mature student - Access course for physiotherapy entry 2020
Hi,
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
Original post by missjones87
Hi,
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
Hi
Sorry for the late answer the tab has been on my browser and fortunately i didnt lose it.
Approach
So I would get some paper and start brainstorming to come up with an action plan or you can do it on the computer.
You need to do where you are now
Where you want to go and why.
Then we need to find a plan or path to get you there.
Physiotherapy
Heres a starting point for physiotherapy. There are other related degrees such as sports science, but if you want a steady job with good employment opportunities, then you might just want general physiotherapy.
Here are the NHS jobs. Its not a bad idea to look and see what it involves plus what they want. Notice there are more junior positions as well.
https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/xi/search_vacancy/
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/physiotherapist/entry-requirements-and-training-physiotherapisT
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/physiotherapist
Physiotherapy degree
So you will need a degree and you need to work backwards to make sure each step is covered.
To find that degree you can use this search engine.
https://digital.ucas.com/search/results?SearchText=Physiotherapy&SearchType=searchbarbutton&pageNumber=2
You need to look at the course, content, consider the uni and then check the entrance requirements.
Its more likely you will be doing an access course rather than A levels, which after school tend to be limited to people self teaching or using an online course. A levels take 2 years and an Access one. As you can get funding for Access and its a shorter time plus you mention it I will assume thats what you want.
Access to HE Level 3 Target grades to meet uni entrance requirements
Access courses normally consist of 45 assessed credits typically split down to 15 units worth 3 credits each.
They will normally express the offer/ entrance requirement in terms of 45 credits with so many at distinction level and so many at merit. i.e 15 distinctions and 30 merits or 30 distinctions and 15 merits would not be unusual. the less competitive the course the less demanding the entrance requirement. Its a long time since you last studies, so you have to be sure you can hit the ground running and start getting those merits and distinctions virtually from the get go. You will need to make sure you have some study skills in place.
Physiotherapy is a bit different from normal health care in that health care access courses tend not to be suitable and they prefer science based one. Imo these are harder. What I have seen is that its not uncommon for them to ask for 15 credits in Biology and the normal health and social care do not meet that criteria.
The choice is then to do a health and social care plus additional qualification maybe an A or AS level or do the science access course, which is going to be more challenging and have maths physics and chemistry in it.
There may be a third option and thats to look to see if anyone does an access course especially for physiotherapy. If you find one you need to check the content and then check with the unis that it meets their criteria before applying.
The level 3 qualification needs to meet the entrance criteria otherwise its a bit pointless for your purposes. Notwithstanding if you decide to do an A level on top, but i would try and avoid that as its a lot of extra work.
You can only find this out by on the one hand checking physio degrees and entrance requirements and then comparing them to your target access courses.
In some cases access students find they want to do an online course for various reasons. Wherever possible I would say do one at a real college with fellow students and a lecturer. Online has some advantages, but also pitfalls. Possible but imo harder.
This is one that first came up on google. I cant vouch for the college, but its an access course that fits your needs I think?
https://ucenmcr.tmc.ac.uk/courses/health-and-physiotherapy
Requirements to join Access course
To get on the course you have what they need which is GCSE English and Maths. I think a B and C will probably be fine although unis at the higher end may request a B in both, but I dont think it will affect you. That puts you ahead of some people because they dont have those.In terms of other courses asking for GCSE science, then the course I pointed allow you to do a GCSE at the same time as access. What you need to check is that its enough for whatever is your target uni.
What do I do if the access course requires GCSE science and i dont have it?
1. Teach yourself [ buy textbook] , see if its available at college or do an online course
Its sat ones a year in the summer. April , May , June.
Besides education what else can i do to improve my application?
1. Application for access course, they will probably want to interview you.= normal who are you why do you want to return to education, why this course, what are strengths and weaknesses, what makes a good physio, what are your future plans, what do you have to offer. Just be prepared and it should be fine.
2. Application for Uni = Good personal statement + reference + efforts to have gained experience in relevant areas. the uni may state how much it wasnt but between 2-6 weeks. You could ofc also get a junior job and get paid for the experience. the be prepared for any interview and any selection day.
Which Uni?
Just use the link I provided to id courses then go to the unis webpage and do further research, nit just on entrance but what its like as a course, place to live etc. Some unis are better than others, cheaper to live, more going on better academic rep etc. the whole process is what people on these forums ask and answer about. Do your research and you will get the best match for you in your circumstances. If you dont do enough research then you risk being on the wrong course at the wrong uni and unhappy. I would say in most cases further away from London the cheaper it will be.
I believe that addresses all your questions/ issues raised? GL.
As part of your plan you may want to start adding key dates / targets as well.
Original post by missjones87
Hi,
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
Hi, I'm a current year two nutrition student at Bournemouth Uni and also a qualified personal trainer since 2005 so we have very similar backgrounds. I started my access to HE science at Bournemouth and Poole college in 2016 and although it was really hard work it set me up well for the first year at uni (learning to reference) and got me used to being back in education!
Generally speaking physio is very competitive so it's important you do your research, from what you've said about why you're interested you already have some great experience and show enthusiasm to improve your knowledge (like I wanted to do with nutritional advice).
If you are not tied to any one location I would recommend looking at each uni and noting what there units are like, what their entry requirements are, how their placements work and make a shortlist. Look at the reviews, contact each uni to see how well they consider access students and if they would prefer higher GCSE grades which you can retake whilst on your access course. After you've looked at each uni online and have been in contact with them regarding criteria, visit them during open days, ask how many places are available, speak to the academic staff and look at facilities, ask lots of questions and try to gauge if you want to study and live there.
I would also recommend trying to gain some work experience, maybe if you can't get into a physio, try local sports massage clinics? Volunteering with occupational health units or at care homes to help with some mobility sessions? Anything like this would look great on your CV. You can include unrelated volunteer work too (charity shop, beach clean etc) but relate it back to physio (you like to help people and make them feel better).
Your interview will be important to show them what you can offer, why would you be a good fit and how does your previous experience as a personal trainer help you decide that you want to be a physio? You'll also need to portray this in your personal statement, always refer to experience and be positive and to the point.
My final suggestion would be to apply to a range of universities, maybe consider at least one "safe choice" due to the competitiveness of the course. Which uni offers more places, which has lower entry requirements - Although you should still want to actually study there!
Best of luck with your journey, it's hard work but will be worth it!
Vicki
I am due to start Access to HE - Allied Health Professions in September and I am going to apply for university for 2020 entry and I have finally found someone to shadow in physiotherapy!!
I would recommend trying to find some physiotherapy shadowing voluntary work. as I went to a university open day and they recommended for me to go and do some physiotherapy shadowing and apparently 850 people applied for 70 places so it can be quite competitive. They also asked me if I had previously volunteered and taught anything which I did a little volunteering when I was at school helping children to read, write and speak.
I would recommend going to a university open day and speaking to the admissions tutor and getting some advice. I am also a mature student.
I would recommend trying to find some physiotherapy shadowing voluntary work. as I went to a university open day and they recommended for me to go and do some physiotherapy shadowing and apparently 850 people applied for 70 places so it can be quite competitive. They also asked me if I had previously volunteered and taught anything which I did a little volunteering when I was at school helping children to read, write and speak.
I would recommend going to a university open day and speaking to the admissions tutor and getting some advice. I am also a mature student.
I went back to college to do an Access to Science course in 2015 after deciding on a career change. I wanted to apply for Physiotherapy, and I did with the relevant work experience etc. However, with the Access course, I felt as if I wasn't as valued when it came to open days and when I made it to an interview stage. I know some courses wanted more credits at access level than what was actually available on the course, so it was impossible to get on!
Unfortunately, I didn't get onto a BSc Physiotherapy course so I applied for BSc Sport Rehabilitation through clearing. The Sport Rehabilitation course has been absolutely fantastic and I would not have a bad thing to say about the course or in fact being a Sport Rehabilitator. I worked hard and put as much effort as possible into the course with the view of studying a pre-reg Physiotherapy masters course following the 3 years. I was fortunate to get a job as a Physiotherapy Assistant throughout the duration of my 3rd year and was accepted onto a pre-reg Physio course this February, ready to start in September, so I cannot wait!
Anyway, I hope your process is not as long winded as mine and that you get onto an undergraduate Physiotherapy course straight away. However, through visits on applicant days and on viewing the module spec for the masters, the Sport Rehab course has more than prepared me for studying Physiotherapy.
Good luck!!
Unfortunately, I didn't get onto a BSc Physiotherapy course so I applied for BSc Sport Rehabilitation through clearing. The Sport Rehabilitation course has been absolutely fantastic and I would not have a bad thing to say about the course or in fact being a Sport Rehabilitator. I worked hard and put as much effort as possible into the course with the view of studying a pre-reg Physiotherapy masters course following the 3 years. I was fortunate to get a job as a Physiotherapy Assistant throughout the duration of my 3rd year and was accepted onto a pre-reg Physio course this February, ready to start in September, so I cannot wait!
Anyway, I hope your process is not as long winded as mine and that you get onto an undergraduate Physiotherapy course straight away. However, through visits on applicant days and on viewing the module spec for the masters, the Sport Rehab course has more than prepared me for studying Physiotherapy.
Good luck!!
Original post by missjones87
Hi,
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
I first qualified as a personal trainer in 2006 after teaching gymnastics. I love the sports coaching aspect with helping people achieve their goals, but when it came to injuries and more depth issues I felt like I wanted to learn more and specialise, also the nature of the wages (min wage) is hard to live on!
I have GCSE Maths -B, English - C, Science -D, AS D&T, Level 3 personal trainer (not counted) so looking at the acces to HE health professions, some uni's want GCSE science even with an access course, would the access cover the modules in a biology gcse? I could do that online as the college I'm looking at doesnt offer it?
Aside from education, what other things can i do to help my application? Work experience and..?
Im not sure which uni's I want to apply to as I havent looked aroubd them yet, generally thinking to move North as it's cheaper (i have no responsibilities) and by the coast so maybe Bournemouth/Plymouth?
Has anyone looked around the programmes?
Any advice will be gladly recieved
Yeah, I went to a uni open day and the access course has to be 60 credits I believe
Wow this is a brilliant example of how to turn a bad experience into something really positive and it's really great to hear that you're now back on track to what you initially wanted to do and have still loved the path to get there! I really hope other students who may feel they're in the same situation as you were stumble across this post and can see that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it. Massive well done and good luck for your course and future career!
Vicki
Vicki
Original post by Wilko931
I went back to college to do an Access to Science course in 2015 after deciding on a career change. I wanted to apply for Physiotherapy, and I did with the relevant work experience etc. However, with the Access course, I felt as if I wasn't as valued when it came to open days and when I made it to an interview stage. I know some courses wanted more credits at access level than what was actually available on the course, so it was impossible to get on!
Unfortunately, I didn't get onto a BSc Physiotherapy course so I applied for BSc Sport Rehabilitation through clearing. The Sport Rehabilitation course has been absolutely fantastic and I would not have a bad thing to say about the course or in fact being a Sport Rehabilitator. I worked hard and put as much effort as possible into the course with the view of studying a pre-reg Physiotherapy masters course following the 3 years. I was fortunate to get a job as a Physiotherapy Assistant throughout the duration of my 3rd year and was accepted onto a pre-reg Physio course this February, ready to start in September, so I cannot wait!
Anyway, I hope your process is not as long winded as mine and that you get onto an undergraduate Physiotherapy course straight away. However, through visits on applicant days and on viewing the module spec for the masters, the Sport Rehab course has more than prepared me for studying Physiotherapy.
Good luck!!
Unfortunately, I didn't get onto a BSc Physiotherapy course so I applied for BSc Sport Rehabilitation through clearing. The Sport Rehabilitation course has been absolutely fantastic and I would not have a bad thing to say about the course or in fact being a Sport Rehabilitator. I worked hard and put as much effort as possible into the course with the view of studying a pre-reg Physiotherapy masters course following the 3 years. I was fortunate to get a job as a Physiotherapy Assistant throughout the duration of my 3rd year and was accepted onto a pre-reg Physio course this February, ready to start in September, so I cannot wait!
Anyway, I hope your process is not as long winded as mine and that you get onto an undergraduate Physiotherapy course straight away. However, through visits on applicant days and on viewing the module spec for the masters, the Sport Rehab course has more than prepared me for studying Physiotherapy.
Good luck!!
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