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Correspondence to Tania Althorpe, School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia; [email protected]
Institution
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Course
Master of Clinical Physiotherapy (Sports Physiotherapy).
Why?
A Masters qualification in Sports Physiotherapy can lead to an exciting range of professional roles in elite and recreational sports teams and private practice environments, opening up career opportunities in more advanced roles.1 Across the globe, a Sports Physiotherapy Masters qualification is often a prerequisite for professional employment in high-performance sports settings including Olympic and national teams. The Master’s graduate excels in management and prevention of sports injuries, enhancing patient and athlete outcomes and also being a key factor in improving job satisfaction.2 Australia is one of only 11 countries whose sports physiotherapy career pathway is approved by the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT), meaning that graduates are eligible to become an Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) Titled Sports Physiotherapist in Australia, as well as Registered International Sports Physical Therapists with the IFSPT.
Overview
The Sports Physiotherapy major is one of three course majors within the Master of Clinical Physiotherapy programme at Curtin University. More than 60 years’ experience underpins Curtin’s physiotherapy programmes, which closely align to current research and contemporary clinical reasoning frameworks.3
Course availability and models of delivery
The Master of Clinical Physiotherapy (Sports) programme is available to Australian and internationally trained physiotherapists on a full-time basis. The full-time course, consisting of nine units of study, is completed over 1 year during a two-semester academic timetable. First semester units are common between the Sports and Musculoskeletal streams; students can choose to exit with a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Physiotherapy (Musculoskeletal) after one semester, while semester two units are specific to sports physiotherapy (table 1). For Australian domestic students, there are multiple flexible part-time study options enabling study to be completed alongside clinical practice, with several units having...