Student having doubts advice needed!

[Fyzzio]

HI,
doubts are OK, they keep you focussed.

If you want a job that does not require constant updating and lifelong professional development - don't chose anything scientific, whether that's medical or science technology. That's not a burden, that's what makes the job interesting.

I feel sorry that your clinical educators are unable to highlight to you the significance of physio work in a hospital. Deciding whether patients are safe to discharge is of huge importance, early mobilisation prevents a lot of secondary complications and if you mess up your intervention in Trauma and Orthopaedics, your patients will suffer for the rest of their lives. These roles each have a high degree of specialisation in themselves. Ask your Clin Educator why you fail to see that. However, you do not have to like hospital work - it's extremely draining with a never ending workload that needs to be squeezed into small amounts of time, includes weekend duties and a high emotional involvement. On the other side - it's the best for team work, peer support, supervision and free of charge training opportunities.

At some stage you will have to decide whether you want your physio career to be in prevention, primary (e.h. hospital or private practice), secondary (Rehab) or tertiary health (Community, private practice). And the specialisation comes after that decision - pretty much straight away. And then, after a few years, you might like to chose a different path of specialisation. And you can - another beauty of being a Physio.

You can apply for registration in Australia, but will have to pay a substantial amount of money for the application and the exams. NZ has a 4 year degree, so they require 12 months of clinical experience before you can apply.

The training is tough, but you're just about there - keep on going, you'll be fine.

Fyzzio

[alolia2k]

Hi Fyzzio, thank you for your reply.
I do not mind a job where I am constantly learning and developing but my concern with physio is that it does not come naturally to me at all and I find it very challenging so for me personally to be any good I would have to constantly be studying and practicing, and I want more work life balance. I also understand the importance of physio work in the hospital but it does not really suit the way I like to work, I feel like its just a check list of patients to work through without much time to really consider them in much detail and also battling with messy notes and paperwork. I do not think this style of working is for me. What do you mean when you say deciding if I want t work in 'prevention' and also what do you mean exactly by 'secondary' sector?

You say I do not have to work in a hospital but is it not usually the best idea to do at least a year or 2 in hospital to get all-rounded clinical experience otherwise I would not be very employable elsewhere? I am just so confused right now, I do not know what to do.
Thanks for your help

Alex

HI,
doubts are OK, they keep you focussed.

If you want a job that does not require constant updating and lifelong professional development - don't chose anything scientific, whether that's medical or science technology. That's not a burden, that's what makes the job interesting.

I feel sorry that your clinical educators are unable to highlight to you the significance of physio work in a hospital. Deciding whether patients are safe to discharge is of huge importance, early mobilisation prevents a lot of secondary complications and if you mess up your intervention in Trauma and Orthopaedics, your patients will suffer for the rest of their lives. These roles each have a high degree of specialisation in themselves. Ask your Clin Educator why you fail to see that. However, you do not have to like hospital work - it's extremely draining with a never ending workload that needs to be squeezed into small amounts of time, includes weekend duties and a high emotional involvement. On the other side - it's the best for team work, peer support, supervision and free of charge training opportunities.

At some stage you will have to decide whether you want your physio career to be in prevention, primary (e.h. hospital or private practice), secondary (Rehab) or tertiary health (Community, private practice). And the specialisation comes after that decision - pretty much straight away. And then, after a few years, you might like to chose a different path of specialisation. And you can - another beauty of being a Physio.

You can apply for registration in Australia, but will have to pay a substantial amount of money for the application and the exams. NZ has a 4 year degree, so they require 12 months of clinical experience before you can apply.

The training is tough, but you're just about there - keep on going, you'll be fine.

Fyzzio