ADRIAN CHENG - PHYSIOTHERAPY

Steveston London Secondary School Alumnus

What is physical therapy?

Physical therapy is an art and a science. The science is your ability to formulate a comprehensive assessment, construct your diagnosis, and treat the impairment or dysfunction. The art is your ability to communicate with the person in front of you, build a trusting relationship with them, and convey the information you gathered in a simple manner.

Physical therapists help people affected by pain, injury or illness using techniques such as manual therapy, exercise and education to reduce their pain, strengthen their body, and enhance their function.

What can you do with a physio degree?

Physical therapists often work at a community clinic or in the public health care sector such as a hospital or rehabilitation centre. But as physical therapists grow in their skills and gain more experience, many physical therapists transition into roles of mentorship. In the private practice setting, physical therapists can become clinic managers or clinic owners and lead a team of therapists. In the public sector, physical therapists can become clinical leaders and supervisors that manage the physical therapists for a particular unit or even the entire hospital.

What is the physio community like?

It is a small, close-knit community as there are not many physical therapists out there! As a physical therapist just starting their career, there were so many things I did not know but whenever I asked a more experienced therapist for advice, they have always been happy to support me.

What do/did you do outside of school?

I definitely took the time I needed to spend time with family and friends. The physiotherapy program is fast-paced and it is very easy to get burnt out. Most often you would have found me playing spikeball after class, trying out a new restaurant with my girlfriend, or heading to the beach to relax.

School/Survival Tips

1. Develop good study habits – do not fall behind!

2. Push for good clinical placements – if you know a preceptor who is an excellent teacher, push for them! Learning from hands-on experience is essential.

3. Socialize! – many classmates will become your life-long friends and every single classmate will be your colleague after you graduate. Physio students are a bunch of beauties.

Top 3 Must-Dos as a physio student

1. Get involved! – there are many social and educational events outside of the program. The social events are always fun and the educational seminars are super-informative and FREE

2. Keep an open mind! – there are MANY different areas of physiotherapy practice where we can specialize. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into one specific area of practice when you enter the program because you may find a more interesting field of practice later.

3. Enjoy the learning process – You are not going to learn everything you need to know about physiotherapy during the program. Pace yourself. You are constantly learning in this profession so make sure to enjoy it!