A Passion for Rehabilitation
While pondering her future career, Ang Mo Kio - Thye Hua Kwan Hospital Physiotherapist Arian Nuril Syahirah Abdul Rahman had two things in mind: She knew she had an interest in the inner workings of the human body, and she did not want a nine-to-five deskbound job.
"I have always been fascinated by the human body and the connections between different structures. Why did some people experience musculoskeletal pain, or were bedbound post-stroke while others with similar experiences could still move about? I used to be helpless whenever I faced such situations. Now, it brings me great joy that I can help those in need with the skills and knowledge I have as a physiotherapist. Everyone deserves a better quality of life.
Working in the community care sector gives me great satisfaction. Not only do I get to have more time with my patients and join them on their rehabilitation journey, I also get more opportunities to work with various healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists, speech therapists and medical social workers to understand the needs of my patients to come up with safe discharge plans.
My initial impression of the profession was that it mainly dealt with physical tasks and exercises. I was pleasantly surprised during my second year of study that there was much more to it: Physiotherapists also had to be trained in cardiopulmonary techniques and ultrasonic therapy. Cardiopulmonary techniques include maintaining airway clearance for patients who may be unable to remove their own secretions, and ultrasonic therapy is conducted on musculoskeletal injuries to promote tissue healing.
Obvious as this may sound, physiotherapy is for people with a passion for rehabilitation. Aspiring physiotherapists should be open-minded and proactive in their learning because at the end of the day, whatever we learn and put into practice is not for personal gain, but for the benefit of our patients."
Journey with patients in the community care sector by applying for the Community Care Scholarship. Find out more at www.aic.buzz/CommCareScholar
