The New Grad Physio Podcast

Ever had a patient walk into your clinic with an injury you've never seen before… And suddenly felt like an imposter? In this episode, I explore why unfamiliar injuries can knock your confidence as a new grad physio... And more importantly, why falling back on the treatments and rehab exercises you already know doesn't always get the results you're looking for! I use a real-life case s...

Early in my career I never got this. But one of the biggest improvements in my own practice came when I understood I could have such a bigger impact with my patients... By simply asking better questions. In this episode, you'll discover why “getting out of pain” is rarely the real goal for any patient... And why understanding what they actually want will completely change your assessments, com...

It's one of the uncomfortable truths nobody tell you... But just because you have the degree... Does not mean you'll get the job you want. In this episode, I break down some of the biggest mistakes students and new-grad physios make when trying to get a job... From waiting for the perfect job advert and sounding exactly like everyone else... To constantly doing more CPD instead of actually...

Why does getting your first opportunity in sport feel so difficult? In this podcast episode I break down some of the things nobody really teaches you at university about building a career in sport. It'll help you understand why good physios (like you) get overlooked for jobs... And why all your efforts to network and get your foot in the door are not working (and never will!). If you are serio...

Ever looked at someone working in professional sport (or even private practice or the NHS) and thought… “How the hell did they get that job?” You’re not alone. For many physios, sports therapists and sports rehabilitators, the dream of working in professional sport can feel exciting… But completely confusing. Where do you start? Who do you contact? How do you get experience when every opportunity...

All the best clinical skills… Might help you make the right diagnosis. But you can perform all the right tests… But still fail your patient. Why? Because knowing what's wrong with someone isn't the same as knowing what to do about it. In this episode, I share a recent case from my own clinic involving a patient with knee who had been struggling for almost a year. She'd seen multiple ph...

When you first start out all you want to do is help your patients. You just want to do a good job.... And feel valued and of use, right? So you try to become better. At everything. Shoulders. Knees. Spines. Sports injuries. Manual therapy. Rehab. Dry needling. S&C… The list never ends. This is the biggest error and is the reason you are slowing down your own development. In this week's epi...

As a new grad it can feel like you need to know everything. Every special test. Every diagnosis. Every treatment technique. Every new piece of research. Every exercise. In short, everything about everything, right? And if you don't... You start wondering whether you're good enough or not. In this weeks podcast episode, I want challenge that idea. The best physio's are not the physio&#3...

Have you ever completely got the diagnosis wrong? I have, more than once (many times to be frank). In this week's podcast episode, I share a story about one of these times. At the time I wanted to ground to swallow me up... But upon reflection it taught me a vital lesson. If you're a new grad physio, this is a reminder that you don't need to know everything. But you do need to know whe...

If you don't understand your value, someone else will decide it for you. Accepting a job is not just agreeing your salary. You need to understand what the job entails... The specific roles and responsibilities... The level of support you will get in the the role and what that looks like... CPD opportunities and allowances. Basically all the career stuff University did not teach you! Learn why...

Turning down a job, one that I considered to be my dream physio job was not easy... But the right decision (I think!). And it makes no sense! Why would you spend years working towards a career goal, only to walk away when the opportunity finally arrives? In this podcast episode I explain why I turned down my dream job... Explain how your goals can (and will) change over time... And why timing is j...

Every job application is either opening doors... ...or closing them (often without you even realising). Let's make sure your next one opens one. Enjoy the show! Andy Barker The New Grad Physio Mentor PS. To get a job you first need someone to say... "We'd like to interview you." Because no interview = no job. That's exactly what the  'Foot In The Door'  programme help...

Every new grad physio has asked themselves the same question... "Am I actually good enough to be doing this?" In this week's podcast episode, I discuss why these feelings of self-doubt happen... And why what you're experiencing might not actually be imposter syndrome at all! In the pod I tell a story of a recent experience of my own where I felt like an imposter (despite being 11...

For years I thought my subjective assessment was great, until I realised it wasn't. This realisation came when I moved out of full-time sport and started doing more work in private practice. The questions I was asking as part of my subjective assessment were basic. They were basically the questions out of the textbook... The subjective assessment questions were those same questions you probabl...

Confidence isn't something you're given. It's something you earn. As a new grad physio building confidence is not as easy as just doing the reps, getting the experience, seeing more patients. In this episode you'll discover what you really need to do to build your confidence as a new grad... And get consistent positive patients results that you and your patients deserve! Enjoy the...

When I started my first job in pro sport, straight out of Uni, I thought the quickest way to become a great physio was to copy the people around me. Then my mentor gave me one piece of advice that completely changed the way I approached my career. In this episode, I share how this advice helped me stop comparing myself to more experienced clinicians, overcome imposter syndrome, and focus on making...

Some of the best therapists I have worked with, don't have a physio degree! That includes sports therapists, sports rehabbers and soft tissue therapists. Many physio's put themselves (and the physio profession) on some sort of pedestal... Because it is more 'recognised' 'regulated' and largely because it has been around longer. But in doing so, I think we miss a trick. So m...

Are you sending job applications, updating your LinkedIn profile, and trying to network... But getting nowhere? You're not alone. Many new grad physio's make the same mistake. Being "hardworking," "passionate," and being "keen to learn" are great qualities to have. The problem is... They're also exactly the attributes that every other applicant is saying t...

A job gets advertised... You apply... Then hear nothing back. The process repeats. Apply. Nothing. Reply. Nothing. Strategy one is to keep doing the same. Strategy two is to do something different. If strategy one is your current strategy, and you have yet to secure a job... I'd consider strategy two! Listen to this weeks podcast episode to find out more about what you need to do differently t...

Your patient is pain-free... Tests strong on the bed... And can hop and do all the other functional tests... So why do they break down 15 minutes into their first run? In my latest podcast episode, we explore one of the most common mistakes new graduate physio's make during end-stage rehab. You'll learn why hop tests and gym-based progressions don't automatically prepare patients for t...

When rehab goes wrong... It usually happens at two specific points in the rehab process. The most common is when patients (and athletes) progress to higher level activities like running, the gym, or sport. The other? Most physio’s miss this completely, and in many cases, this error actually causes many of the higher level rehab flare ups you see when patients progress to those higher level activit...

It's easy focus on where you went wrong... What you are not very good at. The brain is hardwired to do this. And whilst you do need to improve your areas of weakness... It's important you don't forget what you are good at! Doubling down on your strengths is a quick-fire way to get more consistent positive patient improvements... And to fast-track your career! Learn more in this week&#3...

Graduation season is here, and thousands of new grad physio's are entering one of the most competitive job markets in years. Yes, jobs are limited. But new roles are still being advertised. Sports like football and rugby are coming to the end of their seasons and looking to recruit and private clinics gear up for a busy summer ahead. The real challenge? Standing out from the crowd. Don't m...

Struggling to make sense of the shoulder as a new grad physio? You’re not alone! This episode is here to clear the fog. We unpack why the shoulder feels so confusing early in your career. Discover the three biggest challenges holding new grads back when it comes to making sense of the shoulder... And more importantly, we give you simple, practical strategies to cut through the noise... Build confi...

How you think... Is how you feel... Which influences how you act. This is the key concept around CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), a psychological tool used to change people's behaviour in a positive way. You can use this very concept to change the way you think (and feel) about yourself, your ability as a new grad physio... And use it to your advantage to start making career tracks! Listen...