Career Investigation

Title: Author: Summary:

This investigation was undertaken in order to investigate the various different routes to qualify as a physiotherapist. Also, I wanted to investigate the different physiotherapy courses in different colleges. Career Investigation into Physiotherapy. Calvin Swart.

Description of Career:
The duties of a physiotherapist is to help restore movement and normal body function in cases of illness, disability or injury, as well as treating a specific treatment. A physiotherapist may also suggest ways you can improve your general wellbeing. Physiotherapists look at the body as a whole rather than focusing on individual factors of an injury or illness.

Skills:
You must have a high level of people and communication skills as you are constantly interacting with patients. You must have good organisational skills as you may have a large cliental at one time each patient with a different case.

Qualities:
Physiotherapists must be hard working as their hours could be long and the work load tough. Physiotherapists must be patient as patients may take a long time to make progress. Physiotherapists must be sporty and active as they have to act as a role model to those who they are treating.

Interaction with Others:

I interviewed Jamie Johnson, a Physiotherapist in my community who works in the Beacon Court Hospital Dublin, on 8th September 2012. She informed me of her pathway into Physiotherapy as well as some alternative pathways too. She gave me details of her daily duties, her salary and problems that sometimes arise at work. She offered me the opportunity to work shadow her for the day which gave me a greater insight into this career.

Pathway 1:
Degree Name: Location: Length: Entry Requirements: Physiotherapy Level 8 Honours Degree. University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4. This course lasts 4 years. Passes in six subjects including Irish, English, a third language, Mathematics, one laboratory science subject and one other subject of which two of the six must be minimum HC3. 535-600 Points. When the 4 years are over and the student has passed all of their exams they will obtain a Physiotherapy Level 8 Honours Degree. First year; is an overview of the modulus, progressing from basic and applied sciences to clinical skills in second and third year. Second year; basic musculoskeletal, cardiorespitory and neurological physiotherapy. Third year; intermidiate musculoskeletal, cardiorespitory and neurological physiotherapy. Fourth year; perfessional physiotherapy practice. Physiotherapy Level 8 Honours Degree. University of Limerick. This course lasts for 4 years. At least Grade C3 in two Higher Level subjects and Grade D3 in four Ordinary or Higher Level subjects (including Mathematics; Irish or another language; and English). In addition applicants will be required to hold at least an Ordinary Level B3/Higher D3 in the Leaving Certificate in any one of: Physics, Chemistry, Physics with Chemistry, Biology, Agricultural Science. Average of 560 Points. When the 4 years are over and a student passes all of their exams they will obtain a Physiotherapy Level 8 Honours Degree.

Qualification:

Overview of Course:

Pathway 2:
Degree Name: Location: Length: Entry Requirements:

Qualification:

Personal Aptitudes and Interests:

I feel I possess all the skills and qualities needed to be a physiotherapist as I come from a very strong sports background and have played sports all my life, and as a result I am very good with people and I am hard working. I have a great interest in Health Science and I would like to work in a profession that helps out other people. As a result of me DATS test I have found that I am a very quick thinker and good with numbers which are two skills needed in the field of physiotherapy. As a result of many personal aptitude tests I have concluded that my top interests lie with science and medicine.

As a result of a careers evening held in the school and having talked to another Physiotherapist I have decided to definitely pursue Physiotherapy. My Leaving Certificate subjects Biology and Chemistry which I enjoy are closely linked to Physiotherapy.

Leaving Certificate Subjects:

From carrying out my career investigation I feel that I have improved my I.T. skills as I am now more confident when using the computer to type up tasks. I also feel that I have improved in my English for school by writing up my career investigation I have further improved my writing skills. I also had to organise an interview which improved my planning, organising and communication skills which will help in all my subjects.

Evaluation:
(a) Career In completing my career investigation I have found that going to UCD to study Physiotherapy would better suit my personality and academic abilities. Pathway one also entails more medical science, where pathway two concentrates on general science. I would be more inclined to go with pathway one for this reason too. Pathway one would also be more convenient to me as it is closer to my home. Research By undertaking my career investigation I have gained no extra information than I had already obtained before carrying this investigation out, although it has confirmed my decision of pursuing Physiotherapy in college. I have improved my communication skills as I had to communicate with both my career guidance teacher and Jamie during the course of my investigation. I have also improved my organisational skills as I had to plan a day with Jamie in the Beacon Court Hospital. I now feel that I have the necessary skills to investigate any other careers I may choose to pursue.

(b)