Student having doubts advice needed!

[Fyzzio]

Hi,
as a Physio, the world is wide open in regards to future employment. We work in all areas of health care, research or education (I think that covers most).

In regards to lifelong learning: I'm not sure what you were expecting when you started studying. But a science degree only gives you a basic understanding of the profession. Your clinical placements will only cover a fraction of actual physio work and you are quite protected in regards to the patients you'll see. The actual bulk of learning will occur over the next +/-5 yrs post grad. And that learning is actual fun - because you can pick and chose and will discover areas that fascinate you so that studying is exciting rather than a 'must'. You will develop a routine with notes writing and paperwork - don't worry if it troubles you now.

Prevention: you can work in prevention, e.g. health management, fitness, balance and elderly exercise classes; this means that you work with healthy individuals and/ or work in areas of education
Secondary: the stage after primary care; here you work with patients that have already been seen and discharged from acute services, but need ongoing intervention to achieve further gains before they can be discharged home; e.g. pulmonary or cardiac rehab, neuro rehab, elderly rehab
Tertiary: this refers to patients that have been discharged home, but still require intervention, either for rehab or maintenance; same topics as above, but intervention takes place in the community

New grad experience: I would highly recommend hospital rotations; the skills you learn during the different rotations are transferrable and the focus is far more on patient care rather than making money. I know this doesn't sound right, but that's my experience. This would benefit you, esp. if you are looking towards working overseas. If you go into private practice, make sure they offer a wide ranged regular IST programme, peer review and supervision.

Have you had a placement in Outpatients yet? Did you like that better? What have you chosen as your elective?

Fyzzio

[alolia2k]

Hello,
yes I have had outpatients but as it was my first placement I think it was hard to really judge whether I like it or not IT was also a very small hospital with up to an hour per patient, which is unlikely in most bigger hospitals, so not sure this was a true outpatients experience? I think I would like outpatients more in terms of more problem solving and finding solutions and developing treatment plans for specific things. What do you mean by elective? We do not choose any of our placements, they are allocated.

What is it like in a busy outpatients setting? Do you have time with each patient to properly assess, discuss and treat. Do you follow up each patient right through all of their sessions, or would they be seen by a different physio each time?

Also what is it like in a neuro setting? For example with stroke patients on a ward? Would it involve specific treatment plans, or is it more general mobility to ensure they are safe for discharge?

Thanks

Alex

Hi,
as a Physio, the world is wide open in regards to future employment. We work in all areas of health care, research or education (I think that covers most).

In regards to lifelong learning: I'm not sure what you were expecting when you started studying. But a science degree only gives you a basic understanding of the profession. Your clinical placements will only cover a fraction of actual physio work and you are quite protected in regards to the patients you'll see. The actual bulk of learning will occur over the next +/-5 yrs post grad. And that learning is actual fun - because you can pick and chose and will discover areas that fascinate you so that studying is exciting rather than a 'must'. You will develop a routine with notes writing and paperwork - don't worry if it troubles you now.

Prevention: you can work in prevention, e.g. health management, fitness, balance and elderly exercise classes; this means that you work with healthy individuals and/ or work in areas of education
Secondary: the stage after primary care; here you work with patients that have already been seen and discharged from acute services, but need ongoing intervention to achieve further gains before they can be discharged home; e.g. pulmonary or cardiac rehab, neuro rehab, elderly rehab
Tertiary: this refers to patients that have been discharged home, but still require intervention, either for rehab or maintenance; same topics as above, but intervention takes place in the community

New grad experience: I would highly recommend hospital rotations; the skills you learn during the different rotations are transferrable and the focus is far more on patient care rather than making money. I know this doesn't sound right, but that's my experience. This would benefit you, esp. if you are looking towards working overseas. If you go into private practice, make sure they offer a wide ranged regular IST programme, peer review and supervision.

Have you had a placement in Outpatients yet? Did you like that better? What have you chosen as your elective?

Fyzzio

- - - Updated - - -

Hello,
yes I have had outpatients but as it was my first placement I think it was hard to really judge whether I like it or not IT was also a very small hospital with up to an hour per patient, which is unlikely in most bigger hospitals, so not sure this was a true outpatients experience? I think I would like outpatients more in terms of more problem solving and finding solutions and developing treatment plans for specific things. What do you mean by elective? We do not choose any of our placements, they are allocated.

What is it like in a busy outpatients setting? Do you have time with each patient to properly assess, discuss and treat. Do you follow up each patient right through all of their sessions, or would they be seen by a different physio each time?

Also what is it like in a neuro setting? For example with stroke patients on a ward? Would it involve specific treatment plans, or is it more general mobility to ensure they are safe for discharge?

Thanks

Alex

Hi,
as a Physio, the world is wide open in regards to future employment. We work in all areas of health care, research or education (I think that covers most).

In regards to lifelong learning: I'm not sure what you were expecting when you started studying. But a science degree only gives you a basic understanding of the profession. Your clinical placements will only cover a fraction of actual physio work and you are quite protected in regards to the patients you'll see. The actual bulk of learning will occur over the next +/-5 yrs post grad. And that learning is actual fun - because you can pick and chose and will discover areas that fascinate you so that studying is exciting rather than a 'must'. You will develop a routine with notes writing and paperwork - don't worry if it troubles you now.

Prevention: you can work in prevention, e.g. health management, fitness, balance and elderly exercise classes; this means that you work with healthy individuals and/ or work in areas of education
Secondary: the stage after primary care; here you work with patients that have already been seen and discharged from acute services, but need ongoing intervention to achieve further gains before they can be discharged home; e.g. pulmonary or cardiac rehab, neuro rehab, elderly rehab
Tertiary: this refers to patients that have been discharged home, but still require intervention, either for rehab or maintenance; same topics as above, but intervention takes place in the community

New grad experience: I would highly recommend hospital rotations; the skills you learn during the different rotations are transferrable and the focus is far more on patient care rather than making money. I know this doesn't sound right, but that's my experience. This would benefit you, esp. if you are looking towards working overseas. If you go into private practice, make sure they offer a wide ranged regular IST programme, peer review and supervision.

Have you had a placement in Outpatients yet? Did you like that better? What have you chosen as your elective?

Fyzzio