Advice on courses

Hi,

I'm a final year student and am interested in additional courses to try and improve myself, hopefully giving me the best possible chance of landing a job when I graduate.

In the past i did taping and strapping and sports first aid to allow me to get a bit of experience with sports teams. This paid off and I got a job with a team working on match days.

I have heard pilates and acupuncture are good things to do and am wondering if anyone has any other suggestions about good courses to improve my chances of landing a junior physio job when I graduate.

I have heard people say that it would be best to wait until I have a bit of experience before doing the likes of acupuncture but at the end of the day, the physio job situation is far from ideal so you have to do what you have to do.

Any suggestions form people who would know how to improve an application? My main interests at the minute lie in musculoskeletal and sports.

Thanks

Bobo

Hi Bobo,
I admire your acknowledgement that Uni cannot teach you everything and your vision and efforts towards improving your career chances.

However, may I say on a personal note, that I would rather employ someone who has got some work experience than someone who shows me a lot of (even if they are relevant) course certificates.

In an ideal world I recommend to take on a rotation position first. This will give you experience in all kinds of different environments and the amount of transferrable skills that you will obtain is not to be underestimated. Therefore, this gives you a great profile for prospective employers; in the public, as well as private area. While doing that, book yourself in for courses in line with your special interest (e.g. Acupuncture, Mulligan, Society of Orthopaedic Medicine A, B, C, etc..).

I know, it sounds a little bit like "mum talk", but .... there you go.

Good luck!
Fyzzio

Hi,

Thanks for your advice and I totally agree that courses are only complete when coupled with enough experience. That said, in the UK its not just as easy as going out and getting a job. Ideally yeh, I want to go straight into a rotational post for a couple of years to get the transferrable skills that come with doing that, but jobs are extremely competitive at the minute.

If you were me, knowing what you know, how would you go about things after graduating next year? Is there anything you would do as a student to make your application stronger as a newly qualified physio with only student placement experience?

Thanks

Hi Bobo,
yes, I also heard that the work situation in the UK is not looking good - just as bad as here.

Anyway; when I was in a position where I interviewed new grads, we were looking mainly for live skills, e.g.
- good allround communication skills
- good problem solving skills
- stress management/ recognition of own signs of displaying stress
- independent learning
- an interest in getting clinical experience
- passion for Physio

I would suggest to get on where you started (while you still study or afterwards in case you cannot get a Physio position). Field-side assistance for a local Sports clubs, check hospitals for Physio Assistant Locum/ leave relieve jobs, Volunteer jobs for community service agencies/ Health Care agencies/ non-profit organisations, etc..

Cheers,
Fyzzio