Student placements are an important part of what we do at P4 Movement, giving future allied health professionals the opportunity to turn their university learning into practical experience in a supportive clinical environment.
Recently, we welcomed Jelena, a fourth-year Exercise Science and Rehabilitation student from the University of Wollongong (UOW), to complete her student placement at P4 Movement.
Working alongside P4 Exercise Physiologists Kaitlin and Daniel, Jelena has had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients, conditions and exercise settings while developing the practical skills and confidence that will support her future career as an Exercise Physiologist.
Putting University Learning Into Practice
For Jelena, one of the things that has stood out during her student placement is the way the P4 team approaches each person as an individual.
“I think the P4 Movement difference is the genuine focus on the individual rather than just their condition or diagnosis.”
Throughout her placement, Jelena has seen how our team takes the time to understand each client’s goals and what matters to them, while the combination of allied health, exercise and group-based services creates a supportive environment for people of different ages and abilities.
She’s also had opportunities to become more involved in assessments, exercise programming, client communication and running sessions.
“I have been given many opportunities to build confidence and independence while still having support and guidance from experienced staff.”
These experiences have allowed Jelena to put the knowledge and skills developed through her Exercise Science and Rehabilitation degree into practice while preparing for her future career as an Exercise Physiologist.
New Experiences in Neurological Exercise and Rehabilitation
Some of Jelena’s biggest placement highlights have come from areas that were completely new to her.
She has had the opportunity to run group exercise classes, including Balance and Parkinson’s classes, as well as participate in a number of complex initial consultations.
Another highlight has been gaining exposure to a range of neurological conditions and seeing how they present in a clinical environment rather than only learning about them theoretically at university.
“This has helped me better understand how different conditions can affect movement, function and exercise prescription.”
These experiences have helped Jelena build her confidence in assessment, clinical reasoning and communicating with different clients, while gaining a greater understanding of how exercise can be adapted to individual needs and abilities.
Growing in Confidence and Independence
As Jelena has progressed through her placement, she’s been encouraged to take on greater responsibility while continuing to have support from her clinical supervisors when she needs it.
“My supervisors have been very supportive throughout my placement and have created a good balance between providing guidance and encouraging me to become more independent.”
Having opportunities to ask questions, seek feedback and gradually take on more responsibility has helped Jelena develop her clinical reasoning, communication skills and confidence.
She rated both her overall placement experience and the support from her supervisors 5 out of 5, with the diversity of populations, treatment modalities, sessions and classes all exceeding her expectations.
For Jelena, it’s this variety of experiences that makes P4 a valuable environment for students preparing to enter the allied health industry.
“P4 Movement is a great place to complete a student placement because it provides exposure to a wide variety of clients, conditions and exercise settings.”
We’ve loved having Jelena as part of the P4 team and watching her confidence and practical skills develop throughout her placement.
We wish her all the best as she continues her studies at the University of Wollongong and takes the next steps towards her career as an Exercise Physiologist.
