Meet Ben Melton, our amazing student on placement from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Friday 1 December, was Ben’s last day with SAVVY after a five week placement, marking the official completion of his Masters of Physiotherapy.
At SAVVY, we offer Student and Graduate placements to allied health students from the University of Wollongong, The University of Sydney, Western Sydney University and UTS. We give students the opportunity to apply the theory and skills gained in their studies in a professional workplace.
Learning opportunities are endless in our structured Student Placement program. One day is never the same as students, paired with an experienced SAVVY clinician, deliver services to a range of clinical populations (such as neurological, musculoskeletal, orthopaedic, respiratory and geriatric) at SAVVY WellCo and throughout the community.
Ben has loved the creative atmosphere here at SAVVY, crediting it as a fun environment for both clients and therapists. Whilst he’s learnt so much, his biggest takeaway has been learning how to think on the spot to address the varying needs of patients to help them achieve their goals. On Ben’s last day, he took SAVVY’s creative approach on board with regular client Greg. One of Greg’s goals has been to work on his fine motor skills so he can continue enjoying his hobby of playing guitar. A guitarist himself, Ben came up with a session that involved the two of them jamming together to Oasis! It was a fantastic moment in the clinic and reflected the alternative approach to therapies that SAVVY is so passionate about delivering.
In addition to this, Ben was able to gain experience working with a range of patients at SAVVY with varying needs. Some of the conditions he hadn’t seen anywhere else. These real life scenarios reaffirmed his mission of improving people’s quality of life through considered and well-delivered physiotherapy.
The next step for Ben is undertaking his Graduate Program next year at the Wollongong Hospital. Starting in February, Ben will take to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) to gain even more experience working with various patients under the guidance of new mentors. In the future, Ben hopes to work in a private practice setting to apply his rich skill set and knowledge to the local community.
Senior Physiotherapist, Kayla Hay, was Ben’s primary educator and mentor during his Student Placement at SAVVY. She witnessed his strong commitment to learning, heralding it as a valuable asset that demonstrated his passion and drive for the professional career he is about to commence. Ben thoroughly enjoyed working with Kalya and took away a lot of valuable learnings from her fun and creative approach to working with clients. “All Kayla’s clients love her”, Ben said, which reiterated to him the importance of building a strong rapport with clients. Ben signed off with, “I hope to work with Kayla again in the future”.
Congratulations Ben on completing your placement and Masters degree. It’s been great seeing your face in the clinic!
Find out more about other student experiences and get more information about our Student Placement and Graduate Program here: https://savvyco.com.au/students-and-graduates/
