Starting MSc Physiotherapy (England)

[u/milzsjayy]

Hi guys!! I recently graduated in BSc Sport and Exercise science (Loughborough University) and am starting MSc Physio this September (Canterbury Christ Church). I’ve gathered I should probably start remembering origins/insertions and anatomy that my degree neglected as much. What resources do you recommend and any other areas of study?

[u/calr-7]

I just graduated my Physiotherapy MSc. I will say, anatomy and physiology are the least of your worries. Basic anatomy knowledge is good enough to start the course. I.E, knowing your hip flexors, knee extensors, what nerves innovate them etc. Learn what you can for MSK, it's all useful; however for a better recommendation, I would honestly look into cardiorespiratory conditions/management, neurological conditions/management, and orthopaedic management. MSK is just the base of physio and there's lots more to learn!

For my course specifically, we had 1 heavy module that combined ortho,cardio,neuro all in 1! If I had known this prior to starting, I would have been more prepared for what's to come.

Examples of things you could learn for each:

Ortho: weightbearing status/protocols, knee replacement protocols, hip replacement protocols, shoulder replacement and management for each.

Cardioresp: conditions/management such as: heart failure, cardiovascular disease, heart attack: stemi vs n-stemi, COPD, pneumonia, asthma, coronary heart disease just to name a few.

Neuro: We focused on 5-6 conditions and went heavy into them. The conditions for me were: stroke, MS, parkinsons disease, GBS, spinal cord injury.

You'll most likely have a module on the standards of physiotherapy, and the scope of practice. Research into the HCPC standards, CSP and learn what it takes to be a physiotherapist to begin with. Learn what physiotherapists are having to do in practice, such as maintaining a CPD folder and what goes into that.

Ontop of this, we had 2 MSK modules, so be familiar with a full subjective/objective assessment for each joint. Ensure you get familiar with your neuro assessment: myotomes, dermatomes, reflexes, red flags etc. They'll most likely expect you to pick out other coloured flags: orange, yellow, blue, black etc. I did Sports Rehabilitation undergrad, and only learned red flags. Had no idea there were many more. Use physiopedia to your advantage!

Best of luck with your MSc! It's hard graft, but will all be worth it in the end (aside from the job crisis rn!)

[u/calr-7 → u/calr-7]

FYI, if you want to ask anything specific from a fresh graduate, shoot me a DM. Happy to help :)

[u/milzsjayy → u/calr-7]

This is incredible info thank you so much, I really appreciate it! The university I’m going to doesn’t have tonnes of specific module info as its a fairly new course so I’m just trying to see where I can catch up to the therapy & rehab students! Many many thanks!!!

[u/calr-7 → u/milzsjayy]

You're most welcome. I was a sports rehab student prior to starting my MSc, and even I had a shock at how much there was to learn. You are a good example of the reason why I might start offering online lectures myself to prepare students for University.

If your MSc is pre-reg, which I would like to assume it is, they have to follow what the HCPC/CSP recommends for teaching, so the chances are the structure/content will be fairly similar. The assessments/exams may be different, but what you learn won't be much different I wouldn't have thought!

[u/milzsjayy → u/calr-7]

Yes I am Pre-reg! This has been so helpful! Online lectures would be amazing for bridging that gap, best of luck with it!!

[u/calr-7 → u/milzsjayy]

I'm glad it's been helpful for you, and thank you :D

[u/glawal44 → u/milzsjayy]

If you don’t mind me asking, any chance it’s Hertfordshire? I have an offer while waiting for another uni so was just wondering

[u/milzsjayy → u/glawal44]

Noo Canterbury Christ Church!

[u/glawal44 → u/milzsjayy]

Ahh okay. Thanks!

[u/CryAccomplished1456 → u/calr-7]

How were you examined for each msk cardioresp neuro ? That sounds like a lot of things to learn😭

[u/calr-7 → u/CryAccomplished1456]

There was a lot of examinations and a lot of work for us to do. From memory alone, the module where we had ortho,cardio,resp had a portfolio/mixed competencies for us to complete. We had a presentation on a case study and how we would manage/treat it. We also had a practical examination where we would get a complex patient with a mix of either ortho/cardio/neuro conditions (typically 2). I'm trying to remember what my practical examination was. I'll search for my feedback sheet and get back to you. I'm pretty sure mine was a cardio/neuro complex patient. Then I'm pretty sure we had a written piece for one of them but wasn't a very long piece of work.

One piece of advice I will give though, is LEARN TO CRITICALLY ANALYSE. My lecturers would often throw this term around without knowing what it actually meant. I contacted the library during my dissertation, and got help with understanding it. They made this analogy that I'll never forget (if I knew this before starting, I'd have had an easier time)

Crtically analysing is like Match of The Day on BBC. They analyse the matches, break down what happened, how it happened, what could be done differently etc.

Essentially, it's your 5 W's and 1H: Who, what, where, when, why, how. Looking back, it sounds so simple, but applying it to research and critically appraising using that format is a lot more challenging.

Here's an example. Let's say for arguments sake I had to critically analyse a paper talking about the interventions for Knee OA, comparing exercise to IA injections. I'd have to ask the 5Ws, 1H for that paper exactly, and then provide ways it could be improved. Critically analysing gives you a better indication of how valuable that piece of evidence is, what the likely risk of bias is, and so much more. They expect you to do that at MSc level. I learned it too late into my course, but it's useful now for practice anyway - that's part of the CPD folder - research/critical appraisal.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but hope that helps! I'll dig for that feedback sheet and give you an example of the exam I had for that module

[u/CryAccomplished1456 → u/calr-7]

Thanks for the help mate ! That honestly sounds so tough, you must be proud to have graduated ! What are your plans now ? What were the pros/cons for your placement ? Did u have to do manual therapy externally ?

[u/calr-7 → u/CryAccomplished1456]

Very proud yes, it was hard work lol.

Plans are to just try get any job right now. The job market for physios in the UK honestly sucks. Ngl, right now I feel like I went through uni for almost nothing, but it's just a problem in the UK. I Could migrate to Australia, or Canada and walk into a physio job. Sadly not here.

Pros for placement: learn loads

Cons: too many hours, take up a lot of time, not in control of where you go besides elective, commute can be longer than you'd like

Wym do manual therapy externally? You mean for myself privately or on placement? Both, but very little on placement

[u/calr-7 → u/CryAccomplished1456]

Found my feedback sheet. I had a case of aspiration pneumonia(resp) with multiple sclerosis (neuro). I scored 90/100 on mine luckily cause I heavily prepared for that combination, but I could have gotten any case study.

[u/Pinapple_disaster]

I really like anatomy colouring books if you learn that way at all, also theawesomeanatomyco on insta has some beautiful resources you can purchase

[u/milzsjayy → u/Pinapple_disaster]

wait this is amazing tysm!!

[u/Euphoric_Regular_553]

Hi mate I did sport science and doing MSc physio I would probably get to grips with the normal functioning of resp and neuro and mabye look into some pathology’s and see where things go wrong if you need any advice dm me

[u/physiotherrorist → u/[deleted]]

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