Post Grad Studies

Hi guys,

I am a final yr student at university in the UK.
I am keen to continue studying and possibly do a post grad following qualifying from my BSc in May.
I am finding it tough to find information with regards to areas of specialization that I should/can look towards.

I am very much interested in MSK and am not so keen to go the route of completing core rotations in a hospital and am just wondering if a post grad study without any clinical experience a realistic avenue to pursue.

Would it be worthwhile to complete another year of a postgrad masters which would be of benefit to my employ-ability in comparison to completing the core rotations and potentially working within an area of physiotherapy that I am not so keen on.

Just need a bit of advice, would it be worthwhile to do the post grad and thereafter be in a better position to gain employment??

Could you recommend an area of specialization? I have so far pondered sports medicine and neuro-muscular skeletal assessment post grads...

Regards,

KOC

The way to decide which way to specialise should surely come from doing rotations and getting as much clinical input as possible in the first couple of years and then deciding what is really not for you (at the moment) Or even if you want to be a physio at all. Even MSK customers come with other conditions and pathologies seen elswhere and a solid round of finding out what is out there after graduating will help. That is if you get a job......Physio is dealing with people with pain, dysfunction and disability problems in some way so piling on the theory and having little clinical experience either in wards or outpatients may not help you in finding out where you are going. Having qualified some time ago in the dark ages with fortunately large amounts of hands- on-meet-and-treat- the patient hours even I didn't know know where I was going straight after qualifying. For young people of course Sports medicine may be attractive but I'm glad I never chose it. I was scared and intimidated by neurology and stroke patients but now, many years later it's the most interesting thing I've done (lots of self financed courses) and the principles help outpatient MSK as well. I would suggest you keep an open mind and try for clinical experience and a post grad study is always still possible later in a field that really interests you. And if you decide you hate what physio offers change your profession!