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Getting into Physiotherapy BSC

Basically, I really want to do physiotherapy. I am predicted 3 Distinctions in BTEC extended in applied science l3, I should be applying next week and I still haven't got any work experience. But I have wrote on my personal statement that I am on the verge of starting the experience (which is sort of true) ?

also willing to do physiotherapy at MMU, Salford! and Keele,

Reply 1

SaraK96

If you have written that on your personal statement, ideally, by the time the interview comes, you should have already carried out the work experience. At least that's what the admissions tutor at Nottingham told me. On your personal statement, add what you hope to achieve from your work experience.

Reply 2

llamasareright

It doesn't matter if you can't shadow a physiotherapist, what matters is that you show initiative, a passion for the subject and the ability to work hard.

I couldn't get a placement in an NHS setting so I volunteered with my local youth group, in a nursing home and also at my local Riding for the Disabled group. I was lucky and had contacts in the private sector who weren't so fussy about me being under 18. But you need to get on top of your work experience, from what I remember Nottingham are VERY picky about work experience and will ensure that you have actually done it, so for god's sake, don't lie.

It's about not being afraid to get your hands dirty and do some long hours in a job that you're not particularly keen on (trust me, a whole shift looking after people in a nursing home can be both unpleasant and EXHAUSTING). Physio is a bloody tough degree and they want to make sure that you can stay the course.

Don't just rattle off what you did on your work experience no matter how impressive it was, you need to tell them what you actually learnt. You can wait until a bit later if your school will let you, the UCAS deadline isn't for ages, so I would wait until you have at least some work experience under your belt. If you haven't done any work experience at all then you need to go to the library, do some research and again tell them what you learnt on your personal statement - in order to boost mine I mentioned that I had looked at case studies in burns and plastics and also took a scientific report about SCIs when I went to the interview process which they found pretty impressive.

In case you hadn't guessed I've already been through the whole process and got accepted so if you want any more help don't hesitate to ask. But you basically need to do exactly what they told you to do on the open days.

Another thing - physio is EXTREMELY competitive so don't be disheartened if you get some rejections. All of my friends applied for degrees where there were more spaces than applicants so all of them got all five choices whereas I only got three. Most courses you'll be looking at will have no more than about thirty five places and over two thousand applicants - you'll be competing against roughly 100 people per place. So your application needs to be at its absolute best, don't be fooled by thinking it's going to be an easy ride.