Physiotherapy

boomhower

hey guys!

no1-i'm a newbie to boards, i don't understand all the crazy web-lingo, and probably don't understand lots of what's considered the "norm" on this...so be patient or leave me alone-io..

no2-i'm studying physio and would like to know if anyone has any tips or advice on what essential to do well and what ain't at all essential..
(obviously i know i have to study etc etc, but i'm just wondering if anyone has any advice from experience??? like anything i wouldn't have considered, or what hospitals are a b***h to get stuck on a placement)

oh and also, i know that we will most likely have to do a certain amount of our placements outside dublin, and that accommodation is at our own expense during these placements.. my issue with this is that RCSI and trinity physio's get free accom..so why not us? and is there anything we can do to change that?

danke!:)

Stepherunie

Dajaffa is the women for these queries as she herself is a UCD physio.

As for the placement expenses - as far as I know the policy in Physio is that if you are paying rent in Dublin (ie you're not living at home) you get expenses outside of Dublin. If you live at home you have to pay.

Now that is not to say that the student welfare fund or other funds wouldn't help you if you coudln't afford accomodation when on placement outside of Dublin.

As for Trinity and RCSI getting it and UCD not. Every college is different. The Government isn't providing the money for people doing placement outside dublin. It's the college themselves and each college would have different funding available to them to cover these costs.

I've just finished Radiography and under the SMMS rules all students were refunded reasonable accomodation expenses outside Dublin, but then again we'd have far fewer students down the Country at any one time compared to the physio school.

Speaking as someone who did a lot of placement the main things I learnt were these:
1. Seem interested - or if you are bored at least feign some interest.
2. Ask a question if you're stuck. You'll find most people will be more than happy to help you if you're having problems and woudl be much happier helping you get something then having you attempt it, and it all going badly wrong and them having ot pick up the pieces.
3. Chocolates at the end of the placement make you universally liked....

dajaffa

Stepherunie's bang on with the accommodation, it's a bit annoying alright but money isn't there to cover everyone at the moment, and paying it for whoever's paying double rent is pretty fair imo.

As for what's essential it's pretty obvious as you do each course what is and isn't relevant to physio, but obviously you've to pass everything. Make sure to go to practicals as often a practical exam will count for 50% of a module and be considerably less work than the written exam but there's rarely notes so try and go to all of them.

Hospital wise it varies widely, but in terms of the big ones Mater = , Vincents = . It does depend who you get in Vincents but personally speaking I've been there for 2 placements and have no intention of going back if I can help it. I think midlands hospitals can be hit or miss, but generally speaking I've heard no bad reports about anywhere else. Do try and go to a teaching hospital (even if it is Vincents!) for the first 3rd year placement though because having tutorials and other students with you gives you a lot more confidence when you're treating patients yourself for the first time.

boomhower

very helpful lads! thanks!
also, you know the placement in 3rd year?(think it's the 2nd one), well i was thinking of going abroad for it..would you recommend this or have people found it a bad idea?