Would you describe yourself as a ‘people person’? Are you interested in helping others in a hands on way? A career as a Physiotherapist may be the one for you!
In this article, we’ll go through pathways into the industry, roles and responsibilities of a physiotherapist, the future growth of this career and more.
Let’s get to know someone in the industry!
Meet Josh
What is a Physiotherapist?
Steps to Becoming a Physiotherapist
Future Outlook
Best Thing & Worst Thing
Advice for Aspiring Physiotherapists
Meet Josh
Josh is currently a physiotherapist in a hospital (also referred to as the public sector).
How did you end up in this role?
To get into this role, Josh did the following:
- Gotabove a credit average for his GPA by the end of fourth yearto be eligible
- Applied for thePhysiotherapy Allocation Program
- Put down his preferences for which hospital he wanted to work in，在他想工作的顺序中 - 这需要回答一系列标记的问题，并根据谁提供最佳答复的申请人进行排名
- If you score well enough,you may be offered an interview at one of your chosen hospitals— the interviews are competitive so not everyone who gets offered an interview will get a position (so prepare well for them!)
- If you are successful in the interview, you will be offered a 12-month contractat the hospital you interviewed for
Studies and Experience
Josh studied aBachelor of Physiotherapyat university!
As part of his course, he hadfive weeks of placement in the third year of his degree at Nepean Hospital.He and his cohort then did20 consecutive weeks of placement in fourth year, spending five weeks in each different area of practice.
是什么让您想在这个行业工作？
What is a Physiotherapist?
Physiotherapy is a form of healthcare. It involves治疗患者以减轻疼痛，改善运动和协调，增强肌肉并改善呼吸功能。
Physiotherapistsuse a range of different equipment and exercises, including massage and hydrotherapy, to help patients!Often, physios consult other healthcare professionals about patients’ needs.
Roles and Responsibilities
Key roles for physios include:
- 管理测试on patients to identify and assess any physical problems
- Designing treatment programsfor these patients and then treating patients as needed
- Continuallymonitoring change in patients’ healthand adapting treatments as needed
- Consulting with other health professionalsto come up with the best treatment plans
- Helping patients and their families to continue treatment at home(this may involve specific exercise, rest, or monitoring injuries)
- Recording all treatmentsgiven to patients
- Creating preventative health programsto stop individuals or groups from needing treatment
哪些行业可以发现理疗吗?
There are several types of physio practices available. Some of these include:
| Type of Practice | Description |
|---|---|
| Private Practice | This is what most of us think of when we consider physiotherapy. This often involves treating sport injuries and seeing regular patients. |
| Rehabilitation | Can help patients who have had significant surgery or severe accidents. This is often a longer form of treatment which helps people function as normally as possible. |
| 公共实践 | Also known as working in a hospital, this involves treating patients across many different wards. Sometimes, physios help people recover after surgery. Other times, they treat people who have endured a brain injury or are suffering from cardiovascular issues. |
At the start of a typical day working in a hospital,physios will read up on patients notes to find out who needs treatments for the day and if any medical complications have happened over night.
有一个prioritisation systemso each physio knows who they need to treat for the day.
For the rest of the day,physios are out seeing patients in different wards. They must document all treatments。Before leaving for the day, each physio finalises their patient notes and enters any important information into a specialised system for other workers to see.
What jobs do people sometimes confuse this with?
Sometimes, physiotherapy is confused with occupational therapy. These professions often work together, but they are distinct in their functions!
Aphysio works specifically on improving the physical movement and functionof a patient’s body. Anoccupational therapist helps patients perform and adapt to daily tasks,despite impairment.
Characteristics and Qualities
There are a number of skills that physiotherapists are characterised by. You’ll find that physios will need to have a high level oforal expression在order to communicate clearly with patients!
They’ll also need to have在ductive reasoning, which requires using lots of detailed information to come up with solutions.Oral comprehensionis another quality that phyios should have in order to listen and understand what it being told to them.
Deductive reasoningand问题发现are other skills needed in order to solve problems and notice if something is likely to go wrong!
Steps to Becoming a Physiotherapist
What should you study?
You can become a physio throughstudying an undergraduate degree.
Many universities offer aBachelor of Physiotherapy or a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy)。You can find a list of NSW courses这里！
Check out these universities for their Physiotherapy degrees:
Graduates should also register with a body like theAustralian Physiotherapy Associationfor support.
How long does it take to become a Physiotherapist?
The average physiotherapy degree isfour years in lengthand involvesat least 20 weeks of placement.This can vary slightly between different universities.
Industry Knowledge
An undergraduate degree willteach you most things you need to know about practicingas a physiotherapist.
Many physios in public practice now use a system calledPowerChartto document treatment notes.
Physios also need to have goodreading comprehension, beactive listenersand have greatbedside manner.
What will this career look like in the future?
How in-demand is this career?
According toJobOutlook, physiotherapy has avery high growth rate.
Though public practice is particularly hard to find employment in,there’s a lot of opportunity to work in private practice.
Are there opportunities to grow or specialise?
Physios may also choose to specialise in a specific area, likesport or women’s health。JobOutlook suggests that this can在crease chances for employment!
Salary
| Annual Salary | Future Growth | Skill Level Rating |
|---|---|---|
| $75,000+ | 在接下来的5年中非常强大 | Very high skill |
这个行业的未来
物理治疗师在澳大利亚越来越重要。
As business grows,many physios open up private practices whilst still young in their career!The average age for doing so is 35.
While it is not a job that can be done from home,there is opportunity to travel as a physio。Many peoplework regionally or travel to different practices.
Best Thing & Worst Thing
What do you enjoy most about this job?
Josh said, “The best thing about being a physio is when you get a patient and you can see the change you’ve been able to make…当患者有动力并希望与您一起改善时，这很棒。”
您觉得这项工作最糟糕的部分是什么？
Josh said that one of the hardest parts is when, “In the hospital systemyou often work with patients who present with very serious illnesses and/or complex social situations.It can be tricky to process when you’re starting as a new graduate, butif you have a good support network and team to work with, these medical presentations provide very positive learning experiences.“
Advice for Aspiring Physiotherapists
您希望在开始工作之前知道什么？
“It is highly, highly competitive,” Josh explained.
As a popular university degree, theATAR requirementsfor most courses are在the high 90s.After university, it can also be challenging to find a job amidst other graduates.
However, physio isa very rewarding career path if you are passionate about health and welfare!
Why should people consider taking on this career?
If youenjoy helping people, are motivated and active,then you could be brilliantly suited to being a physiotherapist!
Physios generallyhave an interest in health science and want to see their patients improvethrough strategic treatment.
Job Flexibility
Because it is such a hands on job,physiotherapy doesn’t offer a lot of flexibility在regards to working from home.
Most physios alsowork the average 9-5, with slight variation。However, physios who work in private practice may choose to start and finish early, or begin later in the day and work into the evening.
What is the workplace culture like?
According to JobOutlook, most physios valueface-to-face discussion with their colleagues, where they can develop great teamwork!
Many private practices are also small in size, with only 2 to 10 physios working。这意味着您可以了解你的队友已经ry closely.
Lucinda Garbutt-Younghopes to one day be writing for a big-shot newspaper… or maybe just for a friendly magazine in the arts sector. Right now, she is enjoying studying a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) at UTS while she writes on the side. She also loves making coffees for people in her job as a barista, and loves nothing more than a sun shower.
