Cammy secures dream rehabilitation role after graduating from QMU
A sports rehabilitation graduate from Longniddry is celebrating academic and professional success this summer after graduating from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh and securing a job at an East Lothian rehabilitation clinic.
Twenty-five-year-old Cameron Smith celebrated with his family this month, when he graduated with a BSc (Hons) Sports Rehabilitation at QMU’s graduation ceremony held at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. He was in good company, when he was joined by QMU’s Chancellor, Patrick Grant - entrepreneur and judge of BBC One’s ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ – and Susan Black, former Communications Director for Liverpool Football Club and Professor Carolyn McDonald, former Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for the Scottish Government, whom were both awarded honorary degrees.
Cameron has just started working at the SWM Clinic, a physiotherapy and movement-based rehabilitation clinic in Aberlady, where he will be helping people living with musculoskeletal pain and supporting them on their recovery journeys.
Cameron’s route into higher education began at Edinburgh College, where he completed an HND in Sports Therapy before progressing directly into the final two years of QMU’s Sports Rehabilitation degree through the University's articulation pathway.
Having always been passionate about sport, Cameron was drawn to sports rehabilitation because it combined his interest in physical activity with the opportunity to work closely with people and make a tangible difference to their lives.
He said: "The idea of helping individuals return to daily activities and sport through a person-centred approach, while expanding my knowledge of musculoskeletal health, is what really got me interested in pursuing sports rehabilitation.
There was no other course in Scotland that provided an honours degree with BASRaT accreditation, and because QMU was local to where I lived, it made perfect sense to continue my studies there. The pathway from college to university made becoming a sports rehabilitator feel like an achievable goal.
Much of Cameron's experience was gained through placements with sports clubs across Scotland, including Leith Athletic Football Club, Spartans Women's Football Club and Preston Lodge Rugby Club. These placements enabled him to work alongside players, physiotherapists and rehabilitation professionals while building hands-on experience in injury management and return-to-play programmes.
Alongside his studies, Cameron volunteered extensively within athletics, initially supporting young people living with cerebral palsy through the adapted sport of Frame Running. He later qualified as a Level 2 athletics coach and helped deliver sessions for both children and adults, including athletes living with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Cerebral palsy at Meadowmill in East Lothian.
Reflecting on his coaching experience, Cameron said: "It was inspiring to see the opportunities Frame Running provides for people who may previously have thought exercise wasn't for them. It taught me to adapt my approach to the person in front of me rather than simply following a set protocol. That experience has had a huge influence on how I approach rehabilitation and person-centred care."
To further enhance his professional skills, Cameron completed additional training and volunteering activities, including masterclasses on Achilles tendon injuries, supporting exercise classes for people living with Parkinson's disease, and shadowing physiotherapists in private practice.
Having taken up his new position at the clinic in Aberlady, alongside a former QMU classmate Stuart Mack, Cameron is putting everything he’s learned over the last four years into practice, helping people experiencing musculoskeletal pain.
Reflecting on his time at QMU, Cameron, said: "I'd recommend the course to anyone who is passionate about helping people recover from injury and improve their physical health. The lecturers have an incredible depth of knowledge and experience, and they really challenge and support you to develop your clinical reasoning and confidence."
Cameron has shown tremendous commitment throughout his academic journey, progressing from college to university and embracing every opportunity to develop both professionally and personally. His dedication to supporting others through coaching, volunteering and placement learning demonstrates the compassionate, person-centred approach that lies at the heart of sports rehabilitation. We are delighted to see him graduate and begin his career in East Lothian, where he will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the people he supports.
Graduating with an honours degree and a professional qualification recognised by the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT), Cameron leaves QMU with the knowledge, confidence and practical experience to begin the next chapter of his career helping people return to the activities they enjoy.
For further media information, contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk)
