my rural placement

When I was on my rural placement, I had really a great experience for me not just only as one of physiotherapy students but also as international student. It was like packed everything together of physiotherapy area.

First of all, there was a great opportunity that I can communicate with a variety of health professionals such as doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pathologists, midwives, and occupational therapists. Liaising with doctors and nurses on general ward, midwives in maternity ward, occupational therapists in out-patient department was required to keep each other up to date with the status and progress of the patient present. It allows me to understand several different points of view in other areas and also to extend my clinical knowledge not only as a physiotherapist but also as a part of health professionals.

As an international student, it was a great opportunity to have clinical experience in an Australia rural health system. This practicum provided a good insight into the country health system and physiotherapy within that system. The Regional Hospital provided me with a mixture of inpatients, outpatients, community programs and interdisciplinary experiences. That each of ongoing outpatients’ timeslots was only twenty minutes challenged me the most, utilising knowledge and time management as a physiotherapist, not a student. Being as a part of physiotherapist in the hospital was very pleasant due to the friendliness of staff and community.