26/08/2026
Here's something you need to understand as a new grad.
You don't need to know everything to be a brilliant physio.
In fact, you probably don't even need to know most of what you're currently worrying about.
Because if you can master the basics, you'll be able to help the vast majority of patients who walk through your door.
When I talk about the basics, I'm talking about...
Understanding the patient's story.
Taking a good subjective assessment.
Knowing what questions to ask.
Being able to perform a structured solid objective assessment.
Understanding the common presentations.
Knowing when something doesn't fit.
Having a solid grasp of load, capacity and tissue adaptation.
Explaining things clearly.
Prescribing simple, progressive rehab.
Knowing when to progress.
Knowing when to hold back.
And, perhaps most importantly...
Being able to think.
That's it.
Problem is...
These aren't the 'sexy' bits of physiotherapy.
They don't look particularly impressive on social media.
There isn't a fancy machine involved.
There isn't a secret technique that only 3 people in the world know.
They don't involve a magic rehab exercise that you have to do with [insert injury here].
But if you master those things and you'll be able to confidently manage 9 out of 10 patients you'll see as a new grad.
The problem is that you often convince ourselves we need the other 10%.
Or when you can't make sense of the 90%, it must be something else, it must be something that you don't know yet.
So you chase more courses.
More special tests.
More treatment techniques.
More complex rehab exercises.
More knowledge.
More CPD.
And don't get me wrong...
Keep learning.
But don't confuse knowing more with being a better clinician.
Maybe (most probably) you didn't do a good enough job in the first place with the basics.
I've spent 15+ years working in professional sport and one of the biggest lessons I've learned is that the best physio's are rarely the ones who know the most.
They're often the ones who can take a complicated problem...
Strip it back...
Identify what actually matters...
And execute the basics exceptionally well.
As a new grad, this is good news.
You don't need to know everything.
You don't need to have every diagnosis memorised.
You don't need to own every piece of equipment.
You don't need to have a solution for every possible presentation.
You just need a solid foundation.
Master the basics.
Get really, really good at them.
Then build from there.
Hope this helps.
Andy Barker
The New Grad Physio Mentor
PS. Want some help to better make sense of your own assessment, treatment and rehab skills...
To get more consistent positive patient results?
Then head here to find out more...
newgradphysio.com
