career advice

[fionabullmore]

I would love some career advice from anyone who has worked abroad. I spent 3 yrs working in the Uk and was relocatd to the US with my husbands job. I could not register as aPT so I retrained as a PIlates instructor and specialised in treating people with MS injuries. Just as the business was taking off and my 3 children were getting older and near school agel, we moved country.
Once in our new country I registered as a Physio, started work asap but could not pay for child care with salary plus there was no training and I could not afford to do extra courses. I had a selection of patients that just did not get any better because the length of rx was inadequate. Due to the immense stress of trying to run a family, speak a new language, regain skills I had not used in 7 years and no support from staff, I quit my job. I now do not know if I can go back to physio. I still believe in the profession but am finding it hard to find a career path. I am looking in to joining a mutinational company instead but I still can't put my physio books away! Any one have some advice on my predicament. IN theory we will not be relocation again. It just feels like my confidence is rock bottom. Any thoughts

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[liz buckman]

Hi Fiona,

Good Luck!

Relocating overseas and learning a new language, in addition to getting children settled is a huge task, not to be underestimated. You do not say which country you have moved to.

I would suggest you get yourself settled first, then thinking about contacting your new country's Physio body for information about practice set up, service provision etc. Also contact the CSP who may have useful/relevant info, also a list of mentors in that country. They did at one stage have a list of Ex pat CSP members in different countries who would assist new migrants in their quest for work/physio related advice etc.

It may be possible to contact other physio /practices/ hospitals for further info to give you some leads.

On a different tack, how about working with pilates initially to get your confidence back -it may lead to other physio opportunities.

Best wishes

Liz B.

[sarah b]

Don't underestimate what you know in the depths of your brain. Again - what country?? It is a very universal skill i have discovered and most countries redtape is breakable - particularly with a spouse visa. Good luck

[fionabullmore]

I am in a european country but since there could be potential fellow physios who know me out there I prefer to not specify my exact location.

I appreciate your replies very much. Whilst I agree that physiotherapy is a globally translatable skill the protectionism measures applied by countries and the insurance companies makes career development very hard. Salaries for example, to have to return to newly qualified salaries and having to pay babysitting fees greater than your salary in addition to having to fund course privately makes returning to work prohibitive and this again doesn't do much for the self esteem.

Thanks for the words of wisdom, this opportunity to chat to fellow physios has really helped me feel that I am not so isolated which in itself is hugely relieving.

[Physiobase]

Why not knock on the door of your countries embassy, if one exists where you are. The is soverign ground of the country you are from and therefore would not fall under the juristriction of the country you are in. e.g. A UK qualified physio could work without any issue in a UK embassy anywhere in the world! Just a thought