©Copyright 2022
Studying to be a physiotherapist certainly isn’t easy, but it will give you the necessary skills and experience to care for others. Once you’re qualified as a physiotherapist , there’s plenty of potential opportunities for your next steps.
It’s good to hear what we have to say about being a physiotherapist, but what about those who are currently experiencing the world of physiotherapy? Let’s see what they have to say, to give you a unique perspective into what physiotherapy is really like!
“The main thing I love about my job is that I get to make a difference to someone’s life every day. I help them get to the right place, at the right time in their rehabilitation journey.”
Learn more
“I think it’s really important to be a people person. You spend all day in one-to-one contact with patients, giving them the skills that they need to manage their condition, and it’s important to adopt an empathetic approach. I never thought I’d be in a position where I was able to watch a lady walk, who’d been told she’d never walk again”
In a career full of continual improvement, there will always be opportunities to keep getting better. But, it’s important to consider all aspects of the role if you want to truly excel. Physiotherapists are highly skilled at caring for others, and only part of this comes from qualifications. By improving these skills, you’ll succeed in your career, and develop your abilities!
Health and care is an industry that has some emotional moments, and it’s important that even in these difficult situations, to be able to remain composed and resilient, in order to be an effective physiotherapist. By remaining composed, you’re more able to help others who are struggling in the same situation.
As a physiotherapist, you’ll be interacting with a range of people - the entire healthcare team, in addition to patients, families, and carers. It’s important to listen to what they have to say, and be able to communicate clearly and effectively the information that they need to know. Knowing how to communicate in different situations is a key skill of being a physiotherapist, and improving your communication is a gradual process that has some great benefits.
This skill - being able to regulate and control your actions, feelings, and thoughts to remain professional - is an important part of demonstrating your reliability and effectiveness as a physiotherapist. You’re able to put your own thoughts and opinions to one side when necessary, and do what’s right for the patient.
Physiotherapists don’t work alone, and there will be a team that will often deliver care. It’s important to be able to rely on each other, and ensure that teamwork allows high-quality care to be delivered. By improving your ability to work in a team, you’ll be positively impacting patients.
Although this is a crucial part of communication, it’s important enough to warrant it’s own mention! Listening is integral to being a good physiotherapist - it’s important to let patients know that you’re here for them, and want to know what they have to say, just as much as it is to listen to patients who may not know what’s gone wrong, as you could pick up on something that they might not have realised!
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present rather than thinking about the past or future. It’s easy to get caught up our own thoughts, but it’s worth keeping an eye on what’s happening in front of us, especially when you’re a physiotherapist.