Who do you seek when you injure a muscle or have aches that don’t seem to go away?
Some people will visit a doctor or try at-home massage treatments, but a physiotherapist is the best person to see.
Physiotherapy, also known as physical therapy, is important for individuals who have lost their mobility or struggle with movement disorders that arise from injuries, illnesses, disabilities, or old age.
Keep reading to find out what physiotherapists do and whether you should enrol in a physiotherapy course.
Physiotherapy is a specialised healthcare field essential all around the world. Professionals in physiotherapy are called physiotherapists. They are concerned with helping people achieve, develop, regain or maintain maximum physical abilities.
Instead of relying on medication, physiotherapists encourage patients to gradually move injured muscles to relieve pain. They are knowledgeable in various treatment methods that aid individuals recover, sustain, and optimise their well-being by regaining proper function of their bodies and locomotor system.
This would eventually enable patients to reclaim their independence and resume normal daily routines to enjoy a good life.
Physiotherapy is essential in the rehabilitation process. For example, it can alleviate physical difficulties and movement loss due to injuries, illnesses, disabilities, or ageing.
No, physiotherapists are not doctors.
Physiotherapists do not prescribe medications or perform any invasive procedures. Instead, they advocate health and wellbeing via education, exercise and other treatments.
Individuals can pursue various physiotherapy courses in Malaysia and eventually begin practising in hospitals, sports clinics, or nursing homes. The first step to working as a physiotherapist would be completing secondary education and pursuing tertiary education.
There are two pathways you can take to become a physiotherapist. Below are details of each path and how you can enrol in a physiotherapy course.
To enrol in a diploma for physiotherapy, you will need a minimum of 5 credits in your Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) or O-Levels examination.
The five credits will have to be in Malay Language, English, Mathematics, one Science subject and any other subject.
A diploma in physiotherapy will equip you with basic physiotherapy diagnosis knowledge and skills to use the right treatment techniques.
You will also learn how to use the most up-to-date physiotherapy tools and equipment for treatments.
The duration of a diploma in physiotherapy usually spans 3 years. Upon completion, individuals can immediately seek employment opportunities or continue their education in this field by pursuing a degree.
The general requirements for a degree in physiotherapy would be to complete your SPM and a Pre-University qualification.
An individual will usually need to meet the following requirements to enrol in a physiotherapy degree course:
Additionally, individuals need to score a Band 3 in MUET or a band score of 5.5 in their IELTS.
However, entry requirements will vary depending on the university of your choice, so it is best to do your research.
You’ll learn how to conduct evaluations, diagnose patients, and select and apply the most appropriate treatment methods.
As a result, you’ll be able to conduct your research and ensure a long and successful career in physiotherapy.
As part of your degree in physiotherapy, some universities require at least 1,000 hours of clinical placements to obtain the necessary and practical skills to perform treatment techniques.
You will also be expected to complete a research project in your final year.
Besides being exposed to topics regarding cardiorespiratory, sports, paediatrics, occupational health and neurology, these are some of the common subjects that you can find in a typical physiotherapy course:
Becoming a physiotherapist requires a lot of effort since there is a need to know the many different types of treatments and which one to designate for their patients. Therefore, physiotherapy courses may be as demanding and challenging as other healthcare and medical courses. However, it is ultimately a rewarding job, considering the work leads patients back to optimal or better mobility, improving their overall quality of life.
Here are some good reasons why you should take up this course.
Physical therapists are key practitioners in society and are valued greatly because of their work. People, regardless of their age, can suffer from injuries, pain, and other challenges related to mobility, and the practice of physiotherapy can improve their struggles. This means there are opportunities to interact with and help people of different ages and backgrounds.
All healthcare and medical professions share the same goal: helping people. This is evident in the fact that healthcare services exist to improve and strengthen the lives and health of people worldwide. Individuals who enjoy seeing other people progress in their health pursuits and are keen on helping them better their lives would find being a physiotherapist rewarding.
Another reason to take up physiotherapy is if biology has always been your forte and you have a passion for learning more about the human body.
Physiotherapy teaches you to understand how our respiratory, neurological and muscular systems work and how these can affect daily mobility.
If all these make you curious and constantly seek answers for this, then take up physiotherapy.
It is an intellectual course that will satisfy your thirst for the knowledge you have been looking for.
Physiotherapy graduates learn to adapt to new environments quickly. This is because physiotherapists can work in many places (mentioned below) besides a hospital or health center.
They can easily venture out and look for opportunities in places like corporations, schools and sports centers too.
Individuals who enjoy communicating and being social would be suitable for a career in this field. Physiotherapists need to hold conversations and communicate with patients while explaining treatments and encouraging them to work on their exercises.
In anything you pursue, you must have the necessary skills to succeed. Here are some major skills needed to be a physiotherapist.
As a physiotherapist, you will need to be extremely observant. From preliminary diagnosis right till your patient recovers, you will need to observe them.
The constant and observant monitoring of their movements and progress will help you keep track of their recovery process.
Besides that, you would also need to observe and pick up tips from your seniors or other qualified therapists.
You will need to explain, support and encourage your patients on their recovery journey. Therefore, you will have to engage and deal with strangers effectively.
You will need to be able to break the ice between you and your patients fast so that your patients are comfortable with you. This will help them trust you, which will help in the recovery process.
As physiotherapy does not involve medications, the road to recovery can be a long process. It may get frustrating along the way, but that is when you have to remain calm.
You may have patients who progress fast or patients who take a long time to heal. In worst-case scenarios, you may have to deal with rude, frustrated or uncooperative patients.
Your ability to stay calm, understand your patients and feel their pain and frustrations will help in these situations.
When you have good self-control and remain composed, you will be better able to help and support them.
Physiotherapy does not only revolve around the administered treatments but the words of encouragement and support being relayed to the patients throughout the recovery journey. Encouragement and motivation are vital during sessions because they continuously push patients to work on their therapy exercises.
Physiotherapists tend to work for long hours and have to deal with other tasks that come with the job, like filling out paperwork. This means that good time management and organisational skills are essential to keep up with work and staying on task.
Yes, it is a tough course indeed. It involves anatomy, physiology and health – it’s not going to be a walk in the park!
However, look at it this way. It is rewarding – you get to help people, build a career that is so diversified, and you will meet people from all walks of life.
So, a few years of hard work is worth it for lifelong career satisfaction.
Yes, it can be a stressful job, especially considering that physiotherapists must possess in-depth knowledge, practical ability, and social skills in their day-to-day life. However, with passion and dedication, this is a job that can be rewarding and pleasant for many.
Upon graduating, here are some career options that you can choose from:
Also, there are many options as to where you can work. You are not obliged to be in hospitals or health centres. These places also require physiotherapists:
With a diverse range of job opportunities, and various work avenues, it is a strong career choice for individuals seeking to enter this profession in Malaysia. According to the Malaysian Physiotherapy Association, an estimated 2,759 individuals practise physiotherapy in the country, which is about 0.84 per 10,000 of the population, indicating a demand for more trained and qualified physiotherapists in the country.
Now for the big question – what awaits you at the end of the month after all your hard work?
According to Indeed, the average base salary for a physiotherapist in Malaysia is RM 2,266, and JobStreet notes that the average monthly salary ranges from RM 2,200 to RM 2,900. PayScale indicates that those with less than one year of experience can earn a salary of RM 29,969 per year, and those with 1 to 4 years of experience can expect RM 29,846 per year.
A physiotherapist with 5 to 9 years of experience earns an average of RM 31,987 per year. Those with 10 to 19 years of experience in this field can expect to earn RM 47,000 per year. These are existing salaries, but with the growing demand, the salary packages are likely to increase in the future.
UOW Malaysia KDU is a reputable higher institution that offers a Diploma in Physiotherapy.
Our program, which spans a duration of 3 years, was built for students to gain a core understanding of physiotherapy and human anatomy.
If you would like to pursue your higher education in physiotherapy, then look no further and
contact us today.
Key highlights
On average, a diploma in physiotherapy in UOW Malaysia KDU will cost you around RM50,000 and take about three years to complete.
Unfortunately, that will not be possible.
Because this is an undergraduate programme, it needs full commitment and has to be completed before working.
Yes, but you will need to at least have a diploma. Physiotherapy requires you to be knowledgeable regarding human anatomy, bodily functions and in-depth functions of muscles.
You will need to know how to relieve pain to make your patients feel better and get back to their daily life routines.
All this comes with intentional learning and practical sessions. Thus, you will need to at least have a diploma in physiotherapy and experience before you can be a physiotherapist.
Physiotherapy is a rewarding career, especially if you enjoy helping people and making them feel good once again.
If you have the passion, take up this course and help heal people while feeling good about it.
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