My name is Hayley and I am a proud Kamilaroi and Mandandanji woman studying Physiotherapy at the Australian Catholic University. I have grown up in Toowoomba, finishing high school at St Saviour’s College, before relocating to Brisbane in 2021 to be able to complete my degree. I am currently in my fifth and final year of my degree and I am looking forward to completing my clinical placements. As a daughter of two nurses and granddaughter of the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker in Miles, I have grown up within the world of healthcare and have been able to develop my love of helping people.

What I love most about studying Physiotherapy is being able to work towards improving quality of life and mobility to be able to do everyday tasks. I am hoping to work in cancer and palliative care after losing my dad to pancreatic cancer however, I also have a love for sport after many weekends supporting my younger sister playing soccer. Outside of my studies, I am the first ever First Nation’s Physiotherapy Trainee at Toowoomba Hospital and I work with the SWQ Munngu Munda’s Football Team in managing and social media organisation.

I want to be able to give back to my community and to contribute to improving Indigenous health by providing culturally safe and responsive care to provide the best outcomes possible. After losing my father to pancreatic cancer, I want to be able to assist those going through similar situations not just in terms of a physiotherapy point of view but by providing more holistic care to ensure that the needs of the patient are met. There are so many people in today’s world that are unable to access the healthcare they need to be able to function. I want to be able to make the change so that Indigenous people are able to access the allied health care they need to improve treatment equality.

In my experience working as the first ever First Nation’s Physiotherapy Trainee, there continues to be several issues that affect not only our patients but our colleagues as well, demonstrated in a lack of acknowledgement of Indigenous values and cultural responsiveness. I have gained an incredible experience in furthering my clinical knowledge whilst in this position and I truly believe that with this and into the future as a qualified physiotherapist, I will to be able to further develop the cultural awareness of my workforce and further my own learning of my culture and values. I want to make my family proud and show that there is the possibility for culturally safe and responsive healthcare that is equal no matter the colour of your skin.

As I am in my final year of my physiotherapy degree, my first semester involved working towards completing the placements that are needed to graduate. I got to complete 2 of my 5 placements, one in transition care program at home in Toowoomba and the other in neurological and acute stroke at Greenslopes. I enjoyed my time learning about acute stroke care and vestibular assessments and treatments, we learn a lot of theory however it isn’t until we get to see our patients in real life that we realise just how important all of that knowledge is. I learnt that I really love being able to connect with people and learn about their stories, I would argue it’s the best part of being a physio.

I still have 3 placements to complete which I will do in semester 2, I am looking forward to working in a musculoskeletal clinic, orthopaedics and cardiorespiratory physiotherapy across a range of settings in Brisbane. I am still finding what type of physiotherapy I love, but I have enjoyed my time so far learning how to implement everything that I have been learning over the last 4 years.

I also spent time in Geelong in June with the Indigenous Allied Health Australia team attending a program called High School to Deadly Careers. I got to travel to different schools and work with other Indigenous allied health students to present a fun program to high school students all about what it is like working in allied health and got to visit the local community control and see what they do to help support their community’s health. I had the best time building friendships and getting to show just how much I love what I do.

I am currently completing my last intensive subject of my degree which has included finishing my last ever group presentation and viva exam, it’s sad to think that it is the last time I will be doing those things, but I am also very much looking forward to not doing it again. I am looking forward to presenting my final project at the end of the year where I am looking into the idea of a physiotherapy work readiness program that can be implemented to reduce occupational injuries in the mining industry for Indigenous people. This project is entirely hypothetical but is a great way of getting me ready to help with innovation and new ideas in the workforce once I graduate.

It is sad to think that my time at university is coming to an end, but I am looking forward to what is to come over the next semester and going forward into my position as a new graduate.