Austin Barker

Meet Austin. As a Senior Physiotherapist, Austin saw Herts as an opportunity to progress in his profession. He is now an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, working for The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Herts’ strong reputation

Austin, who was a Senior Physiotherapist when he decided to study at Herts, chose the MSc Advanced Physiotherapy course as it would help him progress in his career. According to Austin, ‘Herts has a strong reputation, it is close to where I live and work, and the University has fantastic existing links with my employer. I knew that the physiotherapy staff at Herts were experts in their field.’

Some of Austin’s favourite memories from his time at Herts were spending time with his cohort, networking with other professionals, and making long-lasting friendships. The strong professional connections he made at Herts led to him becoming a Visiting Lecturer here after he graduated.

Austin adds, ‘The teaching was great too, and I was able to extend the scope of the course to suit my clinical role better. For example, I explored areas such as independent prescribing and musculoskeletal injection therapy.’

Austin’s advice

Austin’s ambition is to continue his studies and possibly complete a professional doctorate. His advice to others is to, ‘Find what works for you, study-wise. Study hard but do things that you enjoy in between.

‘Most importantly, enjoy your time at Herts. It goes by very fast!’