University subject profile: physiotherapy

What you’ll learn
This course prepares students for registration as a physiotherapist. You will gain the 1,000 hours in hospital plus academic work required to be able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council and you’ll be dealing with real patients in clinical settings. You will be working in hospitals and integrating into clinical service, towards managing your own caseload. Topics range from anatomy, movement control, strength, rehabilitation, women’s health, mental health, paediatrics and oncology. You will develop an understanding of applied movement science and the rehabilitation of patients with cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.

How you’ll learn
The first year is sometimes campus-based, learning theoretical skills, the second is when you usually start clinical experience in hospitals, alongside academic modules. At Plymouth University, students work with local professional sports teams, the armed forces and at pop-up clinics for the local half marathon.

Some assessment will be in classic exams, but there are also vivas where students will be presented with clinical scenarios and need to demonstrate how they would assess, diagnose and treat the patient. While on placement, clinical educators will assess clinical skills as well as professionalism in the workplace. There is also written coursework and a research dissertation for most at the end. At Brunel University a range of elective placements are available to experience different healthcare systems in places such as India, Canada and Hong Kong. Most students go for six weeks, but this can be extended.

Entry requirements
At least one of the core sciences – chemistry, biology, physics – is preferred at A-level. Maths is also an asset.

What job can you get?
There is an increasing demand for physiotherapists in areas such as public health in NHS hospitals, communities, sports teams, at schools, in private practice, the armed forces, GP surgeries, nursing homes, or in education, academia and research.