Cameron Smith Scotland

What originally sparked your interest in sports rehabilitation? 

The idea of helping individuals return to daily activities and sport through a patient centred approach, and expanding my knowledge on musculoskeletal health, is what really got me interested in pursuing a sports rehabilitation course.

Why did you choose to continue your studies at Queen Margaret University after having studied 2 years at Edinburgh College? 

There was no other course in Scotland that provides an honours degree with a BASRaT accreditation, and the university was local to where I was living, so it made sense to continue from HND to the full BSc Honours degree at QMU.

I wanted to challenge myself after achieving my HND in Sports Therapy from Edinburgh College, as I never really applied myself during high school. Because of the two-step pathway option (two years at college followed by two years at university), studying to become a sports rehabilitator at QMU seemed like a reachable goal. 

How important was British Association of Sports Rehabilitators (BASRaT) accreditation and/or the articulation route in your decision? 

I thought it would be great to be a sports rehabilitator with a BASRaT accreditation as it might help with my employability. 

How did you find the transition from college to honours‑level study at QMU? 

I believe the college lecturers I had, Del, Leisa, Kristian, and Scott, really helped to prepare me for the demands required for the honour's degree at QMU with anatomy, physiology, assessment of injuries, strength and conditioning, and clinical reasoning.

What support helped you settle into university learning? 

I made use of QMU’s Effective Learning Service (ELS) to help me improve the structure of my writing for essays and assignments. The service offers one-to-one support with any aspect of your learning, which is invaluable.  The ELS also offers group learning sessions for some topics.

What did you enjoy most about your course at QMU?  

I loved the practical classes learning and practising joint mobilisations of the upper and lower extremities. I also welcomed the chance to improve my knowledge of exercise prescription and the reasoning behind why we would choose a certain intensity during each stage of rehabilitation.

In the entrepreneurial and leadership module, I enjoyed a collaborative exercise with my classmates when we came up with the idea of an adjustable frame runner for people living with obesity as a form of low impact exercise.

Which modules or learning experiences have been most valuable so far? 

My time in musculoskeletal management in sport rehabilitation over the two years has been particularly valuable, as has the clinical reasoning module.

What has been the most rewarding part of the course? 

I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to discuss topics on musculoskeletal health with lecturers and classmates to learn and expand my scope of practice. 

Have you taken part in any placements and if so, tell us about them and how they aided your learning? 

I’ve carried out three placements - one with Leith Athletics Football Club where I began practicing taping techniques, massage, and injury assessing & management. Another was with Spartan’s Women's Football Club, where I developed the skills from the previous placement including practicing joint mobilisations, which helped improve my clinical reasoning for assessment tests and exercise prescription. Lastly, in my placement with Preston Lodge Rugby Club, I spent time with the physiotherapist. This helped me broaden my knowledge of neurogenic pain, improve my taping techniques for the upper limbs, and advance my knowledge of injury assessment and injury management in relation to supporting players in their rehabilitation and return to play.

What types of settings have you worked in and what types of clients have you worked with?  

I’ve worked with both male and female players at two football clubs, and male players at one rugby club. I was supported by one female physiotherapist at my most recent placement, and she really helped support my learning, develop my sports rehab skills, and build my confidence, which I am tremendously grateful for.

What kinds of things did you do to gain experience and increase your employability?  

I signed up for a free masterclass which covered Achilles tendinopathy injuries with assessing, diagnosing, and management to help return the athlete back to their activity or sport. I volunteered at Thrive classes for Health by Science, which involved assisting individuals living with Parkinson’s disease who were participating in exercises designed to improve their functional movements for daily activities. I shadowed a couple of physiotherapists at the Physio Place in Musselburgh for a few hours almost every Wednesday in the summer of 2025.  

Tell us about your experience of supporting people into Frame Running and your coaching experience? 

I began as a volunteer helping kids living with cerebral palsy to take part in the adapted sport of frame running. It was enlightening to see the opportunity this provided for young athletes with disabilities, many of whom may have thought they couldn’t do much in the way of exercise. I got more involved in frame running when I was qualifying as a level 2 athletics coach. This gave me more responsibility over the session planning and the addition of an adults’ frame running group for individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This group had previously taken part in a Multiple Sclerosis research study for QMU that I had helped out with. Learning to adapt to the person in front of me, rather than sticking to a protocol, allowed me to become more creative in my delivery of sessions. I aimed to make sessions both fun and challenging, and included activities such as running, as well as strength and conditioning for the athletes.

 

How is your experience on the degree helping you prepare for professional practice? 

The degree has prepared me for becoming a sports rehabilitator following the BASRaT code of conduct when assessing and managing musculoskeletal injuries within the general public, as well as with performance athletes. It’s also helped me focus on taking a person-centred care approach to all of my sports rehabilitation work. My aim is to improve clients’ quality of life by creating an environment to mitigate the aggravating factors and address and functional impairments that can be adjusted through movement and resistance exercise.

What are the key skills – academic, clinical and professional - that you have developed whilst studying on the course?  

During this course, I have developed my critical analysis in writing for essays and assignments, as well as my injury assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions. I’ve also been able to critically reflect on each placement I’ve attended through university. As a result, I have learned to consider how things were done and whether there are ways to improve practice and outcomes in the future.

How have you found the support from QMU staff? 

The staff have been both helpful and responsive across most of the modules. The lecturers managed to keep the sessions engaging and were able to supply students with helpful resources to aid my learning in key areas.

What are you plans following graduation?  

I am going to be working alongside a former classmate in their clinic in East Lothian to assist people who are experiencing musculoskeletal pain. So, I will be using all the skills that I have learned throughout my four years at college and university to assess and manage their conditions.

What advice would you give to students considering this degree? 

Be open minded with what an individual’s pain/discomfort might be. Pain is a complex thing and the reason behind an injury can be multifactorial. This degree allows you to explore why musculoskeletal injuries may occur, and how to assess and manage through evidence-based practice.

Would you recommend the course, and why? 

I would recommend this course as a great stepping stone for someone who is passionate about helping to rehabilitate people with injuries, but who may think that a physiotherapy degree is one step too far for them, for the time being. The lecturers on this course are all physiotherapists. They have a vault of knowledge and experience in the field, so they make the sessions engaging through discussion to challenge us on our current clinical reasoning. They also help to guide us if we are a little off track. This is in order to increase our confidence when making decisions during practice.

Sum up your experience of the course in three words. 

Insightful, engaging and thought-provoking.

Find out more about QMU's BSc (Hons) Sports Rehabilitation course.