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Physiotherapy Students?

Hello! I was just wondering if any physio students, or people who may have had physio can help me out, by telling me a bit more about what a physio really does?
I'm not sure whether to apply for the course or not, so could you tell me please a little about what you learn on your course/what you think/challenges you face, sort of thing please!
It'll be much appreciated!
:-)

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my E10i

Reply 1

Ironmike

Original post by george.e

http://www.csp.org.uk/professional-union/careers-development

Reply 2

george.e

Thanks. I was kind of hoping for some first hand experience though.

Reply 3

ChrisWilliams

Original post by george.e

Thanks. I was kind of hoping for some first hand experience though.

That is first hand experience. In fact, you can't get more first hand than the CSP for Physiotherapy and it's issues.

Reply 4

Ironmike

Original post by george.e

Thanks. I was kind of hoping for some first hand experience though.

George, read the page and follow the link that pretty much describes what a physio does and where they work. As said above, this is how the professional body describes the career.

If you want a VERY general overview in relation to your questions:

1) There are three main areas to physio - Musculoskeletal (outpatients/sports injuries etc), respiratory and neurological. There are then other areas such as women's health, mental health paeds etc.

2) What I learned? Well this is impossible to sum up in a few lines. Everything to do with the areas mentioned above, anatomy, movement, diagnosis and treatment etc. Ontop there is a lot of psychosocial stuff around how to relate to tricky patients, reflections on what went well or what I could improve, professional accountability, government policy, white papers, management theory. There is loads - the universities should have a list on their webpages regarding what the course content is, I would look there.

3) Challenges, well this will be individual. I am a mature student and my biggest challenge was having to work 20 hours a week or so ontop of a 9-5 university/placement week, and then write essays and all the rest of it. I had pretty much no respite during term time - wake up, work, eat if I was lucky, go to bed. Academically I wouldn't say the material is that hard, there is just a lot of it.

I would suggest if you want to find out more that you get yourself some shadowing. If you want to go into the NHS for shadowing (recommended) then you need to allow plenty of time. I know of places taking up to a year to get students booked in for a couple of days observation. There is high demand and not a lot of places. Private practice can be easier, but you will likely just see sports injury type stuff. If you are on a gap year, or working up to one you could look to get a job as a rehab assistant, though again, the competition is very fierce for these places as a lot of qualified physios are taking them due to there being limited junior jobs.