physio profession

[jenccly]

I've recently been accepted into a Masters Physiotherapy course, and was looking up what the profession would be like.

I noticed that there's a noticeable amount of dissatisfaction in this area. People have said that the career you get out of it (and the pay) is not really worth the intense study you have to do.

And I've heard that even though you are helping people everyday, many do not get better... and this is pretty disheartening.

Also, years of working as a physio can give you pain in your hands and wrists. And I'm also told that physios aren't in demand (in Australia) because there's so many around. Is this true?

I don't really know what to think. At first I was very excited about this course. But after hearing all this, I'm feeling a bit ambiguous.

Is there anyone here who's been working as a physio for many years, and still love their job? If so, will you mind sharing your stories?

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[junior_physiotherapist]

Well...............

Master degree generally for Academic career and researching skills more than being add further information,meanwhile you are studing master degree you will learn alot of things personally,clinically[how to deal with patinets], going deep in different subjects,new subjects or researches skills.............never feel little bit ambigous ............Yes it is intersting experince you should live
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Take care to not study MA in same school of yours BA!! to get new Professors
with new knowledge and new freinds,.............


Good luck

[Fyzzio]

Hi,
first of all ... the Master's degree - I presume you talk about pre-registration? i.e. you already have a science degree and achieve your MSc Physio via the short cut programme. Is this correct?

I have been a Physio for more than 20 years and still love my job. I worked in different ares of speciality, different work environments, with people of different age groups and in different countries. A lot of it was physically rather demanding, but I don't have any "overuse" problems.

The thing here is that I knew exactly what profession I was entering and I always had a passion for the work I do. There is so much variety, it can never get boring.

• The pay is not very good - so be it.
• You help people every day, and sometimes you do not - so be it.
• Learning and study is livelong. It never ends in science-based professions - so be it.

If you can't take that, you might be about to enter the wrong profession. If there is a spark of love for getting your brain and hands into doing some hard work - welcome to the world of Physio.

Regards,
Fyzzio

[jenccly]

Thankyou for the responses!

Yes, it's a pre-registration Masters. After reading what you posted, I have a lot of good feelings about this. I did neuroscience as undergrad, and was thinking to go into something like neuro rehab.

Yea you're right. Although there are downsides, like not being to help certain people and the not-so-good pay, as long as you have passion for it... it is worth it.

Thanks. I'm really looking forward to next year to start this haha

[bensynergy]

hi, althought im just bout 2 years + in physio field, but i love my profession, regardless any area..

inpatient, we r the one push patient to sit out of bed, stand n walk, althought multiple drips and needles over their body..

outpatient, strokees progress from inability till independent, they gain their 2nd life after us..

musculoskeletal, the most challenging area, observation and critical thinking play most utmost part in this area, physio without thinking will not success in this area..

althought pay is on average only, but, satisfaction we gain is the greatest in this field.

i love my profession, im proud telling ppl that im physio....

[pudding_bowl]

Hi Jenccyl,

I worked for a year and became very disenchanted with the profession... The low pay and being overworked. I found people got better far more often than they didn't so that wasn't a problem. You can get pain in your hand and wrist but this is more common with manual therapists... it'll be less likely if you enter neurorehab that this will be a problem for you. After that year I was so burned I took 3 months off and came back into doing locum work - since then I'v only worked 3-4 months at a time and then take another 2-3 months off to travel... it's a lifestyle that I'm currently enjoying.
The problem is that after being away In USA for the past 4 months I now really cannot find any work here in NZ and am now having to find different work, Although I'v been told that there is still plenty of work in Australia, which is good because In the New Year I may just end up there if I still can't find anything here.

Have a think. Don't be too discouraged. Neurorehabilitation is a interesting field and there is usually work to be found. It can be very hard however to work with people who have such disabling conditions where progress can be very slow. It depends on the kind of person you are - it's not for me.

Pudding

[jools987]

I qualified in 2005 in the UK but have only been working as a physio since Sept 2010 as there weren't (and still aren't) enough jobs to go around when I qualified. In the end I completed a course in remedial massage and set up my own business offering physio and massage, which is far from ideal but needs must. Check out the job prospects, if the competition is stiff and is likely to remain so then there are plenty of other occupations with better job prospects...

You'll earn every penny, whether in the public or private sector.

Re pain in arms and hands, I've not been working long enough to testify, though if you're doing lots of manual therapy i.e. massage then there is a risk.

It's probably as interesting as you want to make it, though personally I've since realised that there are other job routes that I would probably have found as/more interesting, though that's a personal thing and I'm sure many people would say that of their qualification, after qualifying.

Not everyone will get better, that's life. But if you do your best then you can't do anymore.

Good luck with the decision!