Any Physios on here?

philstanbridge

philstanbridge

philstanbridge

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Joined
18 Oct 2002
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West Coast of Scotland
Just wondering if there are any UK based Physios on here? I'm contemplating applying for a Degree in Physiotherapy however I am really in two minds.

I've been doing some research and from what I've been reading there seems to be a major problem getting a job after the 4 year course. Something to do with private clinics requiring 5 years+ experience and a serious lack of NHS junior positions in the UK. (You have to do 2 years in the NHS before you can go private so I am led to believe). I've read that up to 95% of grads can not get work!
 
Hi, im a new grad physio - graduated in june this year from Queen Margaret Uni in Edinburgh! Its a tough course and i know of a few of us got fed up a lot but ah well made it in the end! To get in you looking at for QMU three A's and 2 B's or equivalant ucas points, 5 B's for aberdeen and 4 B's i think for glasgow. It a tough course to get into. There is something like 50 places at QMU and about 500 apply each year to the BSc course!

Yea jobs are in really short supply! From a class of 36 graduates id say maybe 10 have permanent jobs, a lot have bank jobs but these only last up to 6 months at the most. The unemployment rate of physios is getting stupidly high, with what i heard last time only 14% (of new grads) having a permanent job. There is a lot of oppertunities to go to new zealand if you put the time and effort into a lengthy application!

Im lucky i have landed on my feet and have just got a part time, but really well paid, job in a private care home in a neuro rehab unit. I have managed to get this through a friend i met while doing work with a rugby team which i do for free. It really is a case of who you know!

Private clinics are not worth going into id say until you have about five years experience anyway. It takes that long to know enough to work on your own, to have a decent insurance quote (i think) and to basically have the confidence to do it! Plus its worth doing what is seen as the junior rotation to build up on the skills you need. Most of us have come out of uni and realised we really know nothing compared to what you can know in this job! This is a hard and demanding job, but has is rewards. Its not a glamerous job at all, i mean i spent most of my placements taking old people to the toilet and wiping their bum........for free! There is so muhc more to the job than people realise, i.e a small part of it is the sports stuff.

Have you gone in and done some work experience/showowing of a physio? Id really recommend it if you havent :) It something they will want to see when or if u apply :)

Ask away if you have any more questions, im happy to answer them :)
 
Thanks for the reply Cupcake, really appreciate it!

I have been doing some work experience with a private clinic near Glasgow as it happens - and I have really enjoyed it so far. The associate there has said I am welcome back anytime, so I must have made a good impression. I'm a little older than the average student, so that obviously works in my favour when I'm dealing with patients :o

Can I chat to you via MSN or something per chance? I'm not able to apply for the Degree until I have completed a 12 month access course (due to my A'Levels and qualifications being over a hundred years old) but I intend to do this later next year. I'm hoping that the system works itself out over the next few years.

I've got loads and loads of questions for you, so hope you don't mind, but I'd prefer chatting off the forum if that's ok?
 
Wouldn't recommend it at the moment, my gf has just dropped out and started an english degree instead because it is practically impossible to get a job once you graduate. Need a first to even get considered by most places so competition is incredible.
 
Got a group of Friends who work in the field and you are right it is currently nigh on impossible to get a job, the governemnt funded a massive recruitment drive a couple of years ago as there was a shortage but they forgot to scale it down as the vacanices dried up so universities are still choco with students most of whom have no chance of employment in the uk on graduation. My advice is don't bother!
 
My brother graduated in July there as a physio and out of his year only 1 or 2 people got jobs. That's the situation here in NI but it sounds like the mainland is just as bad. After not being able to find any jobs he started a PhD in an entirely different area!
 
I generally found that finding a good physio for shoulder injuries caused by swimming/throwing sports were like goldust. I would suggest you specialise in this area if it interests you because so far I have only found one that I (and most of the coaches in the county) trust.
 
Mad old tory said:
Wouldn't recommend it at the moment, my gf has just dropped out and started an english degree instead because it is practically impossible to get a job once you graduate. Need a first to even get considered by most places so competition is incredible.
Click to expand...

Hmmm wouldnt agree with needing a first. Getting an interview really comes down to what you put in your perosnal statement. I know people who got a first in my year who didnt get interviews when i did and i got a 2:2. Id say it comes down to more who you know and what connections you can make. Doing things like working for sports team at a weekend or going in and shadowing other physios in areas related to the jobs your applying for makes a huge difference and is what employers are looking for......well from my experience :) Those with permanent jobs are not the ones who got first in our class!

The job situation is improving. In the last month in Scotland ive seen a considerable increase in the number of jobs advertised. Most people from my class have some sort of work, most of it is bank work (temp while people are off etc) but this is experience, which is paid, and is tending to lead to permanent jobs at the end! It really is a huge waiting game, where u need to be patient and basically do anything extra you can to make youself stand out. Not going to say its an ideal situation but could be a lot worse!
 
Column Matrix said:
I generally found that finding a good physio for shoulder injuries caused by swimming/throwing sports were like goldust. I would suggest you specialise in this area if it interests you because so far I have only found one that I (and most of the coaches in the county) trust.
Click to expand...

I'd love to specialise in sports injuries, that is certainly where my interest lies.
 
It would appear that the general consensus is not to bother - certainly at the moment, however it will take me 5 years (from next year) to qualify (that's providing I even get in!). I'm hoping that things will improve in this time. It's something that really appeals I have to say, and I'm a firm believer that you only get out of it what you put in, in the first place.
 
I would echo the "dont bother" comments.

I was talking to my phsyio yesterday about the state of play, as my bro's just gone back to uni to study for his physio exams.

Mine told me there's no jobs - and that you can't go into private practice until you've got 5 years experience. She says in they entice you onto the course but then there's not the jobs when you qualify - a situation that's pretty much true throughout the NHS unfortunately. I'm training as a psych nurse and our uni, like most, has 2 intakes a year. On my course there were 300 people doing mental health, and every 6 months there's another 200-300 starting. It's ridiculous.

Unless you wanna go abroad after you've qualified, you're entering a flooded market. :(
 
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