Daniel Maloney

• Year of graduation: 2022

I chose to study at the University of Northampton after experiencing a taster session. It was a great hands-on experience and a perfect insight into what I would be learning about in the future. Being able to talk to the tutors before studying allowed me to understand the key components of the course and how this would assist my future career goals and interests.

My favourite part of the course was the neuromusculoskeletal injury and assessment module where I was learnt about a range of common injuries – and performed practical assessments. This particular module tied in with my placement work at the Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Clinic, and has given me the skills which I now use day to day in my current roles as NHS Rehabilitation Therapist.

Completing my work placement at the Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Clinic I was able to perform in-depth assessments and create treatment plans for patients. This helped me with a hands-on experience of physical examinations.

The University of Northampton has close connections with its local sports clubs who provide great opportunities for student development. I was able to use these opportunities and gain experience from a number for sporting teams within Northampton. I was also able to work alongside one of my academics, Luke Callis, who provides a large number of placement opportunities with local sports clubs from grass roots to professional teams.

With Luke I was able to work with internal sports teams and assist with pre-season fitness testing and learn about data management for athletes evaluation of fitness goals and injury predication. Other duties I was in charge of were fitness assessments, creating individualised training programs and monitoring progress throughout the sporting season. This experience helped me some the data collection methods I used for my dissertation and would like to personally thank Luke Callis for the support and feedback throughout my work placement.

In summary, my work placement as a student provided practical, real-world experience in my chosen field, and allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge to actual tasks, which can be invaluable when entering the workforce. I obtained a greater level of confidence and clinical knowledge from working with a variety of athletes and the general public.

• My work placement gave me opportunities to provide professional treatment and put me in positions where I needed to use my clinical reasoning for treatment pathways. My placement helped with post study employment as I gained a wide range of experience from clinic-based to pitch-side treatment for athletes and the general public.
• My tips for getting the most out of your placement would be to connect with your colleagues, supervisors and mentors. Networking can lead to great insights, recommendations and potential job opportunities in the future. Asking and gaining feedback from superiors will help develop yourself into more of a professional. It’s important to be open to receiving feedback, both positive and constructive. Use feedback to improve your skills and general performance.

While studying at the University of Northampton, I was able to join the rugby league team and participate in British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) fixtures. Being a part of the rugby league team allowed me to make great friendships on and off the field. I was able to be a part of a study group with students also studying sport related courses. Studying with fellow players allowed me to get second options on my work while studying.

Studying at the University of Northampton help me become more self-confident when communicating with patients to aid with rehabilitation. The fundamental skills I have learned within my course have allowed me to become a professional Graduate Sport Rehailitator (GSR). Since then, I’ve been gaining my British Association of Sport Rehabilitators (BASRaT) membership during my studies. I hope this will open up my employment opportunities further as the BASRaT governing body is recognised by a multiple companies.

I was able to gain my first professional job within the NHS in only three months post-graduation. Studying at UON also helped with my future interview skills. I have currently gained seven months of experience working with Vita Health Group working as an NHS muskuloskeletal (MSK) rehabilitation therapist. Engaging in training sessions, workshops, or meetings related to sports rehabilitation is something really stands out to potential employers.

The advice I would give to anyone looking to get into this field as a sports rehabilitator is have a strong passion for learning more about the human body, and enjoy personal growth for yourself and patients.

To summarise my experience in a few words, I’d say  my time at UON was ‘engaging learning, life-long friendships, professional supportive’.