You will develop personalised treatment strategies and systematically evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic processes. A key part of your role is to advise and support patients, helping them to develop their own strategies for coping with their impairments in everyday life. The aim is to restore a patient’s functional ability and performance to the highest possible level.
Prerequisite
- Completion of a Fach-, Berufs- oder gymnasialen Matura
- work placement of at least two months in the healthcare sector (except for Fachfrau/-mann Gesundheit with Berufsmaturität or those with a Fachmaturität Gesundheit)
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Good analytical skills
- Excellent manual dexterity
- Quick to grasp new concepts and flexibility in adapting to different treatment situations
- A strong sense of responsibility
- Initiative and organisational skills
- Physical and mental resilience
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Willingness to work at weekends
Education
The degree programme begins in September each year and leads to a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. Zuger Kantonsspital offers placement opportunities for students from the Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften andHochschule Thim van der Laan. The programme lasts four years and consists of theory modules and placements in various institutions and specialist areas.
A trainee’s daily report
What is your day-to-day routine like during your training?
"During the clinical placement blocks, I work in various institutions as a trainee physiotherapist. Depending on my stage of training, I treat a range of patients in both outpatient and inpatient settings, and I discuss these cases with my supervisor. In doing so, I have to explain the main therapeutic issue and the treatment approaches. My supervisor regularly observes me whilst I am treating patients and provides me with feedback. During the academic blocks, we learn the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject at the University of Applied Sciences."
What did you find particularly challenging during your training?
"I found it difficult to apply the theoretical knowledge I had learnt in a way that was specifically tailored to each patient. As each patient’s clinical picture is different, the situation must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Identifying the main problem and substantiating it with a therapeutic explanation is particularly difficult."
Why did you decide to do the Physiotherapeutin BSc course?
"I was interested in how the human body moves. Interacting with people in my day-to-day work was very important to me. I was fascinated by the idea of helping patients achieve pain relief, improved mobility or better coping skills in their everyday lives through therapeutic interventions alone."
Opportunities for development
- Work in various settings, such as acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centres and outpatient clinics
- Specialisation in a particular field through further training
- Management roles following several years’ professional experience
- Master’s degree programmes in specific specialist areas. Afterwards, a career in research or teaching is also possible.
Application
You can obtain information on the application process and the aptitude assessment from the Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften in Winterthur.
Work placement
Would you like to gain an in-depth insight into the day-to-day work of a midwife or nurse before choosing your career path? You can find information about the work placement here.