What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a subject in a health care area focusing on diagnostics, functional therapy of movement system disorders. Through movement and other physiotherapeutic procedures it specifically influences the functions of other systems including mental functions.
Who is a physiotherapist?
A graduate of the bachelor's and master's study fields of physiotherapy is a "physiotherapist" who has acquired the professional competence to perform the profession and is authorized to provide services that develop, maintain and restore a person's maximum motor and functional abilities. Can help people at all stages of life when their locomotor functions are threatened by age, injury, illness, disorder, conditions or environmental factors. A physiotherapist helps people to improve their quality of life to the maximum, both physically, emotionally and socially. He is active in the medical field of promotion, prevention, treatment, including intervention and rehabilitation in order to return the patient to normal life.
Where is physiotherapy practiced?
The physiotherapist's treatment does not include only the physical treatment but also focuses on the medical strategies, supporting the client's well being, supervising and transferring the treatment to the other people concerned, managing, teaching and doing research and developing and implementing health policy on all local, national and international levels. The physiotherapist works as an independent practitioner as well as a member of a health service team in specific hospitals, clinics, physiotherapeutic or spa resorts.
Why study physiotherapy programme at UK FTVS (Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University)?
The Study programme Physiotherapy at UK FTVS is unique for many reasons. There is the longest tradition of teaching this subject at the Faculty (since 1982) among all the Medical Faculties of Charles University (after 1990). There is a wide clinical background for practical courses. There are dozens of partners among all kinds of medical institutions. The Faculty also runs a non-state-owned facility with psychotherapeutic services. There is a long list of international partner universities, including prestigious ones in western Europe, United States or Canada, which enable our students to use one of the exchange programmes to gain the experience of studying abroad for one or two semesters. Apart from that our students can experience many branches of sport and sport activities from other study programmes to be used during the treatment or as a supporting treatment including prevention. The graduates gain the knowledge and skills in compliance with our legislation for all Czech universities including the Faculties of Medicine.
The Master's study of physiotherapy extends the bachelor's knowledge and skills by specific examination methods used by physiotherapists, by determining the differential balance, by applying complex physiotherapy procedures to inpatients and outpatients. The Faculty facilities include specialized laboratories for the research. Within the Master's programme, students work with scientific texts and elaborate a diploma thesis that demonstrates their ability to work in a selected topic using scientific procedures. Graduates of the study receive specialized competence to pursue the profession of a professional physiotherapist, in full compliance with applicable legislation as well as other universities in the Czech Republic, including medical faculties. After completing the study of physiotherapy, graduates have the opportunity to continue their doctoral programs in Kinanthropology and Biomechanics at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport.
BACHELOR STUDY PROGRAMME, FULL-TIME STUDY
The structure of study
The Programme offers a 3 year study programme for secondary school with final state exam graduates. The programme is divided into 6 semesters and the students take courses in the areas which are necessary for the physiotherapeutic treatment such as biology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, pathophysiology, biophysics, biomechanics and kinesiology. The courses based on physiotherapy such as Examination and Therapeutic Methods in Physiotherapy, Introduction to Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, Balneology, and others (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Gynecology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Orthotics-Prosthetics) as well as the courses of prophylactic treatment such as Basics of Ergotherapy, Remedial physical education or Adapted PE for Handicaped People form the essential part of the Study programme and also social and other related fields (psychology, pedagogy, basics of special pedagogy, social and work rehabilitation, social legislation, ergonomics, basics of informatics, statistics and methodology of scientific research). The Study programme puts the emphasis on gaining practical skills which are required during the physiotherapeutic procedures and treatment which take place under a specialist supervision at the medical institutions. The curricular internship under the specialist supervision is also a part of the Study programme and is required every year. When the student gains 180 ECTS credits he or she takes the Final State Exam including Bachelor Thesis Defense, theoretical exams and practical medical institution exam.
MASTER STUDY PROGRAMME, FULL-TIME STUDY
The structure of study
The students of this programme are graduates in accredited/ recognized Bachelor study programmes of physiotherapy in the Czech Republic. The graduates from any university abroad (apart from Slovakia) are required to do the process of nostrification. The programme offers a 2 year study programme. The programme is divided into 4 semesters and includes subjects which intensify and develop the knowledge and skills gained during Bachelor study programme. The students specialize in at least one specific method or concept in physiotherapy. The essential subjects include: Special Kinesiology, Differential Diagnostics, Selected Chapters in Physiotherapeutic Methods, Applied PNF, Clinical Effectiveness in Physiotherapy, Special Chapters from Clinical Subjects, Management in Healthcare, Physiotherapy in Sport, Preventive Programs in Physiotherapy, Methodology of Science, Presentation of Results of Scientific Work. The important part of every year study is a specialized internship at medical institutions, curricular internship and Clinical Colloquium under an expert supervision. When the student gains 120 ECTS credits he or she takes the Final State Exam including Master Thesis Defense, theoretical exams and practical medical institution exam.
