How do I become a Physiotherapist?

Physiotherapy is a rewarding profession, where you have the opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s lives by helping relieve pain and treat or prevent physical difficulties sustained through ageing, injury, disability, or illness.

There are multiple entry routes to becoming a Physiotherapist:

  • Undergraduate BSc Physiotherapy Honour’s Degree
  • NFQ Level 8 course plus MSc Physiotherapy university degree
  • Tertiary degrees that provide seamless pathways from Further Education to Higher Education.

CORU, the regulatory body, will provide you information on approved qualifications. Additional information on the profession can be found on Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists website (ISCP), or visit the Careers Portal.

If you have qualified outside of Ireland, you will find further information here

Your role with the HSE

Physiotherapists work in a variety of settings and teams: acute hospital wards, rehabilitation services and community settings, including the patient’s own home.

You will work with other professionals such as doctors, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. You will also work closely with patients’ families and carers.

Physiotherapy has a number of areas within the discipline: Orthopaedics (bones-arthritis or fractures), paediatrics (children), neurology (brain or nervous system), respiratory (lungs and breathing), musculoskeletal (joints, bones and soft tissue- pain and sports injuries), care of the older person (aging and frailty), cardiology (heart and cardiac rehab), disability (physical and intellectual), pelvic health and continence, occupational health, and research and development.

Career progression

There are many ways for you to progress in your career:

  • Senior Physiotherapist
  • Specialise in a specific area, like orthopaedics, neurology, working with children
  • Move into training or management

Career Progression Pathway: 

Clinical Pathway

  • Staff Grade Physiotherapist
  • Senior Physiotherapist
  • Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist

Management Pathway

  • Physiotherapist Manager
  • Physiotherapist Manager in Charge III

There are also opportunities available for educational roles (Educational Pathway) across the Health and Social Care Professions.

Further training and development

There are many ways of deepening your skills through, for example, postgraduate training or clinical courses. Physiotherapists can avail of many clinical courses delivered by various bodies which are free, fully or partially funded by the organisation they work for, ISCP or the HSE HSCP Office.

Visit CPD for Physiotherapist where you can see examples of what the ISCP offers to its members for Professional Development.

CORU offers guidance and support to physiotherapists’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Information on education and development is available on the HSCP Hub on HSeLanD, HSE’s training and development portal.

Staff benefits and testimonials

Working in a rewarding and challenging career is just one of the many benefits you’ll enjoy as a HSE employee. We offer attractive pay and benefits, professional supervision, career support and development opportunities, friendly colleagues, and an excellent quality of life.

See Pay scales – HSE Staff

Please click on the below links to find out more about different Physiotherapy Roles:

Rebecca – Senior Physiotherapist Childrens Disability Network

Louise – Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist Kerry