Example Physiotherapy Personal Statement

I have always been interested in the human body and its functions. While studying human sciences for my Baccalaureate Diploma in Italy, I discovered that I had a keen interest in anatomy. It was a bad shoulder injury resulting from playing semi-pro sports which gave me a real interest in physiotherapy, as I underwent surgery and a long rehabilitation period. During this time I developed an interest in the physiotherapy I was doing, and realised that it was what I wanted to do with my life. My physiotherapist suggested a sports massage course, which I completed before working in his clinic. Working alongside him helping people like me recover from their injuries was an extremely fulfilling experience. The joy of seeing them improve their lives confirmed to me that I should pursue physiotherapy as a profession.

For the past three years I have worked full time as a physiotherapy assistant, as well as a massage and sport therapist in various gyms including Performance Clinic in Siena, Italy between 2008 and 2010. I have become familiar with electro-therapy equipment and instructing patients in exercises, as well as assisting physiotherapists with their work. I recently completed voluntary work in my local Orthopaedic Hospital in the Physical Rehabilitation department, where I helped the Physiatric specialist and his team to rehabilitate musculoskeletal patients. It was here that I learned to practise myofascial manual therapy to treat chronic pain. The hospital has given me the chance to further my knowledge of musculoskeletal injuries and rehabilitation protocols. I am also very proud of my achievement operating my own private treatment studio alongside my work, where I used manual and massage therapies to help sportspeople recover from their injuries, and designed specific rehabilitation plans for their needs.

I have tried to complete as many relevant courses as possible related to my ambition, both in the UK and abroad. I completed my Diploma Level 5 in Sport Therapy at Active Health in Manchester in 2010, on top of my Diploma di Massofisioterapia in 2007, which involved studying techniques such as Kinesio Tape, Trigger Point and Muscle Energy among others. A high point for me has been studying the Fascial Manipulation method by Italian physiotherapist Luigi Stecco, as it is a less invasive approach to healing injuries involving joints and muscles, and proves the value of massage therapy. It has inspired me to read materials and attend conferences on fascial and myofascial pain and their implications in chronic pain and posture, in the hopes of being able to make a real contribution in this field in future.

I am relocating to the UK with my wife’s career, and although Italian is my mother tongue I also have fluency in English and Portuguese, and am very confident in my language skills having have previously lived and worked in London between 2004 and 2006. My past work with patients has given me tolerance, patience and compassion, and the varied nature of physiotherapy has made me aware of the need to be flexible and adapt to new situations. I enjoy team work, which from my work experience I understand is essential to work as part of a multidisciplinary team of physiotherapists.

This course would give me an exciting opportunity to improve my knowledge of anatomy and the fields of neurological and cardiorespiratory rehabilitation. The part-time nature of the course would also allow me to gain further work experience in my fields of interest. I would like to work in hospitals after graduating, to acquire practical experience in different fields of physiotherapy such as neurological, cardio-respiratory and orthopaedic rehabilitation. My long-term ambition is to open my own independent practice. Having operated a private treatment studio in the past, I feel I could succeed in this with the right skills and knowledge, gained at Brunel University.

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