What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Physio (And Why Beyond Physio and Fitness Saved My Career)
What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a
Physio (And Why Beyond Physio and
Fitness Saved My Career)
Growing up, I was an active kid with a knack for recurrent ankle injuries — so physios were a
familiar part of my life. I'd see one every now and then, but my real exposure came during
tournament weeks, when a physio traveled with the team.
That experience shaped my idea of what the job actually was. I pictured myself on the sidelines
of sports teams, traveling from game to game. So when I went into physio school, I honestly
didn't understand what the day-to-day of being a physio really looked like.
Here's the truth: there is room to work with sports teams, but for a lot of physios, the job lives in
a clinic. And sometimes it's got nothing to do with sport at all.
What University Doesn't Prepare You For
I wish someone had told me how hard university would be — and that most of the coursework
leans heavily on the medical and hospital-based side of physiotherapy. That knowledge is
genuinely important. But it leaves you feeling badly underprepared for the reality of working in a
private practice or musculoskeletal (MSK) setting.
I also wish I'd known that not all clinics are equal. Mentorship sounds great on paper, but if a
clinic doesn't block out time for it, it simply won't happen — not because the business doesn't
care, but because senior physios are flat out treating patients and delivering great care. There's
rarely time left over to teach.
I wish I'd known I'd be seeing more than twelve patients a day, with no dedicated time for notes
or admin. On busy days, you don't get a moment to think — let alone reflect on your treatment
or plan ahead.
And I wish I'd understood just how much uncertainty comes with this profession. Research is
constantly evolving, and what was considered gold-standard treatment a decade ago can be
outdated today. What we do as physios is genuinely rewarding — we assess, treat, and help
people get back to doing what they love. But too often, the business model behind the job
creates time pressure that gets in the way of delivering your best possible care.
Starting Out Alone
I stepped into my first role with minimal support and no structured mentoring. No extra gym
space, no equipment beyond what was in my treatment room — just me, a patient, and a brain
full of uncertainty. Imposter syndrome was a constant companion, and I genuinely believed that
feeling underprepared was just part of the job.
Questioning your career path is common for physios early on, and I did plenty of that — until I
started working at Beyond Physio and Fitness. That's when things shifted.
Why Beyond Physio and Fitness Saved My Career
An enthusiastic team of hard working Physio’s. A crew who are constantly upskilling and
bringing new research to the table all while pursuing passions outside of work and practicing
what they preach.
Structured in-service training, every week. Not just a senior physio quickly showing you a
couple of things, but a genuinely well-planned program that builds on itself month to month,
letting you dig deep into topics and steadily build your skills.
Blocked-out time for admin and referrals. Actual space in the diary to write sports doctor
letters or orthopedic referrals properly, instead of squeezing them in between patients.
Freedom in your diary. The ability to block admin time after a run of patients, so you can
debrief, think, and get your notes down properly.
Flexible hours. Starting early and finishing early, or starting late and finishing late — so you can
actually make it to sport during the week, instead of being stuck finishing late every night.
A fully equipped, functional gym space, with the opportunity to run classes like Pilates and
functional fitness, backed by support from a gym trainer.
A genuine community. Gym members who often become your own clients — and a real sense
of belonging.
Regular supervision. Frequent check-ins in your first few months, moving to a monthly session
after that, with honest and friendly feedback every time.
Professional development support and encouragement. Yearly CPD allowance with no
application process and 24/7 access to online training forums so you can keep on top of the
professional development hours.
An open-door policy. The ability to knock on someone's door and get a second pair of eyes or
hands, whenever you need reassurance or a second opinion.
Beyond Physio and Fitness is unlike any other clinic I've worked in. It's built to support physios
so they can actually deliver the best possible care to their patients.
