Harper Adams University - Prospectus 2024

Veterinary Physiotherapy * If you are passionate about animals, and would enjoy working with their owners, trainers and vets, veterinary physiotherapy could be the career for you!   Veterinary Physiotherapists treat almost anything that affects movement, frommusculoskeletal or neurological injuries and conditions to rehabilitation after surgery.   Physiotherapy following veterinary referral can help animals recover from a variety of conditions such as back pain, sprains, strains, fractures and sporting injuries. It can also be used following orthopaedic, neurological or general surgery, as well as improve biomechanics and athletic ability.   As such its use within the veterinary field is increasing. Animals can undergo a wide range of treatments including manual techniques, electrotherapies and exercise therapy.   As a student veterinary physiotherapist, you’ll take a highly scientific approach to learning techniques such as massage, stretching, exercise and electrotherapies to improve movement, restore normal muscle control and function, minimise the risk of injury, and enhance the performance of working and elite animals.  You’ll be taught by a team of specialists including registered Veterinary Physiotherapists, Veterinary Surgeons and other animal health professionals, within dedicated facilities in the Veterinary Education Centre and Veterinary Services Centre.   During your first two years you will develop the applied skills to practice for real during your work placement. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete steppingstone qualifications in Canine Hydrotherapy and Equine Sports Massage to best prepare you for clinic – and for you to explore more of what you enjoy. During your final year you will undertake clinical training every week, complete a research project and polish your skills in preparation for your future career. There is also chance to develop business and practice management skills through the on-site canine and equine clinics which run for the benefit of local veterinary practices. We encourage students to act as professionals from day one.   From a highly scientific base, you’ll use an integrated approach to treat animals referred by vets; and as part of a multidisciplinary team you’ll work closely with other professionals such as saddle fitters, farriers, nutritionists and behaviourists, and of course with owners to create a treatment plan that can be comfortably implemented and maintained. Howwill you learn? Our proposed Veterinary Physiotherapy route is seeking accreditation by the Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners (RAMP). We will work with this awarding body to achieve accreditation for the 2024 route once it has been validated. This accreditation allows our graduates direct entry onto the Register upon graduation, and provides the non-statutory regulation that Veterinary Surgeons require for referral of cases. An accredited degree course is one which has been approved by a professional body, is a marker of quality and provides a graduate with professional accreditation or supports a graduate in becoming professionally accredited which is recognised by employers. Once a university degree course is validated or re-validated, the University undertakes a process to review and check accreditation or reaccreditation of university programmes to ensure alignment with delivery, relevance and associated academic standards. Accreditation or re-accreditation cannot be guaranteed, if accreditation is approved as planned or if there are substantive changes or a delay, the university will communicate with applicants. The course will still run without accreditation, if an applicant does not wish to continue with the course with no accreditation, assistance will be provided to change course or to find a suitable alternative. *subject to validation 70 | UNDERGRADUATE PROSPECTUS 2024