Tell us about your educational and/or career journey since you graduated from Brunel?
I couldn’t start work as a Physio straight from Brunel due to a motorbike accident. However, one of my course-mates linked me in with the team at Hillingdon Hospital, where I then completed my junior rotations. Rotations included Hand Therapy which I fell in love with, taking me to the Royal Free in London for a short stint. I travelled back down the M4 to senior MSK jobs- both private and NHS and eventually landed at Berkshire Healthcare. Here I have had the opportunity to work as an MSK FCP in primary care and Orthopaedic Triage Clinician before moving into management positions.
What does a typical day at work involve for you?
Typically, I collaborate with my departments and the higher management teams within the Trust to keep MSK Physio excellent and progressing! There’s lots of project management, finance, and contracts – which all feels very foreign to me, having a clinical background. But I’m enjoying it and have lots of scope to change the experience of staff and patients for the better, which feels very positive!
What’s been the highlight of your career journey so far?
I mentioned previously working in Hand Therapy, which was in a very progressive environment where I learned to manage wounds, burns, skin grafts, make bespoke splints and rehab injuries. This job was a highlight and one I hope to get back to. Otherwise I completed a rotation in Heart and Lung Transplantation at Harefield Hospital, which blew my mind repeatedly and I remember really fondly.
How would you say your Brunel experience has helped you to get where you are today?
There’s obviously the medical knowledge and theory which has directly enabled me to work as a Healthcare Professional in hospital and sports settings. However, I developed a network of contacts through Brunel – including staff and course-mates – that have continued to benefit me throughout my career. I also played rugby at Brunel and have continued to play. I attribute the maintenance of my sanity to this.
Why did you choose to study at Brunel and why would you recommend Brunel to others?
I chose Brunel as the Physiotherapy Department was on Campus. Turns out, it was a better decision than I realised at the time. The BSc programme was first class, and even now I work with lots of quality Physios who have graduated from Brunel.
What is your best memory of studying here?
There’s so many memories – from the uncertainty of moving in and meeting hundreds of new people, to the feeling of acing a practical respiratory exam, dressing up as a duck and dancing for hours at Liquid, exchanging wild placement stories with course-mates, finding a huge LGBT network and feeling accepted, or coming back for graduation and seeing all the familiar faces that I’d grown to love and feeling so proud of us all!
If you could give one piece of advice to current Brunel students, what would that be?
Oh man, it’s a rollercoaster isn’t it. It’s easy to remember the good bits but there were times when I though I must be on the wrong course, I wasn’t enjoying it, the workload was so high I wasn’t able to get out with my friends. I guess there’s load of communities and different support at Brunel if you look for it, so find what works for, you don’t forget that what you’re doing is challenging and keep plugging away.
What would be your top tip or key advice for new graduates as they begin their career journey after leaving Brunel?
Just say yes to as many opportunities that you can as they come your way.
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