Ryan's story

"I decided to change to physiotherapy because I want to help people, and to become a better therapist."

I’m now studying for a part-time degree in Physiotherapy, but I did my first degree in Sports Therapy, which was specifically based around athletes and their injuries. I worked with Luton Town Football Club after finishing my first degree, and started doing more physiotherapy work, working as a physio assistant in Watford and North London.

I decided to change to physiotherapy because I want to help people, and to become a better therapist. I may still end up working in sport, as that’s been my passion for a long time, but as I get more experience in the field I may find something that I like even more. I think it’s really important to keep learning and evolving. To work in the NHS would be a fantastic experience and it would be great to help people recover and improve their quality of life. I just want to try and make sure that I enjoy what I’m doing and remember why I’m doing it.

Getting onto my course at Essex has been my proudest achievement so far. I’m not a very confident person, and there were a very high number of applicants for a small number of places, so I didn’t think I stood a chance. When I got my place it really boosted my self-belief.

Everyone on the course has their own unique challenges, but that’s something that’s really brought us together; we all support each other and we’re all really close. The lecturers and staff are all really supportive too; even the library are understanding of the fact that I live far away which sometimes makes it hard to return books on time. I’m lucky in the sense that I just have work and university, and I don’t have other commitments like some of the other people on my course, who have kids or elderly parents to look after. But I still have an hour commute each way to get to university and have to fit my coursework around my job. It can be hard being a part-time student, but all the struggles are just small pieces of the puzzle – if there’s something you really want to achieve, then you’ll make it happen.