Physio Help Please

Exactly as above. The admissions tutors are the ones who will be making the decision as to whether they want you or not. As a mature student, you may well have been better off doing one of the access to science courses as opposed to separate A levels, but I guess its a bit late for that now!

I was a personal trainer (still am) for two years before starting physio in September, and I am also a mature student, so I can tell you from experience that that combination worked for me. The PT stuff and working with the public in a gym gave me a lot of experience to talk about at interview, and as for the work experience, I just did a couple of observation days, nothing major. Being a mature student definitely won't count against you, and in my view, your life experience strengthens your application.

Is it as hard as people make out to get a job in gym instruction/personal training?
I've considered doing a fast track course with either 'The Training Room' or the YMCA but dont know if I'll be throwing a couple of grand straight away.
I know I'd be dropping my earnings for a year but if it gets me into Uni then its well worth it.
Also should I fail with getting onto physiotherapy could I take a degree in Sports Therapy then take a masters in physiotherapy of even another undergraduate physiotherapy course?

Thanks alot

It isn't easy, but it isn't too hard. I used to work the gym floor as a Saturday job and was doing something else 9-5 Monday to Friday. Left what I was doing during the week, took a massive paycut and the gym paid for me to do my PT quals. For me it worked out very well, and had I not had given up my well paid city job for something I loved, then I wouldn't be doing physio at all now I'm sure.

In all honesty, I don't think that being a qualified PT is going to help or hinder you in itself, but it gives you lots of things you can talk about on your application or at interview. For instance, I was asked how I would deal with difficult situations, and working in the gym, I had a load. I was asked about teamwork, and again, had loads of evidence from where I work. Asked why I wanted to do physio, I could talk about all the people I have trained with MS, arthritis, GP referals etc and how that sparked my interest. Just being a PT isn't going to do you any favours, but another thing is that it is a great job to have whilst studying. I can fit in a few hours here and there around my study, whereas if you were working in many other professions, you would have to be in at a set time and stay there. Compare for instance working 8 hours on a Friday night in the SU bar to doing a few hours in a gym.

With regards to sports therapy, I would probably advise against it. You can do an Msc in physio and it will take 18 months, but 1) the Msc is supposedly more competitive than the Bsc to get into, and 2) you will in essence be doing two very similar degrees, and acruing a lot of debt.

If I were in your position, I would get as much physio experience as I could, both private and NHS. The rest of it such as how you deal with difficult situations, and how you work in a team you can get from whatever you are doing at the moment I would have thought.