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"

Required Improvements For Studying Physiotherapy Locally

We are very familiar with the predicaments the students of many institutions taking physiotherapy. Here are the common issues:

1. Non-conducive population of students

Various institutions have many intakes a year and I know of one college that takes up to 6 intakes a year. What's more "remarkable" is the amount of students per intake is simply abundant. Some institutions takes in as many as 500 students per intake.

How would the authority of the institution expect to create a conducive learning environment for the students? These students would be divided into probably 4-5 groups of approximately 100-150 students per group for practical classes. With just 1 lecturer per group, how would they expect the students to be able to see what the lecturer is teaching?

For example when a lecturer teaches spinal mobilisation, that would require students to get very close to the lecturer and observe the demonstration. But with the great amount of students, how would the student to even have a chance to see where the hands are palpating on the back?

2. Lack of equipments

Many of these institutions have such inadequate equipments. Can you imagine I have heard that many have not even seen a peak flow meter! They even wondered how a spirometer looks like.

Students had to pay huge amounts to finish their diploma or degree in some institutions, ranging between RM45k to RM80k for a 3-year diploma course. Imagine getting RM60k per students, with 3000 students per year. The institution gets a total of RM1800000000 (that's RM1.8 BILLION!) yet they can't even purchase enough peak flow meters for the students? I seriously wonder what they do with the money.

Some students have never even heard of the isokinetic machine. Personally, having studied in a particular university, with only 34 students in my batch and divided into 2 groups of 17 students, we got to practise with spirometers, peak flow meters, isokinetic machine and many other equipments that are necessary for a holistic and complete assessment and treatment.

3. Places for clinical placements

In my 4 years of doing my degree, we're very lucky that the students of my university have always been placed in local government hospitals. Students of other institutions, due to their huge numbers are always placed in homes like mentally handicapped homes or old folks homes. It would be a great exposure with placement in homes however how would they be able to learn if there are no physiotherapists at the homes to guide them? How would they know they are doing things wrongly if there are no physiotherapists to correct them?

Also, these students wouldn't have enough exposure to cardiorespiratory (CR) patients as majority of CR patients can only be found in hospitals. How would they be able to assess and treat CR patients upon fully graduated if they have handled none? Many have NEVER EVEN STEPPED INTO THE ICU.

I'm sure the Malaysian Physiotherapist Association (MPA) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as the Ministry of Higher Education are making efforts to overcome these problems. We hope and pray to see the outcomes of their effort ASAP.

We can't have many more students being CHEATED!