DN420 Physiotherapy (MDS5)
School:
Public Hlth Physio & Sport Sc Physiotherapists provide services to people in order to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout their lifetime.
The physiotherapy (physical therapy) profession is concerned with maximising quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention and rehabilitation. The programme enables students to develop expertise on optimising health, wellness and performance across the lifespan. The programme is designed to provide graduates with a sound academic and clinical foundation on which to build a career in any area of physiotherapy practice through the development of intellectual, creative and practical knowledge and skills. The BSc physiotherapy programme embraces a ‘student centred’ approach to learning, involving contextual and experiential learning (clinical placement and practice) in order that students have the opportunity to achieve excellence in professional practice. Throughout the programme students employ and develop their problem solving, research and critical thinking skills. The development of critical thinking and the ability to apply this thinking in the professional setting is seen as essential for the development of autonomous innovative physiotherapy practitioners. Engagement of staff and students in a meaningful way, is achieved through, leveraging advances in teaching and learning technologies (blogs, wikis), small group teaching, problem based leaning, research dissertations, practical skills education and practice education. Throughout the programme students complete a portfolio which facilitates the development of innovative reflective practitioners, reflection is a necessary skill for continuing professional development.
- Collaborate with other professionals in health care teams in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings.
- Communicate their clinical and academic conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underlying these conclusions effectively to patients and fellow professionals.
- Demonstrate detailed and advanced knowledge of the philosophy, values, skills, ethical responsibilities and theoretical basis of the physiotherapy (physical therapy) profession.
- Demonstrate evidence based practice and clinical reasoning skills.
- Have the ability to integrate knowledge and technology advances in order to examine, diagnose and treat patients effectively and evaluate the efficacy of interventions.
- Have the ability to organise and manage health care provision in public and private practice, including record maintenance and use of information technology with due regard for ethical and regulatory frameworks and data protection legislation.
- Have the ability to retrieve, analyse and apply the results of research.
- Integrate theory with practice to enable safe, effective and competent practice across the spectrum of primary and secondary healthcare, preventative healthcare, health promotion, rehabilitation and performance enhancement.
- Meet the Standards of Proficiency as specified by the national designated authority the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists/CORU and other international physiotherapy (physical therapy) regulatory bodies.
- Possess the skills to reflect on wider professional issues and social and ethical responsibilities in order to apply knowledge and adjust practice to respond to changing needs of healthcare provision and professional practice.
- Practice as autonomous independent healthcare practitioners.
- Practice in a manner that demonstrates autonomous, reflective and innovative thinking.
- Provide physiotherapy (physical therapy) across the lifespan, particularly in the domains of cardiorespiratory, neurological, musculoskeletal and paediatric care.
- Understand the health system.
Physiotherapists provide services to people in order to develop, maintain and restore maximum physical health, movement and functional ability throughout their lifetime.
The full-time BSc Physiotherapy degree programme offered by the UCD School of Physiotherapy & Performance Science is accredited by the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. To date, over 2,000 UCD-educated physiotherapists are working throughout the world. In addition to campus-based learning, you will also spend time on clinical placement in hospitals and clinical centres throughout Ireland.
UCD's Health Sciences Centre brings the research and teaching activities of physiotherapists, physicians, nurses and radiographers together under one roof.
The curriculum covers the broad spectrum of basic, applied and clinical sciences.
The programme is structured so that in Stage 1 you learn the basic and applied sciences. This teaching largely takes place in the UCD Health Sciences Centre. While lectures may take place in larger groups, all hands-on practical physiotherapy skills are taught in small groups of no more than 20 students. Practical skills teaching takes place with close supervision in specifically designed Clinical Skills Laboratories in the School.
Towards the end of Stage 1, you will spend time in the clinical setting where you will put your theoretical knowledge into practice. By the end of your degree programme you will have completed 1,000 hours of clinical practice, which is arranged for each student by the Clinical Co-ordinators in the School.
Clinical practice takes place in hospitals and clinical centres around Ireland, in collaboration with our clinical partners and the Health Service Executive.
Practice Tutors in Physiotherapy co-ordinate clinical education at St Vincent's University Hospital, the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Connolly Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, the National Rehabilitation Hospital, St Colmcille's Hospital, Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Our Lady's Hospice, Naas Hospital, Louth Hospital, South Infirmary Victoria Hospital Cork and the Midlands Regional Hospitals.
Professional skills are examined by continuous assessment. Graduates obtain a complete professional education and are ready to practise upon graduation.
Extensive international links offer you a variety of opportunities to widen your experience. You may choose to gain clinical experience in the USA, Botswana, Belgium or Canada.
As a qualified physiotherapist from UCD you will have the opportunity to work worldwide. Graduates have previously been employed in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Botswana and throughout the EU.
In Ireland, there are opportunities in:
- Regional / district hospitals
- Large training hospitals
- Private practice
- Health Service Executive
- Education
- Rehabilitation
- Paediatrics
- Sports medicine
- Sports and leisure industry
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