When finishing university there are many potential jobs I could venture into relating to my degree however, only 2 currently interest me. These 2 options include working with the military or armed forces helping to rehabilitate military personnel back to full fitness to continue with their jobs. Another option would be to hopefully work alongside a professional sports team (preferably a Rugby team) as it will allow me to work more directly with sports injuries and first aid response on pitchside including treatment before during and after games and training sessions.

Another job option I am interested in that is not related to my degree would be becoming a Paramedic. This job has interested me for many years as a result of working as a lifeguard for 4 years this year I have noticed the excitement I experience why performing a rescue or applying first-aid. This is why I would like to explore this as a possible future job opportunity.

Working with the armed forces:

The job I am currently most interested in is working with the armed forces as a medical support officer (physiotherapist) would include providing rehabilitation to soldiers and civilians on and off operation. This job role will allow me to work in rehabilitation centers, field hospitals, ministry of defense hospital units, army training regiments and defense medical rehabilitation centers. This job will also include working abroad on operations treating soldiers, prisoners of war and local civilians developing clinical and military expertise over the duration on my career with the armed forces.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain and improve the fitness of soldiers through sports injuries management and prevention
• Assess the medical condition of patients (often in conjunction with other medical practitioners)
• Develop a treatment plan to reduce pain and promote movement and functional ability
• Administer physical therapy treatments to patients, for example, active and passive exercises, manipulation, therapeutic massage, etc
• Apply treatments with specific equipment such as laser and ultrasound machines
• Instruct, motivate and assist patients to improve functional activities
• Rehabilitate patients in a field environment
• Deal with multiple traumas
• Lead a team of soldiers
• Take part in military activities

Qualifications needed:

• BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy
• Membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• I will also need to undergo basic military training to attain specific military skills such as weapons handling allowing me to combine soldier, officer and physiotherapist skills when out on an operation.
• 1 year of clinical experience and military experience.

Although this job requires physiotherapy qualifications I will continue with my sports rehabilitation degree keeping my options open to work in sports clinics and with a variety of sports teams. I will then look to transfer my degree, complete a further degree in physiotherapy, complete a masters in physiotherapy to attain this job if it is still a job of interest when graduating from university.

Skills needed for this job:

• Physical fitness
• Resilience
• Survival skills
• Basic military training and tactics
• Initiative
• Reliability
• Responsibility
• Courage
• Motivation
• Quick thinking and decision making
• Leadership