Zoi Fotiou
The tutors & lecturers are so experienced, yet humble. They are in the industry and are so helpful.
My name’s Zoi, I’m 21 years old. I’ve always been very active, my entire family is – my dad is an endurance runner, my mum’s a swimmer, and I love soccer (I got that from my dad!). I’ve done other sports in the past, including dance and martial arts but soccer has always been my favourite. I am also a creative person; I’m crazy about visual arts, which is so different to what I’m studying.
I always wanted to do something in health and sport. In Year 12, I didn’t study science or PDHPE for the HSC, but I loved that I’ve been able to learn from all different subjects. I ultimately chose this degree because I saw how it is such a good pathway to physiotherapy. What inspired me to be a physiotherapist was my own experience with physiotherapy. When I used to play soccer at school, I developed a ligament injury in my ankle and I was in awe of the physiotherapist that treated me. I was amazed by how quickly he was able to treat me, he knew exactly how to identify where I was hurting and I saw how he treated other clients. I knew, for me, that was the path I wanted to take.
Initially, I was studying at another university, but transferred to UTS. The main reason I transferred is because of the location – the year that I changed is when the new Moore Park building opened, and I was so excited about the new facilities that were here that I could work with. Plus, Moore Park is very close to my home!
One of the highlights of this degree has been how close everyone is here. Everyone is so friendly, which has really helped me be more at ease and comfortable, and has helped me gain confidence in my studies. The tutors and lecturers are so experienced, yet humble; whether they’ve been physiotherapists or exercise physiologists. They are relevant practitioners in the industry and are so helpful. The strong connections I have been able to develop will help me later on, because I know everyone will be able to help me with any questions I have.
Studying this degree has helped me become more confident in myself – I used to doubt my capabilities, but, in this course you put the theory into practice a lot. This has helped me realise that I can put forth my empathy and knowledge to clients when I work with them. It has given me a different mindset because I now trust myself and the people around me to do the best I can.
In the future, I want to head into Physiotherapy. I am also interested in Sports Medicine. I really appreciate learning about exercise prescription before heading into these fields, and I know that if I ever need to fall back on the theory that I’ve learnt in this course, it’s only going to benefit me.
For future students, my advice is to really take advantage of opportunities in your first year. You’ll get a good head start by knowing what subjects are based on and where they can lead you. Plus, in your first year, you’ll have a clearer mind because you won’t have the pressure of your ATAR anymore. This is a great course for those who want to be really involved in the practical aspect of this industry. I really appreciate both the practical and theory this course offers.
No matter how big or small your question is, take advantage of the tutors and lecturers here. They will go out of their way to help you as best as possible, and they only want what’s best for you.
