Physiotherapy is a positive career choice

Physiotherapy students come from all walks of life -  photo: Asadour Guzelian/Guzelian

‘I think what surprised and inspired me was the range of backgrounds from which the students were drawn,’ he told Frontline.

‘I had quite a few conversations with students who had been teachers, civil servants and even a fire fighter who was a trade union rep in France.’

Talking with delegates over the weekend, Mr Gallagher found they were excited about entering the workforce but felt that too much paperwork or poor management could hamper their ability to hone skills.

‘I think the thing about physios, and especially these students, is that they are really passionate about the skills they are developing.

‘That was evident in the collaborative sessions,’ said Mr Gallagher. ‘And that fits in with what ERUS will be focusing on over the coming month, in tackling workload and stress.’

He said students’ views about the axing of bursaries for physiotherapy students were mixed, but that what came across strongly was that every student member needed to feel their voice was heard in the CSP.

‘There was real confidence in the CSP’s student executive committee in doing quite a hard job of making sure everybody’s views are collected, right across the country, and that they are fed properly into the CSP’s decision-making processes,’ he said.

‘The other exciting thing about the whole weekend was that students are keen to get involved and understand how the CSP works, how to influence it, how to get themselves organised into a strong voice.’