What was supposed to be just a six‐month trip to Aotearoa New Zealand has become a nearly 20‐year sports physiotherapy journey for Jennifer Scott – one of the profession’s two newest Specialists.
Originally from the UK, Jennifer completed her undergraduate degree there and spent time working as a rotational physio in the National Health Service.
“[At the time] My heart was torn between MSK and ICU physiotherapy, however I knew MSK held more opportunities for me at that point in time as I wished to travel and work overseas.”
“Overseas” included a plan to spend time here. “I moved to NZ, supposedly for six months in 2006 and have never left. The first role I secured saw me fall into a sports physiotherapy role.”
This was a job that ended up having a huge influence on Jennifer’s practice. “While I was a solid MSK physio, the complexities of sporting environments was a new challenge that provided a steep learning curve for me and highlighted multiple blind spots.
“A catastrophic neck injury to one of my athletes was the catalyst for me to look to further my knowledge and understanding of sports physiotherapy. This led to me moving to Auckland in order to complete my Master of Health Practice at AUT while continuing to work in private practice.”
It was during the last year of her Masters that Jennifer took on the role of lead physio for the Football Ferns and High‐Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ).
“I’ve now worked at HPSNZ for 16 years in a variety of roles. I have been fortunate to work across a variety of team and individual sports and with both para and able‐bodied athletes.
“In that time, I also completed a research masters in injury surveillance and got to present my findings nationally and internationally. I also married a staunch Cantabrian and have had three Tamariki, so it is now safe to say that Aotearoa is well and truly home.”
So why did Jennifer decide to become a specialist?
“For me, working towards specialisation was the natural progression in my career. But it was not a decision that I took lightly as it took me over seven years to complete the process.
Taking her time to work through her registration for specialist scope offered her certainty. “This served as an integral check and challenge to ensure that it really was something that I was committed to do.”
She says that commitment is key for any practitioner looking to become a specialist.
“Having a genuine passion for the specialty you’re applying to is essential, as it allows you to fully immerse yourself in the process, create opportunities for your growth as a practitioner, and achieve the required competencies simultaneously.
“For those keen to attain specialist registration, I would advise them that it is a time consuming but ultimately incredibly worthwhile process. It almost provides a structured pathway for personal development and certainly encouraged me to stretch myself in certain areas to meet the required competencies.”
For Jennifer, becoming a specialist is about more than just career progression.
“I have been incredibly fortunate to have had some wonderful mentors along my journey, who have shaped and guided me to become the clinician that I am today. I now feel that it is my turn to “pay that forwards” and help to advocate, promote and grow the profession of Sports Physiotherapy.”
