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by Angus Pryor (Author)
Physiotherapy in Australia has changed - forever.
Once upon a time, physiotherapy was a profession rewarding those who worked hard enough and were committed enough to carefully tread the narrow path to becoming a physio.
This meant working hard in high school to get an offer from a university that provided physiotherapy as an option. After that, there was a truckload of study in university to graduate.
Next came working as someone's underpaid offsider as you helped pad the pockets of the physio principals you worked for.
Once you had done your time in the trenches, it was a matter of taking out a lease, getting a loan from your friendly medical banking rep and then setting up your own shop.
While there were some challenges as part of this process (recruiting competent staff, finding a suitable location, getting your practice set up), basically it was a licence to print money.
Unless you were doing something pretty bad (according to AHPRA1 there were only 12 physios de-registered in the past 12 years - one a year), it was pretty much a case of put out your welcome mat and wait for the customers to roll in.
Waiting times of three to four weeks for clients to see the local physio were not uncommon.
But then the party ended.
