Major Emma Williams – a physiotherapy career in the military

Physio Foundations

Emma Williams is an Australian Army Officer and uniformed physiotherapist. In this episode, Emma discusses her career pathway from university to the military and her work with military personnel in Australia and overseas.

In this episode:

• 0:00 About this episode and welcome Emma
• 4:00 Pathway into the military through a military scholarship, what is it like working as a physio in the army?
• 13:05 Strategies for building rapport and gaining trust
• 17:00 Common injuries in the army – MTSS, ankle sprains, balancing injury prevention and surveillance with the need to develop toughness
• 22:00 Physical performance standards
• 25:20 What injuries do military personnel get and what are the trends in activities and causative factors?
• 33:00 What are the upsides and benefits of working in the military as a physio? Travel, free healthcare, getting paid to exercise
• 38:50 Making decisions under pressure
• 44:00 Baptism of fire and the valley of despair– developing confidence, humility and other life skills - foundational skills as a health professional

Emma was recently featured in the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s magazine InMotion. Read the article here: https://australian.physio/inmotion/salute-physio-front-line

Connect with Emma via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-williams-b5367262/?originalSubdomain=au

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This is a discussion aimed at health professionals and health professional students. Always seek the guidance of a qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition.