Ask any student why they chose the profession of physiotherapy and many will tell you, quite simply, that they want to make a difference in the world. Physiotherapy allows them to do this by helping people make informed choices to strive to live full and independent lives.
As a global profession, access to knowledge and resources to impact change can vary depending on where you are in the world. But thanks to the internet the world has become smaller. The internet is helping physiotherapists be the change they want to see in the world. We recently spoke to Aminat, an aspiring physiotherapy student from Nigeria.
Aminat knew that her purpose was to make a difference in people’s lives, one of the reasons she chose to study physiotherapy. Through her clinical rotations, Aminat is more than aware of the challenges that both clinicians and patients face. From clinicians dealing with limited equipment, inadequate treatment space and overburden of patients, to patients having a long wait for appointment dates, having to travel long distances to clinics and the large patient to clinician ratio.
“I was looking for a community to grow and learn with, and meet other physiotherapists across the globe”
Always keen to learn more, Aminat often used the internet to search for additional study materials. It was during one of her searches back in 2019 that her journey led her to a new path with Physiopedia. In addition to great evidence-based resources to develop clinical knowledge it also offered a community where she could grow and learn with other physiotherapists around the world. Without hesitation, Aminat signed up for the Physiopedia Volunteer Orientation course and joined the growing team of volunteers who want to make a difference.
Discover opportunities to volunteer with Physiopedia
The skills and knowledge that she acquired as part of the team have meant that she has been able to make a positive impact within her community as well as sharing her knowledge with other students and encouraging them to use online resources to improve their learning and career development.
“I used my experience as a Physiopedia volunteer to apply for the role as a network facilitator for the Africa Region at World Physiotherapy Future Network. It was an eye-opening experience”
Aminat was able to grow her support network and one encounter inspired Aminat to embrace, and expand, her quest for knowledge. She was encouraged to seek more learning experiences, one of which was to apply for a role as a facilitator at a Physiotherapy World Congress. Through her involvement, she was able to get a deeper understanding of the practice of physiotherapy, education and the lifestyle of physiotherapy students and professionals across Africa and beyond.
“My career path grew a milestone thanks to Physiopedia.”
As Aminat continues to reach out into the world of physiotherapy she has also developed a passion for writing and research. This is one of the skills she has gained from her volunteer role on the Physiopedia content team. She has happily applied this new knowledge by taking on the role of a research assistant, where she is able to work on a range of topics including orthopaedic and neurological conditions.
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