Half Done But Quitting?

I know of some people who have ventured into physiotherapy, some with a clear view of what's coming, some venturing into the wilderness hoping to just see light ahead, but some simply stumbled into physiotherapy with no clear vision of what lies ahead.

So you're half done, why quit now?

Many have said, physiotherapy is a profession that will not have u drive a porshce, live in a mansion in a posh neighbourhood, nor would it bring recognisation of one's level of intellectual quotient.

Think again.

Talking about a person's finances, physiotherapy have the potential to bring in big bucks if the graduate is marketable. So how to be marketable? Be specialise in a discipline within physiotherapy that have no or very few specialists. Be very experienced. Work very hard with locums and overtime. Once you have achieved these requirements and built a strong foundation of who you are as a physiotherapist, also with great networks with other health personnel, you'll then see more $$$

Talking about recognition, we have to understand the fact that physiotherapy is a relatively new field in Malaysia. It is still in the stages where the main pillars supporting the profession is in the process of being build, but far from completion. So being in the profession now would allow you to be recognised if you would help in strengthening the foundation of establishing this profession which has so much potential as aspired by the physiotherapists of developed nations like Australia and the US.

Also, some might be aware the profession of physiotherapy has been said to be for those who "tak habis SPM" or for those who are "yang malas belajar kat sekolah". We definitely know these are words of the ignorant, and for us to be ignorant of these inane remarks would create bliss. We know how much we struggle to memorise all the muscles, bones, nerves, physiological systems and the other amazing disciplines of physiotherapy that we know not anyone would be able to do, such a prodigious feat!

The best element of physiotherapy is the ability to be able to change people's lives, to make it better, to improve their quality of life, and many more to-s. It's the satisfaction that we get when a patient comes back to us and say "after you treated me the other day, i feel much better". It's simply heart-opening when a difficult or moody patient, or even patients showing animosity towards physiotherapy would give a great warm smile after our treatment simply indicating they feel better.

Our medicine are our hands. We can treat people anywhere anytime. We uphold the definition of creating bond between health personnel with patients. We embody the principles of healthcare. We are physiotherapists.

"A winner never quits. A quitter never wins"

The 2nd UKM-SGH Joint Conference (2nd - 3rd April 2011)

I was very blessed to have been part of this informative and eye-opening joint conference organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Speakers were of distinguished credibility, from medical consultants to nurses to physiotherapist consultants to dietitians, occupational therapists and as well speech therapists. It was a great mix of health personnel all working towards one main goal with the motto "Strengthening Multidisciplinary Approach in Health Care & Health Sciences".

Various topics were discussed and I would like to share here bits of what I gathered from the various talks delivered.

1. Stroke:

• The younger you are, the more likely you are to get a hemorrhagic stroke (risk of this increases in those below the age of 45).
• Upon occurence of stroke, the first 3 to 4.5 hours is the most crucial time for provision of a thrombolytic factor as this period is the "window" to save the remaining brain tissues (the ischemic penumbra) from being infarcted.
• The neuroscientific basis of rehab interventions for stroke patients are based on these 2 processes; the network plasticity where activities of infarcted neurones are taken over by adjacent neurones; neuronal plasticity where there would be regeneration and sprouting of new dendrites.

2. Children with Special Needs

• In Malaysia, 10-17% of the children population (between 900,000 to 1.35 million children) require special needs.
• 95% of children walks at 18 months of age and parents should be concern if their child fail to do so.
• An increase in the responds of a mother increases the child's level of responsiveness.

3. Palliative Care for Cancer Patients

• Aims of physiotherapy: to achieve optimal functional capacity.

4. Physical Issues Faced by the Geriatric Population

• Main components of postural control: sensory (eg: vision, vestibular), central processing (eg: speed/attention), effectors (eg: ROM).
• ACSM recommends these exercises to be incorporated in treating geriatric patients: strengthening exercises, aerobic conditioning, flexibility exercises and balance training.

I was also very lucky to have gotten the opportunity to make a poster presentation with regards to low back pain. It was a tremendous experience and being able to mingle with other health personnel simply allows me to have a more global outlook towards provision of healthcare.

It was simply awesome that everyone was recognised to be the experts of their field, with the doctors recognising the importance of physiotherapy and the occupational therapist acknowledges the work of speech therapists and so on. This level of respect and recognition is lacking in the current clinical practise and in some ways, Malaysia has a long way to go before these can truly be achieved optimally