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A day in the life
- Assess patients' movement and pain
- Design exercise and rehab programmes
- Use manual therapy techniques
- Help patients recover after surgery or injury
- Keep clinical records and work with other professionals
Your career roadmap
Every milestone from school to senior. Track progress as you complete each stage.
- 1Usually 2 years at school; adult courses vary
GCSEs / school qualifications
educationStudy school qualifications, usually including English, maths and science, to prepare for further study towards physiotherapy.
- 2Usually 2 years; Access courses often 1 year
A levels / equivalent
educationComplete Level 3 qualifications, often including biology or another science, that meet your chosen physiotherapy degree's entry requirements.
- 3Usually 3 years full-time; 4 in Scotland; postgraduate routes often 2 years
Approved Physiotherapy degree
qualificationComplete an HCPC-approved pre-registration physiotherapy programme covering anatomy, assessment, rehabilitation and supervised clinical practice.
- 4Placement blocks throughout the degree
Clinical placements
experienceComplete compulsory supervised placements within your degree, assessing and treating patients across different physiotherapy settings.
- 5Processing times vary
Graduate / registered physiotherapist
certificationAfter successfully completing your approved programme, apply to the HCPC to join its register as a physiotherapist.
- 6Often several years before senior progression
Physiotherapist
roleWork as a registered physiotherapist, assessing patients, planning rehabilitation and reviewing progress with support appropriate to your experience.
- 7Varies by experience, competence and vacancies
Senior / specialist physiotherapist
roleDevelop specialist clinical expertise, manage more complex cases and often supervise colleagues or students.
- 8Varies; usually requires substantial experience
Advanced / leadership role
roleTake on advanced clinical decision-making, consultant-level responsibilities or leadership of physiotherapy and wider rehabilitation services.
Skills you'll build
- Approved Physiotherapy degree
- Level 6 Physiotherapist degree apprenticeship
- HCPC registration
- Chartered Society of Physiotherapy membership
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