Jess Bell is an integral part of the Physioplus team. She not only contributes positively to the development of new courses, but also monitors the discussions in the Physioplus forum. Jess, thank you for all you are doing to support the team, the course instructors and the online learning platform Physioplus. Your efforts help countless professionals gain new knowledge and share ideas. Fantastic job!
Your name : Jess Bell
Time active at Physiopedia: 2 years now.
Current role at Physiopedia: Apprentice architect and forum manager for Physioplus.
Where did you go to the university / college? Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Physiotherapy from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand and Master of Arts (MA) from Auckland University.
Where do you work? Auckland, New Zealand in private practice.
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What's the most rewarding part of a PT? I really like how diverse life as a physiotherapist is. In clinical practice, every day you meet people from different backgrounds who have completely different problems and goals. Finding out what motivates people and helps them get back to what they want is definitely the most rewarding part of being a PT for me.
What are some of the more challenging aspects of a PT? I think that we as PTs spend a lot of time working autonomously, even when we are part of a broader team. Because of this, you often need to think very quickly about how to solve a problem, but you also need to be able to identify when you need additional support and how to access it.
What are some of your professional passions? I love learning and evidence-based practice (EBP) – it feels really good when you can confidently implement something new into clinical work and see results. That's what I love about working at Physiopedia. I am constantly learning new and interesting things that I can apply in practice and share with others.
What are some of your personal passions? At the moment I spend pretty much all of my free time with my family. We all love being outside and exploring new places. Pretty much every weekend we go for a walk, shoot, cycle or go to the beach – regardless of the weather. And when I have time, I also like to draw / paint – mostly digitally.
What advice would you give to a newly graduated PT? It can be a bit overwhelming when you first start managing a case load of patients. I think it's important to remember to stick to the basics you learn in school – especially when it comes to assessment. If you do a good assessment, your treatment will be much easier. I think the most important thing is to always work with your patients and find out what drives them as this will guide your management and make your interventions really relevant to them. There is so much to learn from your patients.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? I hope I still learn and enjoy what I do!
What's the best part about being a Physiopedia volunteer? Working at Physiopedia and Physioplus is perfect for me. I've always loved writing and researching anything and everything. At Physiopedia I can combine these interests with physiotherapy. It's also really great to be able to share this information with other PTs and professionals and use it in my own clinical work.
How has it helped you to advance your professional development / career as a volunteer at Physiopedia? I am learning so much about writing Physiopedia pages and Physioplus courses. Basically, I can access all of my professional development in one room – it's great!
What are your hopes and aspirations for Physiopedia? I think Physiopedia is a great resource. I just hope it continues to grow and be a resource that all PTs know can get up-to-date and relevant clinical information.
What is your favorite course at Physioplus? I've done so many courses now that it's difficult to choose, but I think I really notice Christopher Martey's spondyloarthropathy program.
