Physiotherapy at Trinity College Dublin

Physiotherapy – or physical therapy – places full and functional movement at the heart of what it means to be healthy. It involves treating patients of all ages with a range of illnesses and conditions, including those with back and neck problems, sports injuries, arthritis, or those recovering from strokes and operations. The methods employed include exercise therapy, manipulative procedures, and a variety of electrical treatments.

Physiotherapists may be part of a multidisciplinary medical team that includes physicians, nurses, speech and language therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers among others. Alternatively, they may work from clinics or specialise in particular areas of the discipline.

Physiotherapy: The course for you?

Physiotherapy is both physically and academically demanding and you will need to have considerable emotional stability and strong communication skills. Visiting a local general hospital or other area where physiotherapists work will give you a good understanding of what exactly is involved.

Physiotherapy at Trinity

Physiotherapy is based in the Trinity Centre for Health Sciences in a purpose built complex at St. James’s Hospital. This complex houses other health science disciplines and allows physiotherapy students to share courses with those in the other health sciences to give a multidisciplinary approach to studying and working. The centre is about 3 km (2 miles) from the main campus and is beside a Luas station on the line running between Tallaght and Connolly Station in the city centre. All students will have clinical placements at Trinity’s associated teaching hospitals of St. James’s and AMNCH in Tallaght, where there is an established expertise in most areas of physiotherapy. These placements allow students to gain experience in some of the specialist areas of physiotherapy including neurology, respiratory care, coronary care, orthopaedics, women’s health, care of the elderly, sports and out-patients.

Graduate skills and career opportunities

Successful completion of the course entitles you to membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, the accrediting body for physiotherapy in Ireland. Physiotherapists are sought throughout the world and you will be able to work with a wide range of conditions or to specialise, as you wish. There is also great scope for you to continue to develop your skills and expertise in areas such as manipulative therapy, sports injuries, neurology, cardiology, respiratory, research, education, management or private practice.