Physiotherapists play an important role in the healthcare of people of all ages.
This is especially true for those who have lost the ability to move following an accident or illness, where physiotherapists play a role in helping them to resume an active and independent life, as best as possible.
Cassandra Kalil, a physiotherapist at Normah Medical Specialist Centre in Kuching, shared her experience with SarawakYES! about working in this field.
According to Cassandra, this profession suits those who want to make a difference in the lives of others.
“A ‘people person’ would be suitable for this type of work because you need to be willing to work directly with people (patients) and handle different conditions and situations.”
She pointed out that the job is also incredibly rewarding especially when things start to improve.
Cassandra stressed that patience is an important skill for most people working in the healthcare sector, but that it is vital for people looking to excel in physiotherapy.
“We have to sometimes make them smile so that they will not feel stressed about their pain. Those who are here come with pain, and sometimes they’re moody because they have severe pain.”
Many patients who go for a consultation with a physiotherapist will be at the start of a long road to recovery, which means that patience is required from both parties.
However, as a professional, it’s important for a physiotherapist to have patience and understanding when the patients may be at the end of their tether.
It is obvious that being able to adapt to new situations is a vital part of being a good physiotherapist. It’s likely that you’ll be presented with a number of patients suffering from a wide range of problems, conditions and ailments.
In order to do well as a physiotherapist, Cassandra shared that taking the time to read up and stay abreast with all the latest methods of providing treatment are important.
Working as part of a team also motivates Cassandra, as she is constantly learning from other professionals in the hospital.
“To be able to work in a multi-disciplinary team with occupational therapists, doctors and nurses is one of the enjoyable things. Especially in our department, we can discuss and see what are the things we can do to help the patients.”
She also explained the willingness to help one another also promotes knowledge sharing, which helps a lot in providing the right answers when patients ask questions about their ailments.
You can catch the video interview with Cassandra on the SarawakYES! YouTube channel or on SarawakYES! Facebook page.
This is a weekly column by SarawakYES! – an initiative driven by Faradale Media-M Sdn Bhd and supported by Angkatan Zaman Mansang (AZAM) Sarawak – to provide advice and stories on the topics of education and careers to support Sarawakians seeking to achieve their dreams. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
This article first appeared on The Borneo Post, visit this link: http://bit.ly/2a8SMUk
