Physiotherapy and rehabilitation departments train “physiotherapists” who have professional autonomy and undergraduate education in the international standards during 4 years to improve the health status and well-being of the individuals and communities, prevent disease with treatment approaches and preventive health programs and improve the quality of life of individuals. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation is a branch of science which aims to increase the quality of life of the individuals with the multi-faceted physical therapy approaches to treat the function in the musculoskeletal system, circulatory and respiratory system, nervous system disorders and planning the right and effective an exercise prescription for patients with/without disabilities or healthy individuals. The profession of physiotherapy was born with the aim of preventing / treating the functional losses of the population with disability caused by wars, accidents and polio epidemics and reintegrating these individuals in to the society life. Physiotherapists are professionals who can use physiotherapy-specific assessment methods after the diagnosis of a physician for disease, have the knowledge and skills to plan and apply treatment approaches developed by physiotherapists, and have important duties in increasing health and quality of life. Physiotherapists works in fields such as orthopedic rehabilitation, neurology and neurosurgery rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, cerebral paralysis and muscle diseases, pediatric rehabilitation, rehabilitation following hand injuries and surgeries, rheumatic diseases, women's health, athlete's health, rehabilitation after surgeries, intensive care, thermal applications, health tourism and vocational rehabilitation. Chronic diseases are seen at high rates in the societies that become immobile due to the developing technology in the 21st century and the increase in the aging population in the world and in our country make the need for the profession of physiotherapy inevitable. Physiotherapists plan and apply individualized exercise prescriptions nowadays to increase the level of physical activity and improve the quality of life in the health situation, in addition to the disease, in line with the needs of individuals as the importance of preventive healthcare services is become increasing due to the increasing age of population and the need to protect health consciously. Physiotherapists work with the patient, other healthcare professionals, families and caregivers within the framework of ethical principles. Physiotherapists also play an important role in the development and improvement of education, training, research, and national and international health policies. Increasing the life expectancy in the society and the expectation of the quality of life due to the increase in the aging population and understanding the importance of physiotherapy rehabilitation, the ability of physiotherapy to develop according to the changing needs of the society cause the increasing the interest in the physiotherapist profession and the need for physiotherapist employment day to day. According to the latest data of the World Health Organization, Germany, which has a population of 83 million, is in the first place with 188.000 active physiotherapists, and France, which gradually decreases to 65 million, is in the second place with 88.000 active physiotherapists. Turkey has only 22.000 active physiotherapists with a population of 80 million. Although the number of Department of Physiotherapy Rehabilitation has increased rapidly in public and private universities in recent years, it still does not have a sufficient number of physiotherapists compared to the Europe.
Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Physiotherapy Rehabilitation, was opened with the approval of the Council of Higher Education, dated 28/09/2016 and numbered 75850160-104.01.01.01-59919. A systematic vocational education is given to the students to gain professional knowledge and skills in the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation undergraduate program. They receive basic medical sciences courses in the first year, courses in which basic physiotherapy assessment and treatment approaches are in the second year, rehabilitation courses and physiotherapy and rehabilitation assessment and therapeutic approach training for disease and age groups in the third year throughout the four-year program. In the fourth year, students are given clinical practice training, where they have the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have learned for three years. In addition, students are required to do summer internship in the summer term of the 2nd year.
Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation aims to train physiotherapists who have professional ethics and autonomy, are knowledgeable, able to take responsibility and have professional practice skills and basis the infrastructure to perform their profession, and equipped with current and international information.
Defne Kaya, PT, PhD, Assoc. Prof.
Head of the Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Department
