto doing other qualifications. Believe me, you don't want to do a degree, run up 20k of debt, and then work in the leisure industry for £7 an hour. I know a few people who have gone on to do a physiotherapy Msc, and then yes the degree coupled with the masters would be an awesome combination.

Reply 3

Iain333

OP

Ironmike

What is it that you want to do ultimately? If it's coaching/personal training, you can get there a lot quicker/cheaper by taking separate courses.

That is the sort of thing I wsa interested in the long run, do you have any idea where I could get information on this?

Ironmike

I know a few people who have gone on to do a physiotherapy Msc, and then yes the degree coupled with the masters would be an awesome combination.

This was what I was thinking about doing, if I do go in for sports medicine actually. But then was thinking maybe tehre is a mroe direct route to getting into the same jobs without doing another year or whatever.

Thanks a lot though!

Reply 4

Ironmike

11

Iain333

That is the sort of thing I wsa interested in the long run, do you have any idea where I could get information on this?

There are a number of training providers that do the courses. Possibly the biggest one in the industry is premier whose website is below.

http://www.premierglobal.co.uk/home

I believe their course takes you to level 3 advanced, and you can do it intensively over 12 weeks. I did my qualifications through the YMCA and then NASM. Basically, you need to do a level 2 qualification first which you can do in 5 weeks through places such as the YMCA, and then you can go on to do level 3 and then go further such as specialising in corrective exercise or performance. Level 3 is 12 weeks if done intensively, but you only actually attend the venue for 8-10 days in the period, otherwise its all self directed learning. The Further courses again are about 12 weeks I believe. In all honesty, there is nothing difficult in any of the courses, and you will breeze through them, especially if you have prior gym knowledge/experience.

What the sports science degree gives you ontop of this is more tools such as lactate testing and greater anatomical depth.

Iain333

This was what I was thinking about doing, if I do go in for sports medicine actually. But then was thinking maybe tehre is a mroe direct route to getting into the same jobs without doing another year or whatever.

Thanks a lot though!

This is the one caveat to doing PT awards as opposed to a degree. You will not be eligible to go onto the Msc physio program without a related subject to degree level. Also, the Msc programs are very competitive, some say more so than the Bsc, so you need to factor this into your decision. It's by no means guaranteed that you will do a sports science degree and then get onto a physio program. Furthermore, those I spoke to during my placement were buried under a deluge of work as you are cramming into 18 months what you usually take 3 years to do on the Bsc.

It sounds very much as if you could take a similar route to myself to get to where you want to go. I did all my PT awards and am now studying physio. When I graduate, I will be able to continue coaching/PT'ing individuals, but will also have the physio side behind me. If ulitmately you think you want to end up in physiotherapy, I'd skip the sports science degree and get an application into the Bsc program this year. You would be more than capable of breezing through the PT exams over the holidays, especially given that what you will learn on a physio degree is way above and beyond the depth that the PT qualifications go into.

Reply 5

x_dwin_ffeimys_x

11

Ironmike

There .

just wanted to quote you to get your attention :smile:

can't you study physio therapy like your first degree anywhere?

Reply 6

Ironmike

11

x_dwin_ffeimys_x

just wanted to quote you to get your attention :smile:

can't you study physio therapy like your first degree anywhere?

Yeah you can. There are 40 or so universities around the country that do the Bsc, and a few of them also run the Msc course.

Reply 7

x_dwin_ffeimys_x

11

Ironmike

Yeah you can. There are 40 or so universities around the country that do the Bsc, and a few of them also run the Msc course.

whcih course is the best one to do?

Reply 8

Ironmike

11

Not sure I understand whether you mean which university is best, or whether the Bsc or Msc is best. In terms of universities, because the course is so competitive, the physio departments tend to be very highly rated. Of the ones I applied to, all had got excellent ratings. I think you would be well catered for on any course in all honesty.

In terms of whether the Bsc or Msc is better, it largely depends on you. To get onto the Msc, you have to have a relevant degree already such as sports science, and then its 18 months start to finish. For the Bsc its 3-4 years. I have heard that the Msc is more competitive, and I met a couple of people on one in Birmingham whilst on placement, and they said the workload was very intense. You are after all cramming 3 years into 18 months.

I would say that if you have no relevant degree already, and know you want to do physio in the long term, then do the Bsc. If you are like the OP, and have a good idea as to which direction you want to head, then you need to weigh up your options as to whether a physio degree is the right one for you.

Reply 9

Iain333

OP

Thanks a lot for the advice, It'shelped a lot!

Hoping to go to Uni and do the personal trainer course in the summer at somepoint.

Sports Medicine

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