Why I became a physiotherapy student - Lucy Dyer

My name is Lucy Dyer, and I am a second-year physiotherapy student studying at the University of Winchester. I am currently doing a split placement with three days with Health Education England, and two days down in Gosport as an MSK community First Contact Practitioner. With a fellow student on my course, Sam, we are involved in a project with HEE looking into why students want to become Allied Health Professionals. 

Throughout my placement at HEE, I hope to improve my communication and networking skills. It is fascinating to be able to shadow Beverley in meetings and to see what goes on behind the scenes. I have already learnt so much and am looking forward to the next few weeks.  

All throughout secondary school, I wanted to go to college to do beauty. However, in 2017 I did my first competition in British Show Jumping. At the time, my horse picked up a small injury, and to help with his rehab we were recommended to get him looked at by a Veterinary Physiotherapist. This is where I first came across the profession. I decided to lookup more about it and as I was applying to colleges, I was more career-focused. Around this time, I found out a family friend owned a private physiotherapy practice. I spoke to him to learn more about the profession and did some work experience at his practice and fell in love. A year later in 2018, I was offered a job there working as a receptionist when I had just turned 17. 

In December of 2018, I had a bad fall off a horse which resulted in my fracturing my transverse process of my L2. I had around seven weeks of physiotherapy at work with the amazing Andy, and just seeing the difference in my movement and pain levels was what was the final push that this was the career for me. As a result, I did my A-levels in the summer of 2019 and then started the course in September 2019. Definitely, the best decision I ever made!'