Physiotherapy

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Hypothetically - if someone wanted to retrain as a physiotherapist after a career in a different area, how likely would it be that they could be accepted onto a course with maybe non standard qualifications?

Dd is only Year 8 but has a real interest in this area, is developing a knowledge of the body & how it works, anatomy, muscles etc & is academically very able in science.

But she is training as a dancer & will only be able to study for a maximum of 2 a levels if any.

I'm sure I read somewhere about footballers retraining.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

No-one?

[Bearcatt]

Physiotherapy has ALWAYS been a very competitive course to get on to.
I think that very high A level grades are required and I would imagine that 3 A levels are the requirement.
You might find out more by finding out which universities offer physiotherapy degrees and then look to see what their entry requirements are ie how many A levels and what grades.
That will be pretty straight forward to do on google.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

I was wondering about post grad entry.

Most info I have seen says 3 science a levels. Dd will only have two, if any though I guess she could go back & study for a further one (do they still do night school?)

[titchy]

www.brighton.ac.uk/courses/study/physiotherapy-bsc-hons.aspx

Access course would be better than a levels taken in different sittings tbh.

I don't think there is a PG route but look at chartered institute of physiotherapists for more info.

[sashh]

2 Science A Levels and a career in dance should be OK because the dance will give her a lot of experience relative to sports injury and knowledge about joints etc.

And before anyone slams me you can get on to physio courses with BTEC Level 3.

The problem might be money, at the moment if you already have a degree or degree level qualification then you have to pay full fees with no loan/grant and I can't see that changing.

BUT dancers are one of the few professionals who are allowed to retire early - 35 I believe, so it might be worth her starting a pension (yes I am serious).

[Picturesinthefirelight]

She will probably (hopefully) get onto a Level 6 diploma course in Professional Dance at age 16 which is DaDa or privately funded rather than student loan funded. It's a 3 year course & she will take 2 a levels alongside it at the end of the 2nd year.

[serin]

Year 8 is awfully young to be making choices about A levels and future careers.

If the job market for physiotherapists doesn't pick up, I wouldn't advise anyone to study it.

The prospects for nurses are much better and the pay is the same!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dd would have no interest in becoming a nurse.

Yes it is young but to a certain extent by choosing the school she is at, a vocational school where you can do a maximum of 2 a levels alongside a diploma she has made certain choices already.

I was just trying to find out how easy or hard it would be to change direction.

[cyclerunmum]

Hi,

I may be able to offer some up to date advice as my DD has just accepted a place to study a 2 year pre registration physiotherapy course after graduating with a sport science degree.

She also had offers for the BSc physiotherapy degree as a back up so has been for a few interviews this year.

It is very competitive to get a place, but there is a post grad route as you can see. I'm not sure on the alternative entry requirements other than a related degree min 2.1, but it is worth a nosey at unis that offer this course (we are up north and Man Met, Leeds Met, York St John and Teeside do it), although there aren't that many that do.

Experience is very important for physio, any shadowing, voluntary in the caring sector is vital as all applicants can get the grades, but the additional experience is what gets them the places.

On the job front, DD has a friend who graduated from her BSc this year and already has a job. We were told (by the unis we visited) 90% of graduates are gaining employment at the moment, most within the NHS.

And finally, even with her existing BSc, the physio BSc place DD was offered was funded by the NHS, so previous degrees are not relevant to NHS fee funding. The pre-reg MSc is NHS funded too.

It is early days, but you can look into steering your DD in the right direction with extra curricular bits as the next few years go by, it all helps.

[cyclerunmum]

Sorry, just to make it clear DD has a place on an accelerated pre registration masters course in physiotherapy (2 year post grad course).