Physiotherapist | Jessica Totman: Beyond Sports Injuries - Concussion, Chronic Pain & the Reality of Physio

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, Jessica takes us inside the pathway to becoming a physiotherapist: from choosing high-school subjects and applying for university, to practical exams, clinical placements and navigating those first years in the workforce.

She also breaks down the different areas of physiotherapy many students may never have considered - including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and neurological physiotherapy - and shares how her own career evolved from private practice and sideline rugby into concussion rehabilitation and chronic pain management.

Jessica also opens up about a side of healthcare that isn't always taught in the classroom: the emotional weight of spending every day with people experiencing pain, learning to create boundaries, and recognising that being a great physiotherapist requires far more than simply understanding the human body.

For students considering physiotherapy, healthcare, sport or rehabilitation, this episode offers an honest look at what studying and working as a physiotherapist can really look like — and why communication, empathy and connecting with people may be some of the most important skills you can bring to the profession.