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Monash University

Bachelor of Physiotherapy

Course code: 3868 ~ Course abbreviation: BPT ~ Total credit points required: 192 ~ 4 years full-time ~ Managing faculty: Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Peninsula - F/T only)

Course description

Monash physiotherapy education is built around five themes delivered within a fully integrated curriculum. Commencing first semester, the curriculum is structured around conditions for which people typically seek physiotherapy. In the later years of the course, the focus moves to learning in a clinical environment. This provides opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills, and appreciate the relevance of ongoing learning in the context of supervised health care delivery.

Monash physiotherapy education facilitates development of skills through small group learning. Other features of this degree are opportunities to experience interdisciplinary rural health care delivery and inter professional education (IPE). In IPE, students spend some time each semester learning and collaborating with students enrolled in other health science courses including occupational therapy, nursing, ambulance and paramedic studies and social work.

Clinical practicum across all years of the course is compulsory. In the third and fourth years of study, the majority of time is spent in clinical education. Some flexibility may be required of students, both in terms of hours worked at clinics and scheduling of clinical education.

All students can expect to have rural attachments during the course. All students will undertake rural clinical education during third or fourth year. Students should take these matters into consideration when considering casual employment.

Course themes

Theme 1: Personal and professional development

This theme focuses on the development of personal attributes and skills that assist the student in the transition from student to physiotherapist. It includes verbal and written communication skills and developing an understanding of the importance of relevant ethical and legal issues and the physiotherapy profession.

Theme 2: Population, society and health

This theme provides the structure to learn about and deal with broader society and population issues and is underpinned by an internationally accepted socio-ecological model of health.

Theme 3: Fundamental knowledge of health science

This theme provides the knowledge and skills required for physiotherapy clinical practice. It includes biomedical and behavioural sciences as well as the theory of physiotherapy practice.

Theme 4: Applied practice

This theme develops clinical competencies for physiotherapy practice. It focuses on the incorporation of the best available research evidence with the clinical reasoning skills of assessment, management, evaluation and health care of patients across the lifespan and across a spectrum of patient environments and circumstances.

Theme 5: Research

This theme provides opportunities to learn the knowledge and skills to locate, interpret and critically evaluate research into conditions and practices relevant to physiotherapy.

Course objectives

On completion of this course, students will be expected to demonstrate the generic attributes of a Monash graduate. The objectives of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy have been classified according to the themes of the course. The five themes within the course are: Personal and professional development; Population, society and health; Fundamental knowledge in health sciences; Clinical skills, and Research. On successful completion of the course the student will be expected to demonstrate specific attributes within these themes. Details of the specific theme attributes are available in the entry for this course in the online handbook available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/undergrad/med.html.

Special requirements

Police Checks and Working with Children Checks

Organisations that host clinical and community placements require students to have current Police and Working with Children checks regarding their suitability to undertake such placements. All enrolled and prospective students are advised that they will be required to obtain Police and Working with Children checks prior to undertaking their course. Working with Children checks are valid for five years and are available free. Police checks must be applied and paid for annually. However, in some community partnered programs there may be a requirement to have a police check renewed every six months.

Health requirements

Students will be required to comply with the Faculty Immunisation and Infection Risk Policy, and current recommendations and procedures, to enable them to proceed through the course with an acceptably low level of risk.

It is recommended that all students accept responsibility for having up-to-date immunisations before commencing the course. Recommended immunisations include diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and hepatitis B.

Prospective and enrolling students will be provided with detailed written information and, as appropriate, counselling about the effects that HIV or hepatitis B infection may have on the ability of health care workers to practice their profession.

Expenses

Students are advised that there will be additional costs associated with the course that may include text books and course support material, uniforms for clinical education, and travel, accommodation and living costs associated with rural clinical attachments.

Course structure

During the first and second years of the course, education in the biomedical and behavioural sciences (anatomy, biomechanics, kinesiology, pathology, pharmacology, physiology, psychology, radiology, sociology) foundations of physiotherapy practice and research is provided on campus using a problem-based and patient-centred approach to learning.

All students will participate in an interdisciplinary rural attachment in year one to gain knowledge and insight into rural health services and issues.

On-campus learning continues in the early weeks of third year. The focus will then change to learning in the clinical setting. Clinical education aims to develop knowledge and practice in the delivery of physiotherapy services under the supervision of experienced physiotherapists. Clinical education will be undertaken in a diversity of settings, with challenges increasing across years three and four. Year four will also include paediatrics and the opportunity to undertake elective units in areas of interest. A mix of metropolitan and rural health services will be utilised for clinical education.

Students undertaking the Bachelor of Physiotherapy are selected into the honours degree (see the entry for the Honours degree of Bachelor of Physiotherapy under `Honours degrees' in this section of the handbook) at the completion of Year 1 based on their academic progress.

In addition to the units outlined below, students will complete their Level 1 and 2 First Aid Certificate as part of their studies.

Course requirements

First year

First semester
Second semester

Second year

First semester
Second semester

Third year

First semester
Second semester

Fourth year

First semester
Second semester
First or second Semester
  • PTY4070 Physiotherapy 7 - clinical
  • PTY4080 Physiotherapy 8 - clinical

Contact details

Telephone: +61 3 9904 4466, email: physiotherapy@med.monash.edu.au or visit http://www.med.monash.edu.au/physiotherapy