Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Get moving into physiotherapy
Manish Kumar Singal

PHYSIOTHERAPY is a field that holds immense job potential in this age of high-stress lifestyles that often result in physical disorders. With the life of the common man becoming more and more hectic, there is little time to maintain physical fitness. There is thus a growing incidence of ailments which physiotherapists are called upon to attend.

Physiotherapists treat people who have physical disorders resulting from injury, disease, ageing or birth abnormalities. "Students aspiring to take up this field must keep in mind that this is a science that seeks to cure a patient without medicines. We have a number of patients approaching us as they want to get rid of pain killers," says Dr Lalit Narayan of the Delhi-based Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically Handicapped.

Eligibility

Students with a science background in plus two can opt for this career. The student must have scored 50 per cent or more in plus two with physics, chemistry and biology as the subjects. Different institutes conduct entrance for admission to this course.

The students can do Bachelors in Physiotherapy (BPT), Masters in Physiotherapy (MPT) or an honours course in the subject. Most state universities now offer courses in physiotherapy in addition to a number of private institutes.

To start a practice as a physiotherapist, one should have a degree or diploma in physiotherapy. After acquiring this degree or diploma a person can also work in a hospital, nursing home or any other health establishment. Though short-term courses are also available in various institutes, they are only for practising doctors.

According to Dr Geeta Rastogi, a physiotherapist in the Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Medical Sciences, "The physiotherapy course is designed to give students a basic understanding of the human body, its movements etc."

To become a physiotherapist it is necessary to be aware of the basic functioning of the human body, the techniques of physiotherapy and to possess the required training skills.

Physiotherapy is useful in various fields of medical science like physiology, pathology, pharmacology, psychology, surgical operations, biomechanics, kineseology, disability prevention, rehabilitation and so on.

Skills required

To be a good physiotherapist a person needs to have excellent interpersonal skills because it is a very people-oriented profession. He should have patience, an understanding of people, a sympathetic approach towards patients and the dedication to cure them.

A physiotherapist must possess above average analytical and logical reasoning skills, a scientific temper, deftness of hand and the stamina to work for long hours.

Future scenario

In India, the job opportunities for physiotherapists are tremendous as it is a field where the demand exceeds supply. Physiotherapists are needed in hospitals, nursing homes, orthopaedic departments, rehabilitation centers, schools for the mentally retarded and physically disabled children, defence medical establishments and so on.

Their demand in medical institutions is increasing since physiotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of patients with muscular and cerebral problems. There is also a big demand for physiotherapists in Canada, Germany, the USA and other countries.

Besides, there is a growing demand for physiotherapist in the sports field. Earlier, their demand was mostly confined to cricket but now their role in table tennis, lawn tennis, billiards, horse riding, swimming etc, is growing.

After getting a Masters degree a physiotherapist can also opt for teaching.

Money matters

The initial remuneration of physiotherapists in government hospitals ranges between Rs 8000 and Rs 12000. The private and corporate-funded hospitals are giving a higher package to physiotherapists, starting at Rs 15,000 and going up to Rs 20,000 per month.

After gaining a five to six-year job experience, most physiotherapists start their own practice. "A physiotherapist can earn good money nowadays. For instance, a reputed physiotherapist earns Rs 200 to 400 per visit," adds Dr Narayan.


Course chat
"Spurt in demand for physiotherapists in small towns too"
Chetna Keer Banerjee

Dr Prattima Ratan
Dr Prattima Ratan

Physiotherapy is an age-old medical practice whose demand is growing due to the rise in diseases caused by the sedentary and stressful lifestyles of today. Dr Prattima Ratan, Head of the Physiotherapy Department, PGI, Chandigarh, provides an overview of the role and job prospects for physiotherapists. Excerpts from an interview:

What does it take to be a good physiotherapist?

First and foremost, a physiotherapist must have excellent knowledge of the subject and possess the healing touch as this treatment calls for extensive use of hands. One needs to be patient, compassionate, a good communicator and also play the role of a counsellor. In the case of serious ailments like paralysis, he must be able to build the confidence of the patient without giving false hopes.

What are the various avenues of employment?

Though working in hospitals, teaching or doing private practice are the most obvious job areas for physiotherapists, they can also be employed in rehabilitation cells and health clubs.

Physiotherapists can play an important role in community efforts to rehabilitate people suffering from physical disorders.

What are the upcoming areas in this field?

The demand for physiotherapists is growing rapidly in the field of sports. Physiotherapists are not only required to help in maintaining the general fitness of sportsmen but also to treat their injuries promptly so that they can get back into the game circuit at the earliest.

Also, the growing incidence of lifestyle-related diseases like hypertension, obesity, etc is opening up more vistas for physiotherapists.

What are the future prospects?

Till now its scope was confined mostly to the big towns. But now with the increasing awareness about its benefits-that it is a safe treatment without side-effects-physiotherapy centers are coming up even in small towns. Even the number of institutes and colleges offering this course is growing and the scope for physiotherapists is bound to widen in the coming years.

What is your advice to aspiring physiotherapists?

Back up your manual skills with sound knowledge of the subject. And be sensitive and compassionate towards the patients.


IN FOCUS
Helping study physiotherapy

A view of the Banarsidas Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi\
A view of the Banarsidas Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi

THE Banarsidas Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, offers various courses, physiotherapy being one of them. It was set up in 2001 and is committed to providing world-class healthcare at an affordable cost.

The institute is being run by the Shri Banarsidas Chandiwala Sewa Smarak Trust Society, which was formed in 1951.

Spread over 10 acres, it has a well-equipped library, laboratories, sports facilities, and the latest sophisticated equipment for electrotherapy laser, short-wave and microwave diathermy, etc, among other things.

Courses: The Banarsidas Institute of Medical Sciences is presently offering an undergraduate course in physiotherapy i.e. Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT). This course is affiliated to Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University and was started just two years back.

Minimum qualifications: The eligibility for getting admission in the graduate programme is plus two with 50 per cent marks in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The students fulfilling these prerequisites have to undergo a written test conducted by Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha University. A student gets admission to the institute depending upon the ranking in this test. The institute has 60 seats for this programme at present.

Library facility: The institute has a well-stocked library with a good collection of good books and journals on physiotherapy. Besides, it has Internet facility.

Laboratories: There is a well-equipped laboratory where the students cure patients with physiotherapy. This gives them the required practical training.

Student activities: The institute has a well-developed gym house. Besides, there is a good swimming pool on the campus. The institute also offers facilities for games like badminton, lawn tennis etc. There are also plans to organise extracurricular activities for students.