Can I do this? Physiotherapy...

[jenniferalisonphillipasue]

I have 4 dc's. Oldest is 8.5 youngest is 15 months. I am thinking of retraining as a physio. I have a related degree and quite a bit of relevant experience (although a few years ago) but I feel quite out of the loop. Ideally I would like to do a pre registration MSc but I am scared that I won't be up to it. I have a few years before I would apply so I have time to look at maybe doing a distance learning science a level along with some voluntary work to give me back my confidence. Has anyone done this or something similar and am I thinking along the right lines?

I am also really scared about leaving the dc and committing my time elsewhere. I have worked in various capacities in the last 8 years but I have always fit it around them and none of them have ever been looked after by anyone else. I am scared that I won't be able to let go.
I don't need to work for financial reasons (fingers crossed stays that way) but I feel frustrated that I am not able to use my brain. This is a field I have a real passion for but am being selfish and will I ultimately even be able to cope with the demands of studying and hopefully subsequent employment?
Help!!!

Hi

I did a pre reg MSc in Occupational Therapy. My youngest was one when I started.

I won't lie... It was hard. However as it was a masters there was a big emphasis on self directed study so we were only in uni one and a half days. This meant I could organise my time relatively flexibly.

However, I approached it as a full time (ish ) job and made sure I had 30 hours or so to devote to work and sat down to do it at set times.

Placements will be the hardest as you will prob need to be away full time and perhaps some distance away.

If you really want to do it then go for it. One piece of advice I was given early on by the course leader was that I was there to be an OT and not an academic so do "just enough".

It's a good idea to so some prep if you have time as it will make returning to study easier. I was like a rabbit in the headlights. Perhaps talk to the admissions tutors to see what would be of particular use?