Welcome to the Department of Physiotherapy. We are part of the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences and have many shared teaching and research interests with the other departments within the faculty. The department was established in 2002, and is the only physiotherapy academic department within Ireland situated outside of Dublin. We currently offer a BSc in Physiotherapy, and a Post-Graduate Diploma/MSc in Clinical Therapies (Physiotherapy) for qualified physiotherapists. Our graduates are renowned for their problem-solving skills and application of research evidence within their professional practice. They also gain a wide range of under-graduate clinical experience in different types of settings, e.g. working in the community and busy acute hospitals, and across different geographical locations. The close integration of academic and clinical experience  is a prime focus of the programme, and provides students with the confidence to work in any environment and continue with their professional development after graduating from the programme.
On qualification from the BSc in Physiotherapy you will be eligible for membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) which is a member organisation of the World Organisation for Physical Therapy (WCPT).

The department also offers a range of research opportunities, and has been successful in gaining external funding for a variety of projects. Members of the department are involved in national and international research and scholarship activities, and with various professional and education groups and committees.

Led by Dr Ann Taylor, the department has academic, practice education and support staff. 
Teaching expertise and research interests include:

•  implementation of evidence based practice
• development of clinical education 
• rehabilitation of people with
  • stroke and Multiple Sclerosis
  • cardio-respiratory problems
  • rheumatological diseases
  • spinal, shoulder and knee joint disfunction 
• development of motor skills
• evaluation of outcome measures 
   

What is physiotherapy?

Physiotherapy is a health care profession concerned with helping people reach their optimal level of function. Chartered Physiotherapists are involved in most aspects of health care and use physical means to promote, maintain and restore physical, psychological and social well-being. The treatments may include using electrical physiotherapeutic equipment, performing manual techniques with their hands or providing advice and education sessions on how to manage a condition at home and at work. These treatments are based on the best scientific evidence available, and physiotherapists combine knowledge of research findings with their clinical judgement to determine the most appropriate treatments and to evaluate their effects. Most people who require medical help in a hospital will encounter a physiotherapist, including those with chest problems such as chronic bronchitis, patients on an Intensive Care Unit, people who have had a stroke and those who have joint and mobility problems.

Physiotherapists treat people of all ages and increasingly treatments are being offered to people within a range of community settings i.e. health centres and residential care, schools, and in the home. Physiotherapists may work independently, or more commonly as an integral member of a multidisciplinary health team. The diversity of physiotherapy is one of its primary attractions. If you are considering a career as a physiotherapist you are strongly advised to talk to physiotherapists working in the HSE and voluntary sectors to gain an understanding of both the intensity of the qualifying programme and also the demands of the job. If your main area of interest is in sport, physiotherapy may not be the best career option for you.