Physiotherapy

I had one of my patient’s ask me to “give him an American exercise” (he was quite aware that I was NOT British.) I laughed and said that there’s really nothing uniquely American. Of course some techniques and philosophies differ from place to place, but I’m starting to realizing that physical therapy is physical therapy; it’s an universal language of sorts. Well, except that it’s called “physiotherapy” here. This similarity is refreshing for a “fresh-off the plane” American “Physio” student
I was properly welcomed and spent 2-3 days observing the basic operations of the clinic. As with anything new, I was a bit overwhelmed and to be honest, I guess I will be for a while. I see the other Physios splitting their time between their entire patient load while I am running around barely juggling the small caseload I’ve been given. It’s a bit overwhelming because the philosophy of the clinic is to allow the patients, all of whom have a “disability”, to use the abilities they have retained in order to be as independent as possible. Each patient is expected to be independent with transferring themselves and independently wheeling themselves in their wheelchairs. Over the course of a few days, each patient settles into his or her routine; I just hope the same will happen for me (I have confidence that it will.) By the end of the first week at clinic, I felt like I had learned a month’s worth of information and procedure. I learned things specific to persons with amputations: how to properly don and off a prosthesis, the proper names for parts of the prosthesis, and various other “tricks of the trade.” But most of all, I learned that PT is PT. No matter the country and even between specialty areas. I feel like my schooling has prepared me well, though I have only begun this exciting adventure.