I feel like such an idiot

[HomeinJune]

Apologies for the long post!

I have just spent the last three years doing a physiotherapy degree only to realise that there are no jobs out there for newly qualified physios. Until recently our lecturers have led us to believe that there is no shortage of jobs and that physios are desperately needed in the NHS. I feel so gullible and naïve. The reality is newly qualified jobs rarely come up in this area and even in bigger city areas with more hospital newly qualified posts are getting around 400 applications for every job. It is not possible to relocate at the moment as we recently purchased our dream house.

I have applied for a two jobs which would have been perfect and failed to even secure an interview. I also interviewed for a masters and was turned down for that. Obviously my application writing and interview skills are just not up to scratch and I feel very disappointed in myself. In hindsight I should have put more effort into preparing for my masters interview, but I have been completely overwhelmed this last few weeks with various other commitments and I was struggling to drum up any enthusiasm for it anyway.

Being honest with myself, I feel like I have lost all enthusiasm for physiotherapy in general. I'm in my thirties, perimenopausal and not 'bubbly' or outgoing. I can't escape the feeling that my face just doesn't fit, so goodness only knows how I would pass an interview. I had a difficult placement last June with a particularly unpleasant practice educator and it has soured my whole experience of physiotherapy. It was made more painful by losing my elderly dog shortly afterwards. I bitterly regret the time I spent away from him and really wish I had quit during that time.

I am now thinking of pursuing a masters in animal physiotherapy or just giving up on physio altogether and doing something creative. I am lucky in the sense that I don't have to work currently. I just feel sad that I can't contribute and so stupid for wasting the last three years of my life and missing out on time with my family.

That's awful! I would focus on the fact that you don't have to work - so you have time to get the experience that will help you get a job.
I would speak to people who know this role - find out what routes in there are, how you can gain relevant experience. Maybe there is some voluntary work or adjacent roles, just to get your foot in the door? Definitely check you'd gain experience through your masters, or that jobs are more likely if you get it. You don't want to study even more just to find out there is no role available because they all want 6mths+ experience.
I'm so sorry you're in this position. It's ridiculous too as I'm sure the NHS is desperate for physios.

This thread is two months old - but I feel it’s worth reviving in the hope that someone can offer the OP some guidance on how to proceed.

@HomeinJune no learning is ever wasted. I hope you’ve made progress since you started this thread. Don’t give up!

Thank you for your kind comments. Still no jobs out there, but I'm volunteering at a private clinic (like an elective placement still as a student) which I'm enjoying. I'm thinking of working privately for myself when I get my registration soon, but that brings difficulties of its own. You're allowed to work independently when you qualify, but normally newly qualified physios work for the NHS first in a rotational post. I have heard NHS physios being quite bitchy about private physios and many of them seem to take a dim view of newly qualified physios doing private work😕

As long as you practice within your capabilities and have clear policies about what you will refer onto the hospital service, then you are fine. If people you don't know are being sniffy, who cares? Do you have somewhere to practice? Our local swimming pool has a room that therapists can rent, so have a look around.

Might be a bit random, but how do you get on with horses?! We horse owners are always having our animals treated, so if you live in a horsey part of the country this might work for you. Where I live, there are a lot of racing and eventing yards so ideal, although where I used to live in West Wales, not so much, so if you live somewhere like that it may not work.

Thanks, I do but musculoskeletal physio isn't my strength, I would really like to offer a private service doing home visits for things like falls and long term conditions. The NHS are not really investing in physios around here and subsequently waiting times for this sort of thing are long, and patients might get two visits from a physio if they're lucky! I would advertise myself as a newly qualified physio and my prices would reflect this.

Thanks. I'm in a very horsey area! I would love to but I haven't done the animal physiotherapy masters, I'm considering it though. Technically anyone can advertise themselves as an animal physiotherapist as it's not regulated or protected, but a respected route into it is doing a physiotherapy degree and then a masters in animal physio, as it is all the same theoretic principles like tissue biomechanics and neuroplasticity etc, just different anatomy and movement biomechanics, i.e four legs instead of two 😀

It’s not just PT’s. I’ve just finished an SLT course and not everyone has got a job yet. Hardly any with the nhs. I’ve heard even the paramedics and nurses are having difficulties this year. All through the course we were told about the shortages of therapists, but no jobs 🤷‍♀️

Just found this oldish thread. My daughter graduated the same year and still hasnt found a physio job. Just curious how you have got on op? It really is frustrating. She has taken a full time job in admin, she needed the steady income after uni and zero hour jobs but hasnt the confidence to practice independently

Hi OP, I'm an OT working in paeds with my own practice - from networking with other OTs, there's a big demand in private work for falls prevention, equipment and strategies post-discharge etc. x