Are you interested in studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at Monash University?
Have you checked out our article explaining the ins and outs of the degree, but are still itching to know more? Well, look no further — we chatted to Zoré, a Physiotherapy student at Monash, to get an honest opinion on the degree.
Keep reading for the full rundown!
Why should you study a Physiotherapy degree at Monash?
Top 3 Pros of a Physiotherapy Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Physiotherapy Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying Monash Physiotherapy
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Physiotherapy degree at Monash?
Monash’s Physiotherapy (Honours) is a four-year degree which teaches students physiotherapy theory and practices, equipping graduates with all the knowledge they need to become accredited physiotherapists at the end of their degree.
According to Zoré, the learning is exciting and hands-on, the campus is great and the faculty is incredible — what more could you possibly ask for?
Top 3 Pros of a Physiotherapy degree
#1: Strong practical orientation
A Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at Monash has students completing practical work from the very start of the degree. Zoré says, “We had practicals from the first week of university.”
In anatomy classes you work with cadavers to understand the human body and in physio labs you learn in a mock-clinic environment, assessing patients and responding to scenarios.
This is incredibly useful, Zoré explains, as the practical teaching elements make the theoretical components easier to learn.
The hands-on experience also familiarises students with what can be expected of them in the workforce, making the transition from university to a real clinic environment less daunting.
#2: Consistency across classes
Monash University structures their Physiotherapy degree differently to most other places. Each semester focusses on a different part of the human body and all of the separate units relate to one another by teaching content pertaining to that specific area.
For example, in the first semester of first year, all of the units focus on teaching students about the lower limbs, whereas the second semester looks into everything you need to know about the upper limbs.
It is this consistency across different classes that Zoré appreciates the most.
#3: Additional support classes available
Zoré explains that the Physiotherapy faculty at Monash also offers additional weekly classes to help students refine their practical skills.
According to her, these skill mastery classes are not compulsory, but they are really casual and very useful for students who feel like they need a little bit of extra help.
“The uni provides extra practical classes every week, for an hour or two. You can go in on your own time and practice, under the supervision of a teacher who is there to help if you need it,” says Zoré.
On top of this, Monash also hosts an additional, non-compulsory clinical communication support program for Physiotherapy students wanting to better their communication skills before going on placement.
“A few teachers from the faculty will come and explain some of the challenges we might face in placements. They go through how we can solve them by effectively talking to patients,” she says.
Top 3 Cons of an Arts degree
#1: Packed timetables
“Timetables can be very packed. In the first semester of the first year, we had classes every day from morning to afternoon. It was very stressful to manage everything and I found it hard to adapt,” Zoré points out.
Super busy university timetables can come as a bit of a shock to new students, especially those making the transition straight from high school. This is why it is important to develop strong time management habits early on.
#2: Exams
The semester exams for Physiotherapy at Monash do not only cover what was taught in that specific semester, but they also include all content covered throughout the degree so far.
“Examining everything from the starting point gets very stressful,” Zoré says. “But it does make sense, because if I get work as a physio I have to be able to know all of this stuff and be thinking about it all at once.”
#3: Travel between campuses
Physiotherapy (Honours) is taught at Monash’s Peninsula campus. However, the compulsory anatomy classes are held at Clayton, as this is where the cadavers are kept.
This travel between campuses can take some getting used to as students shift from the small, familiar Peninsula campus, to the much larger Clayton one.
Zoré explained that she found this difficult, as she has a certain soft spot for the homely environment of Peninsula.
“It is a lot warmer and friendlier. I managed to meet a lot of students from other courses. I go around and I kind of know everyone. If I was in Clayton it would be very stressful and lonely because it is just huge,” she shares.
Any regrets?
Zoré says that so far, she doesn’t have any regrets about choosing this degree.
While the coursework might get a little intense at times and exam periods quite stressful, studying Physiotherapy at Monash has been a really rewarding decision. She comments, “I’m really happy that I chose this degree.”
Zoré explains that despite only being in her second year of the degree, Monash’s focus on practical application has meant that she’s already learnt so much. As a result, she has been able to find herself work in the industry as a hydrotherapy assistant, physiotherapy assistant and receptionist, as well as a sports trainer at different football clubs.
“Even now that I’m still studying, I can do multiple different jobs with the knowledge I have so far, which is cool,” she says.
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?
Monash’s Physiotherapy degree is different from others in the sense that it doesn’t require you to complete an additional post-graduate degree to become a physiotherapist.
In contrast, a lot of other universities only offer Physiotherapy as a post-graduate option — meaning that students must complete a relevant undergraduate degree before enrolling in additional years of study.
It is only in this second enrolment that students can take specific physiotherapy units. This usually extends a student’s time at university by quite a few years.
Zoré says, “I didn’t want to have to do an additional degree and picking Monash would let me start working as a physio straight away.”
What inspired you to choose Physiotherapy at Monash?
For Zoré, Physiotherapy was never her end goal. “First I chose Physio because I was aiming to do Medicine and I thought I could do Physiotherapy and then apply for the GAMSAT,” she explains.
But after spending a few semesters in the course, she started to really enjoy it.
“I found out that as a physio I get to work with the patient for longer periods and get to know them as a person,” she highlights. This is why she decided to continue pursuing it.
What are the possible career paths?
Graduates of Monash’s Physiotherapy (Honours) degree have the opportunity to work in a range of different clinical settings or enter into a variety of niche areas of specialisation.
They have the ability to work in hospitals, schools, aged-care facilities or sporting clubs, just to name a few.
They can choose between entering into a career as a clinical physician or a researcher.
When in the industry, there are also different specialisations that students can choose to focus on. Some of these include:
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- Geriatric physiotherapy
- Paediatric physiotherapy
- Cardio-respiratory physiotherapy
- Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
- Neurological physiotherapy
Jessica Arentz is a Content Writer at Art of Smart and an undergraduate student at the University of Sydney where she studies a Bachelor of Arts/Advanced Studies (Media and Communications) (Marketing). She currently volunteers at 2SER community radio station as a producer and newsroom reader. When not writing, you can find Jess searching the web for cheap flights or spending her days with her head buried deep in a book.
