The Interview Process
The Complete Guide
For Physiotherapy Applicants
By Matt
Contents Page
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Separates You from The Crowd?
Chapter 2: Why Did You Apply to This University?
Chapter 3: Why Physiotherapy?
Chapter 4: Skills That Would Make a Good Physiotherapist
Chapter 5: Bonus Questions
Final Thoughts
Introduction
Hello,
If you are reading this, then it means one of 3 things:
1. You are going to apply for a physiotherapy course at university
2. You have applied to a course already, and now you’re awaiting an interview
3. An interview for your desired university course is imminent
First off, let me just say that you have made a good investment in purchasing this E book.
It shows that you are serious about becoming a Physiotherapist, and in this instance,
investing in yourself will give you the best chance of success.
So welcome to the most complete guide to the interview process for a physiotherapy
course.
What should I wear?
First impressions really do count! So, it goes without saying that you should dress smart. This
means that gentlemen, you should wear a suit or at least smart, ironed shirt and trousers.
Ladies wear correspondingly smart attire (e.g. a longer dress or skirt that goes past knee
length and a blazer). Ultimately, dressing for an interview does come down to common
sense.
What does a typical interview look like?
Shortlisted applicants are invited to attend a selection day at the university. The day will
consist of some talks about the university course, a group interview/activity and then will
conclude with an individual interview.
What is the point of the interview process?
The physiotherapy course requires an interview because the profession itself requires
excellent communication skills. You might be an absolute genius and have all the knowledge
about physiotherapy & rehabilitation, but unless you can pass on this knowledge in an
appropriate manner to a patient, they are not going to be able to benefit from it.
What are interviewers looking for?
Interviewers are usually members of faculty or staff at the university, accompanied by a
qualified allied health professional (e.g. a nurse, OT, or Physiotherapist). Interviewers are
looking for individuals with the qualities necessary to be a physiotherapist: a caring
attitude, compassion, kindness, quick-thinking, time management. It costs money to train a
physiotherapist, and the interviewers have to be convinced that they have found someone
who will work hard on the course, be unlikely to drop out, and most importantly will
become the best clinician.
Who am I? And why on earth should you listen to me?
My name is Matt Chong and I am a HCPC registered, CSP chartered Physiotherapist.
I completed my MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-Registration) Course at the University of
Southampton in January 2020.
I also had an interview at Brunel University for a similar course, in which I was also offered a
place.
The application process for Southampton was not easy and with over 300 applicants, only
80 were shortlisted for an interview. Then out of that 80, only 16 individuals would receive
places.
Fortunately, as a result of all the preparation I had done for my interview process, I was one
of the 16 to receive a fully NHS funded place at one of the top universities in the country (As
of 2019 it is now ranked first for physiotherapy in the UK).
When I started my course in January of 2018, I also decided to start a YouTube channel
‘Matticus VLOGS’, where I would make videos giving advice and tips on how to apply to a
physiotherapy course as well as showing people what life was like for a Physiotherapy
student in the UK.
Through the channel I was able to help so many people get into the university course of
their choice, and I had countless emails and messages flood in thanking me for the help I
had provided (below are just two examples but there are many more).
I wanted to write this E book to give you the best tips, advice and share all my knowledge so
that you can excel at your interview, which will then lead to you succeeding in getting your
place on the course.
This E book will talk you through and will help you understand exactly what interviewers
actually mean when they are asking you certain questions. This book also contains many
practice questions with model example answers.
I hope you enjoy this book and that you get a lot from it!
Matt Chong
Chapter 1: What Separates You from The Crowd?
As it might already be clear to you, physiotherapy is a competitive course to get into.
There are hundreds of applicants all competing for a place at the same university. In
my case it was over 300 applicants, and 80 invited for an interview.
After shortlisting, it all comes down to the interview.
Grades are no longer a factor.
If you have managed to get past the shortlisting phase and have been invited for an
interview, then you are still competing against many other people (1 place per 4 applicants).
So, with that established, it is really important that you distinguish yourself from everyone
else. In a sense, you are a salesperson who is trying to convince the buyer (the interviewer
in this case) to accept you onto the course over the other candidates.
Think about all your experiences (paid and voluntary work), any training courses, things you
have learnt as well as all your skills and attributes. Write all of this down on a piece of
paper.
Now think, which of these are unique? Which of these would make you stand out compared
to someone else?
How may these skills make you a good student, and a good physiotherapist? Try to make it
relevant.
For example, if you are someone who did a lot of extra-curricular activities at school whilst
still achieving top grades, then you could say that you have excellent time-management
skills. This would be essential as a physiotherapist because there is a number of tasks and a
list of patients to see and only a finite amount of time in the day to see the
patients/complete the tasks etc…
An example Question
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Or tell us about your journey so far?
This is usually an icebreaker to lighten the mood and to make you feel more comfortable.
Use this opportunity to build rapport with the interviewers and to make yourself more
personable.
Be honest. Interviewers want to see what kind of person you are, they don’t care what you
know or how clever you are/think you are. This question is to get a sense of your
personality.
Example answer
“I am a well-rounded individual, who despite having good academic achievements, also
enjoys playing a lot of sport and also has a passion for music.”
Think about any hobbies you have and don’t be afraid to share them. It is important to show
that you have a good work-life balance and that you aren’t simply “married” to your job.
Hobbies can also show that you are an interesting person, and potentially gives you more
opportunity to convey your passion about that activity to the interviewer, which ultimately
will help with building good rapport.
How would your friends/colleagues/housemates describe you and why?
This is a typical question that interviewers may throw at you. Essentially, they want to get a
glimpse of what you are like as a person.
You want to keep it short and snappy. Answer the question directly and provide the
evidence for it.
Example answer
“They would describe me as the planner. I am always the one organising get-togethers and
events. I bring people together. I suppose this has been the case since a young age. When I
was 12 years old, I arranged a trip to Thorpe Park for some of my friends during the
summer holidays. I remember sorting out the dates, bookings and even calling my friends’
parents to basically ask permission for them to go. The only thing I couldn’t sort out was
transport, as I was unable to drive at that time.
In the end, we all had a wonderful day. I still have a photo and a key ring of all of us
somewhere in my room.”
What are your strengths?
Ensure that the way you answer this question is relevant. Consider what the interviewer is
looking for.
You want to show that you have qualities that an excellent physiotherapist would have
kindness, compassion, creativity, time-management and problem-solving skills. We will go
into more depth about this in chapter 4.
You also want to show that you are a determined individual who will persevere though
difficulties. The interviewers do not want someone who will quit at the first sign of a
challenge.
A Physiotherapy course at university is NOT easy.
Example answer
“My strength lies in my strong-willed and determined nature. An example of where I
demonstrated this was when I trained for my first amateur kickboxing fight in 2016.
I had been training kickboxing mainly for fitness, but the opportunity arose to have my first
amateur bout. I was actually very nervous for this event however, I wanted to challenge
myself and decided to take part.
The training was tough (6 days a week with Sundays off), and I had to stick to a regimented
diet in order to make a certain weight class for the competition.
At the time I was also doing my undergraduate degree in Biology and was preparing for 2nd
year exams at the time. So, this was all a balancing act of study, train, sleep and repeat. In
the end, all my training, dieting and sacrifice was worth it because I won my fight. This
proved to me that I have the determination, work ethic and courage to pursue whatever I set
my mind to.”
This shows consistency, discipline, perseverance through hardship, and good time
management skills.
Think of a time where you showed some of these traits and prepare your own model
answer.
What are your weaknesses?
This is a really challenging question because on the one hand, you want to be genuine with
your interviewer. However, you also don’t want to say you lack some of the qualities
necessary to be successful on the course. Basically, you don’t want to give them a reason to
write you off.
The trick here is to start with a positive, then talk about what you could improve on (your
weakness) and then end with a positive again to show how you have taken the initiative to
improve upon that weakness.
Example answer,
“As someone who cares a lot about other people, I have realised that I have always been
more affected by emotional insult than physical.
The most challenging placements I faced were working with the very elderly or very sick. I
found it difficult when I witnessed so much death and suffering up close. I had bottled up
these emotional burdens because I was afraid of being vulnerable. I see now that seeking
support and opening up to talk to others (friends, family, colleagues) about how I am feeling,
results in a far healthier emotional and mental state.”
How do you maintain a good work-life balance?
This is a typical question that comes up in interviews. It is an opportunity to show you are
devoted to your job, but also that you are an interesting individual with hobbies. This is
the only time where you might tell a “white lie” and say you have a hobby that you might
not actually have.
A word of caution is to not tell too many of these “white lies”. I am banking on the fact that
you do have a unique interest that you are passionate about, and that you can talk about in
an interview.
Example answer
“After a day of work, I like to unwind by attending a breakdancing class. It’s a good way of
keeping fit and getting quite strong. I enjoy learning to move my body in ways that I never
thought I could.
I also realise it is important to separate my work life and social life, so on Friday and
Saturday evenings I often meet up with friends for a meal. We spend time catching up on the
week that has just gone by.”
Chapter 2: Why Did You Apply to This University?
A common question you will be asked is “Why do you want to study here?”
The most important piece of advice that I can give is to do your research about the
university and the course.
Study the values of the university. For example, if the university is known for its research
then you could mention that at the interview, and then discuss a recent area of research
that interests you. And from that you could then outline why this is something that appeals
to you. Make sure you link it back to why you wish to apply to the university course.
A word of caution… this is not time to tell any white lies because the interviewer
WILL probably be able to tell if you’re lying.
Example answer
“The university of Southampton is known for its research and innovation. Particularly in the
area of musculoskeletal biomechanics. The shoulder joint has always been an area of
interest for me, and I know that Dr Martin Warner has carried out considerable research on
scapular kinematics. Namely, one of the papers he worked on looked at scapular dyskinesia
in disabled tennis players. It was interesting to see that professional tennis players in
wheelchairs reported no shoulder pain or impingement issues, and that this could be
attributed to slightly different scapular kinematics compared to players that were not in
wheelchairs. I know that the University of Southampton will offer many interesting areas of
research for my dissertation, I would be keen to make the most of these opportunities.”
It is also a good time to pick out something good about the course. Think about where the
university is on the league tables, is it a Russel group university? Where does the course
rank in the uk?
Example answer
“Southampton is one of the top universities in the UK. It is a member of the prestigious
Russell group. Furthermore, I know that your uni places a high emphasis on academics and
research. Lastly, I know that in 2019 your university was ranked number one in the country
for physiotherapy, managing to beat out other top universities and their courses (e.g.
Birmingham and UEA). I think that I would be pushed to achieve excellence at this university,
and that ultimately this would make me into the best physiotherapist I could be.”
Chapter 3: Why Physiotherapy?
This is the all-or-nothing question…
“Why did you choose physiotherapy?” or “why do you want to be a physiotherapist?”
Here it is key to give an honest, well-thought out reason, but you also have to express your
answer in a way that fits with some of the core principles of being a physiotherapist.
Example answer
“I played a lot of sport, which lead to a number of injuries, which resulted in me having to
see a physiotherapist so receive treatment. I used this as an opportunity to ask them
questions about the profession. More importantly, this was where I was actually first
introduced to the profession…”
This works well with setting the scene or giving some background as to how you were
introduced to the profession. The next stage is to provide some rationale as to why
physiotherapy interests you.
It could be because you like working with people, or because you like to be in a profession
where research is changing constantly, and you have to continue to develop as a
professional.
Example answer
“I know that the happiest people in the world are usually those that are helping
others I want a job that helps people.
It is a privilege to help people in pain or suffering.
Progression is exciting, which is why im fascinated by rehabilitation and I enjoy seeing
improvement in a person
For example, it would be so rewarding to work with someone who is unable to walk after an
injury or surgery and then have the opportunity to see them return to being able to walk.
Furthermore, it would be such a blessing to be a part of that journey with them. A
physiotherapist an agent of change, to change someone’s life for the better.”
Try to think of the key traits and attributes you would expect to see in a good
physiotherapist delivering top quality patient care.
Chapter 4: Skills That Would Make a Good Physiotherapist
Arguably this is the most important chapter of the book because this is where you
demonstrate why exactly you should be accepted onto their course, and why you will make
a good physiotherapist.
If the university decides to accept you onto their course, they are essentially making an
investment in you. Show them how you will benefit their course and their university.
If you have qualities of a, b and c then how is that going to benefit the university? More
importantly how are these attributes going to make you the best physiotherapist you can
be?
Interviewers will be assessing this through questions beginning with “tell me about a time”
or “describe a time” … when you demonstrated these skills.
Think about a time when you showed the skills necessary to be successful as a
physiotherapist. Write them down on a sheet of paper.
I would recommend preparing your answers in advance using the STARR principle
Situation – Set the scene
Task – Describe the job at hand
Action – Say what you did
Result – Say what happened, hopefully it was positive
Relate – Say how it is relevant to making a good physiotherapist
You may have noticed that some of the example answers earlier in the Ebook used this
principle. You can apply this technique to virtually any job interview.
Example questions
How do you cope with stress?
Could be a question that is asked during your interview.
As established earlier, the physiotherapy course can at times be rather stressful. Essentially,
this question is trying to find out if you have appropriate “outlets” so that your cup does
not overflow.
During my time on placements I found myself sleep-deprived and stressed out. I coped
through three ways: opening up to close friends, eating healthy, and training at the gym.
It is inevitable that you will face difficult and stressful times in your life, this is the broken
nature of our world. However, the important thing here is how you deal with stress. The
interviewers are looking for people who can cope with it in a healthy way.
Example answer
“During my undergraduate degree, there was one week where I had exams 5 day in a row.
This was an extremely difficult time since there was no ‘breathing space’ after each exam.
(Situation)
I prepared in advance for these exams and began revising for them weeks prior. (Task) As a
result of this, the week of the exams were less about trying to cram in information, and
instead were focused on exam technique. I also would ensure that I relaxed after each exam
by watching my favourite tv series, using the gym, and eating my favourite meals. (Action)
In the end, the week of exams was actually far less stressful than it could have been, and I
ended up getting an average of over 70% - a first. (Result)
I know that there will be days where working is a physiotherapist may be challenging and
stressful. I believe that I have the strategies required to cope with the stressors in a healthy
way. (Relate)”
Tell me about a time you had to work with someone difficult?
Example answer
“In the second year of my undergraduate degree. (Situation)
We had to work in pairs to complete a summer project on a specific topic. This involved
doing a number of hours of lab work, a write-up and a presentation to wrap everything up.
My partner was difficult to work with as he was never on time for lab work and meetings. He
lived close by to university, whereas I lived at home and the commute was around an hour
(Task)
I set aside some time to have lunch and a chat with him. I expressed how much it was
bothering me that I didn’t feel he was as committed to the project as I was. He was
apologetic and said he did not realise how much the assignment meant to me. (Action)
We agreed that a ‘shift-based’ approach would be a good idea.
I would be in the labs in the morning, and he would come in later on in the evening.
We would then meet up and discuss results in the afternoon and go for lunch together.
The organized lunches improved relations between us as well. (Result)
Physiotherapy is a profession where you may have to work with people you do not see eye to
eye with. It is imperative that you must resolve issues so that you can get on with the job. I
believe I have the skills necessary to act in a professional manner to be successful should I be
confronted with situations like this. (Relate)
Example Question
What skills/qualities do you think you need to be a Physiotherapist?
This is a standard question that interviewers will ask you.
Some key traits and attributes of a physiotherapist are
• Compassion
• Empathy
• Good time-management
• Willingness to learn from past mistakes
• Works well in a team
• Works well individually
• Thinking on your feet
• Excellent Social Skills
They will then follow up with asking you to give an example of where you demonstrated
these skills.
Task
A) Write down all the key skills that you think would be make a good physiotherapist.
B) Using the STARR method, prepare example answers for each of these
Example answers
Excellent interpersonal (social skills):
“I had some work experience at a local hospital. (Situation)
My job was to lead a knee, hip and ankle (lower body) exercise class for the elderly. The
physiotherapist left me in charge with the timer as they had a matter to attend to. (Task)
Patients asked me for advice with the exercises. So, I shared my knowledge, provided
demonstrations and encouragement throughout the session. (Action)
After the class had ended, all the patients appeared to have enjoyed it. Many of the patients
actually asked if I would be there next time. I had to tell them that I would not be as I was
not a qualified member of staff. (Result)
Building rapport and establishing a sense of trust with patients is extremely important as a
physiotherapist. The relationship between the therapist and patient will often determine the
success of the treatment. (Relate)
Time management skills:
“My time at Southampton University was packed with so many amazing experiences. I
remember being very busy most of the time. (Situation)
During the busiest of terms, we would have 35 hours of lectures a week. Aside from being
focused on my studies at University, I also was involved with many clubs and societies. I was
a member of the university’s gymnastics club, and Christian union. For the latter, I was part
of the band and the hospitality team. In addition to this, I competed regionally in the sport of
Powerlifting, and trained at a local gym quite close to the university. On top of all of this, I
still maintained a good social life where I would have great evenings with my friends. We
would go out for dinner, go to town, to the cinema. It was all a balancing act. (Task)
As a result of my schedule, I had to plan out my weeks and days in advance. I would write a
to-do list to complete every evening before I went to bed and would look at it in the morning
to remind myself of the tasks I needed to complete during the day. (Action)
Looking back, I realised I had the most wonderful experience at university. I was in the best
shape of my life, had a great social life and came out of my degree with a solid merit (post
graduate equivalent of a 2:1). No doubt that this was achievable because I struck a good
work-life balance. (Result)
Being able to manage time effectively is an essential skill as a physiotherapist since you
would have to see a number of patients in a day. There would be a number of tasks to
complete in a finite amount of time, and prioritization would be key. Also, finding a good
work-life balance is integral to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, body and mind. (Relate)”
As you can see, once you have followed the steps, I have showed you and used the STARR
principle, your answers will basically write themselves.
Honestly, there is not much more to it than that!
Chapter 5: Bonus Questions
After the interviewers have asked most of the typical questions, they will often throw a few
curveball questions at you.
They will basically be random, and completely unrelated to physiotherapy. These
questions allow the interview to get to know you a little bit better, and to see how you
think.
The key here is to answer the questions in a logical manner and with a justification!
I was asked at one of my interviews “If you could choose one superpower, what would it be
and why?”
My answer was short but sweet:
“It would be a tough choice between telekinesis and the ability to heal, but I would go with
the healing because I’m always getting injured.”
That being said, there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer.
Here are some example questions:
If you could be a type of tea, which would you be and why?
Are you a lucky person?
Do you believe that it is okay to lie?
What is the worst thing about humanity?
What is your favourite animal and why?
Final Thoughts
When you reach the end of the interview, the interviewer will often ask you if you have any
questions for them.
This is a fantastic opportunity to turn the tables on your interviewer, but also to show how
passionate you are about the subject.
Example answer
“Yes, I do actually. You have spent the last 30 minutes asking why you should choose me as a
candidate. Now I would like to know why I should choose your university course over any
others. Will this be the best learning environment for me to achieve my full potential as a
physio?”
You could also take the time to ask any further questions about course details.
At the end of the interview you want to shake the interviewer’s hand, thank them for their
time and tell them that you very much look forward to hearing from them soon.
Conclusion
Well done for making it to the end of this Ebook. You should feel far more at ease now that
you have a better idea of what may come up.
“We fear what we don't understand” – Andrew Smith
The key is appropriate preparation.
Good luck with your interview!
Matt Chong