Aife Haran - BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy as a 'Stepping Stone' to Physiotherapy

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Aife Haran – BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy as a ‘Stepping Stone’ to Physiotherapy

BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy

Sports

Sligo native, Aife Haran, is in her final year of studying for her BSc (Hons) in Sports Therapy at Portobello Institute, and she plans to continue her studies with an MSc in Physiotherapy to become a qualified physiotherapist.

Describing herself as sporty, pursuing a career as a physio is an opportunity to follow her passion and fulfil her potential in the career she wants.

Aife has played soccer since she was eight years old and was part of Sligo Rover’s first-ever Under-17 Women’s National League team. The talented midfielder has also played soccer with Athlone Town and Senior Gaelic football with Sligo LGFA.

“My whole life I’ve been involved in sports, I play soccer and Gaelic, so I’m used to the whole injury aspect of things. That led me to this course as I wanted to know more about injuries, even if it helps me as an athlete and I want to help others.

“The kind of things I’m learning on the course are anatomy, massage therapy, we do a lot of one-to-one injuries and pitch-side as well.

“I feel like I’m following my passion because it’s a sports-related course, I’m sporty and I’m really interested in it,” she said.

For Aife, this BSc (Hons) in Sports Therapy is the perfect stepping stone on her path to becoming a physiotherapist.

“After I finish the course, my ambition is to go on and do a Master’s in Physiotherapy for two years and that is because I want to further my education.

“The course is practical and relevant to what I want to do in the future because it’s a stepping stone into physiotherapy and I know a few people that are doing physiotherapy and they are learning the stuff that we have covered so it’s definitely relevant,” she said.

Portobello Institute’s flexible delivery of the course allows Aife to balance playing sports with working and studying.

“I chose Portobello Institute because I heard about it through a friend, and I thought it would be the right place for me. I wanted to get out and move up to Dublin and I am delighted that my degree will be awarded by the University of Essex, that’s a bonus of studying at Portobello.

“I find the course very accessible; I commute a lot and I have training so it works out as we have classes Tuesdays and Wednesdays which gives me time to go home on the weekends, I can get my training in and my work in so it’s flexible and it suits me.

“The support from the tutors has been really good, if I have any problems, I give them a quick email and they are fast to reply which makes my life a whole lot easier especially if I’m stuck on a subject or an assignment.

“My advice to someone who is considering doing this course would be absolutely go for it. It’s a really good course, it’s only three years and you get all the help and input from your lecturers and at the end of the day you get a good degree from it,” she said.

Portobello Institute has a dynamic sports department with a range of top qualifications for the next step in your career.

If you are interested in any of our sports courses or have any questions you can book a consultation call with our expert sports advisor Jason Lester, email [email protected] or call 01 892 0029.