Cecile, a Physiotherapist, tells us about the stressful and the rewarding bits and also the surprisingly tough competition Physiotherapist face.
What are your favourite and your least parts of your day-to-day job?
I love acute and sport injuries, where you can treat the person two or three times. I don’t like Chronic injuries; they’re tiresome and depressing.
How is the pay in your job/industry?
I started in 1985 with R500pm. Physios should earn around R15 000pm nowadays.
How are the hours in your job/industry?
You work 8:00 – 16:00 and 2 weekends per month, at the very least.
What type of personality would love doing your job? And what type of person would hate doing what you do?
You must be empathic and patient.
How is your day-to-day work different to what you expected?
Your course prepares you very well for what’s to come.
What a) skills b) qualifications c) experience do employers look for in people who want to land your job?
You need BSc Physio Degree and various update courses.
Are there any changes you foresee in your industry that might influence the way teens should approach a career in your field?
Not really, just the focus on the long term effect of obesity on the human body.
Is there anything you wish you had known when you were a teen, career-wise?
You can work anywhere, but it’s not very lucrative. It does not save lives; it improves quality of life.
The strict selection process for the degree is not an indication of the income. Chiropractors, Kinesthesis and Occupational Therapists compete with you for patients as well as casual short-course pressure point-type Redial Practitioners.