WALDO CHEUNG - PHYSIOTHERAPIST

How did you decide on this career and when was this decision made?

My parents ran the traditional-Chinese gambit (piano, tutoring, etc.) in hopes that I would be a doctor or lawyer, but I had other plans in mind. Growing up, I had no television and a very crummy internet connection so I only could do two things: read and play sports. I am sure these two things influenced me subconsciously because I ended up taking a Careers 12 course in high-school where I could shadow other jobs and coincidentally the one job my teacher suggested was (you guessed it): physiotherapy. However, I put this in the back of my mind as throughout university I wanted to be a scientific writer focusing on sports and athletics; my undergrad was in Kinesiology and I also did graduate research on chronic lung disease and lung cancer. But ultimately, I just could not sit in front of a desk for 8 hours, so after 6 years at UBC I decided to do be a physiotherapist- a job that could marry both moving around, reading/writing/speaking, and making money.

What is a normal day like at work?

I work in two different places: one is in a very busy hospital and the other in a private clinic. The hospital is where I talk to doctors, dieticians, nurses, and pharmacists, and other staff to help optimize a patient's function so they can leave the hospital safely. This includes assessing and creating treatment plans to help patients breathe, and walk better, and decreasing the likelihood of falling. A lot of our treatment plans require understanding medicine and medications and their relationship to exercise. As a public-practice physiotherapist you will work in every nook and cranny of the hospital from the emergency department, the stroke unit, the psych unit and even the family birthing unit! In private practice- I work with clients that don't require hospitalizations but are unable to work or do everyday activities due to injuries from motor vehicle accidents, work and sports injuries, and age-related conditions. Private practice is almost like being on another planet because I usually work alone, focus on detailed exercise plans and use different modalities (from my hands to machines) to treat my clients.

What do you like the most about your job? What are the benefits and perks of this job?

Being a physio is a great job, being a physio in B.C. is arguably the best job in the world. As a physio you are always on the go- compared to other jobs there is little time spent sitting in front of a cubicle and looking at a computer screen. You meet so many individuals on all walks of life and you are constantly problem-solving to help them improve their function- whether it is to walk optimally or to finish a marathon without injury.

Another important thing to consider is schedule flexibility. The flexibility between working in public and private practice allows you to experience the entire spectrum of care from poly-trauma patients, to stroke rehab, to athletes. I have so many opportunities to try different areas of physiotherapy- I started out in the intensive care unit, and then worked my way with geriatric patients, and then high-school athletes. There are no overnight shifts or 60-hour weeks (unless I want to) so this allows me to invest time in hobbies and exploring the outdoors of beautiful B.C. with my partner.

What advice do you have for high schoolers?

Academically: Learn to read efficiently, learn to write and speak effectively, learn your stats and learn to code. These tools may help you prepare well for the future post high-school. Physically: Play and exercise lots, and sleep lots. Enjoy the outdoors in B.C.

If you have any questions, I'm on IG- @anotherrunningphysio or LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/runboxx