Physiotherapist

Physiotherapist job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Physiotherapists work with a variety of patients including physically disabled children, pre/post natal women, sports men/women, industrial employees, hospital in and out patients and people within the community.

Tasks can include:

• helping patients recover from accident, illness or injury
• organising physical exercise sessions
• providing massage
• supervising specialist therapies such as hydrotherapy, electrotherapy and aromatherapy
• collecting statistics
• writing reports
• liaising with professionals such as doctors and nurses
• providing education and advice about exercise and movement.

There are good opportunities for promotion: a structured career path exists within the NHS, and openings commonly occur within the private sector. Alternatively physiotherapists can specialise or move into teaching, research and managerial positions.

Typical employers of physiotherapists

• private/sports clinics
• hospitals
• charities
• industrial organisations
• special schools.

Relevant experience gained via voluntary work, placements or through employment as a physiotherapy assistant is very beneficial. Jobs are advertised in national newspapers and specialist publications such as Frontline and Physiotherapy Journal.

Qualifications and training required

To qualify as a state registered physiotherapist you will need an NHS approved physiotherapy degree and registered membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

For non-physiotherapy graduates a degree in life or sports sciences can be helpful as there is strong competition for course places. There are many mature entrants, although some courses have an upper age limit of 35.

Key skills for physiotherapists

• good time management
• physical health and fitness
• interpersonal skills
• teamworking skills.