#uq physiotherapy

[oztrekk]

Clinic placements for UQ physiotherapy students

As a UQ physiotherapy student, your clinical placements are likely what you will look forward to the most.

This is your chance to put all your theoretical knowledge to the test, to see first-hand how this practice makes a difference in your patients’ lives, and to get a taste of what your future career might look like. The University of Queensland’s Master of Physiotherapy Studies clinical experience is no exception.

In your first year, you will partake in various clinical experiences, including simulations run through UQ’s award-winning Standardised Patients (SP) program. These pave the way for the intensive block-mode placements you will take-on the following year.

Your second-year physio clinical placements run the gamut. You will be gaining more than 1,025 hours of supervised experience in areas such as developmental paediatrics, musculoskeletal and sports injury, and neurology, ageing and balance. Not only will your placements cover a wide-range of disciplines, but you will also gain experience in a variety settings, including private practice, hospitals, educational facilities and UQ’s own internal clinics, right on campus.

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[physiotherapyschoolinaustralia]

OzTREKK Ambassadors: Transferring your money

In part one of my banking and finances blog, I talked about banking in Australia. Here, I’d like to chat about transferring your money!

My first little bit of advice would be before you even arrive in Australia, go to a foreign exchange place and take out probably $500–$600 for the first couple weeks you are in Australia just to get settled in. Once you have the bank account set up and are actually in Australia, then you can think about transferring some money over.

Don’t use your bank to transfer funds

Do not use your bank when transferring money to Australia. Why? First, you will pay their exchange rate from CAD to AUD, which is outrageous and close to 3–4 cents on the dollar, worse than what you get with other transfer companies. Second, it will take weeks for your money to come in, and sometimes it doesn’t even come in full installments. Third, they will also change you an extra amount to deposit it into your account along with a bunch of other fees—just awful altogether.

The way that I transfer my money is through a third-party app called “TransferWise.” Now, this app only lets you transfer amounts of up to $9,500 at one time and $25k per week. I don’t see why you would need any more than that so this app is perfect. Unless of course you want to transfer all of your money at once (which I would highly suggest against), then you would have to go the direct wire transfer through a bank.

The TransferWise app is very easy to use. All you do is register for an account. They ask for two-factor identification as well as a bank statement or rent cheque to make sure you are a Canadian citizen living there before coming to Australia. Then once your account is verified, it is easy to go on and see what they are offering for rates. As an example, $9,500 CAD got me $10,041.85 AUD.

Keep reading for more tips...

[physiotherapyschoolinaustralia]

When in Australia, don’t forget to explore! Hanging out in Hosier Lane, Melbourne.

OzTREKK Ambassadors: Banking in Australia

I feel like I can speak for the entire population of international students when I say that this is a very big financial decision that you are making to study abroad.

Don’t be taken aback by the fact that you are going to be looking at paying six figures for your education, but instead look at this as an investment for your dream job that you will have for the rest of your life.

Now, with all of that being said, let’s talk finances and banking in Australia.

Banking

Australia has four major banks: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Westpac Banking Corporation, National Australia Bank (NAB), and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).

The bank I chose is Commonwealth Bank of Australia because from the upper-year students NAB was not the greatest for customers service; ANZ was a little less common so it was harder to deal with; and then Westpac had kept a hold on some of the students’ wire transfers for tuition (which charged them extra money for late fees).

I will talk about money transfers and all of that in my next blog, but for now, let’s stick with banking.

1. Get a Student Card and a Cell Phone

First thing you need to do is when you become a University of Queensland student is receive your student card and also get a cell phone number. You will need this in order to set up your Commonwealth bank account.

2. Set Up Your Banking

Once you have those two pieces of information (including your Australia address, which can change after), you just need to walk into a Commonwealth bank and talk to a specialist there.

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