After growing up in Austria, Margit Nezold developed a career in veterinary science and travelled the world treating animals.

Nowadays she has Australian residency and family ties in Queensland but ongoing back problems led to a decision to change careers.

Margit Nezold takes part in a practical session on Rockhampton Campus

Margit has enrolled to study the new Physiotherapy program at CQUniversity where her prior studies of animal anatomy and physiology have proven to be a useful foundation.

"As a veterinarian the equipment is often heavy and the animals unpredictable in their movements, whereas in physiotherapy you can find a comfortable position for working on patients," she says.

Margit has four years of study ahead before emerging with her new profession but she can gain some locum work as a vet in the meantime.

The new Bachelor of Physiotherapy program is being delivered via campuses in Rockhampton and Bundaberg.

Physiotheraphy students have the benefit of connections with other Allied Health students through some shared foundation courses with the disciplines of Occupational Therapy, Podiatry and Speech Pathology, alongside physiotherapy-specific courses from day one of the program.

Discipline Lead for Physiotherapy Associate Professor Kenneth Chance-Larsen says Physiotherapy is a popular choice of study, because of the combination of hands-on practical skills, communication and evaluative skills.

Margit Nezold in her Physiotherapy class

"Our program includes a minimum of 25 weeks on clinical placement, where the students will 'learn on the job' whilst supervised by qualified physiotherapists, and this will take place in a variety of settings and locations," Assoc Prof Chance-Larsen says.

"There is a real and well documented need for physiotherapists in regional, rural and remote Queensland. Local hospitals and private physiotherapy practices can't get enough physiotherapists, and the national workforce data show clearly that people away from the metropolitan areas have vastly inferior access to healthcare, including physiotherapy. Our new program is one little step towards closing the gap!"