Top Contributor – Scott Buxton
September 2020
Scott is an interesting and multifaceted person who deserves the honor of Top Contributor for the month of September. In addition to being our Physiospot editor, Scott is an established specialist in geriatrics, fragility and outpatient rehabilitation for the elderly in the UK. Scott's commitment to the Physiopedia team has earned him a Volunteer Black Belt and a reputation for being a hardworking and effective employee. We appreciate everything you do, Scott. Thank you for being at the top of Physiospot and for making a positive impact on the standards of care in physiotherapy. Congratulation!
Your name : Scott Buxton
Time active at Physiopedia: I have volunteered and worked for Physiopedia since I was a student! About 8 years or so.
Current role at Physiopedia: I am the current editor of Physiospot – Physiopedia's online magazine. I'm on the communication team.
Where did you go to university? I graduated from Coventry University with a bachelor's degree and recently from the University of The West of England (UWE) where I am doing my Masters in Advance Practice.
Where do you work? I work at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, where I am the therapy leader for the Frailty team.
Describe your role: In addition to managing the therapists on a daily basis in the Frailty Team, I work as an Advanced Practitioner. As a team, we see frail, elderly patients as soon as they are admitted to the hospital. We want to prevent admission, shorten the length of stay as much as possible and improve the standard of care for older people throughout the hospital. I am also the Head of Personnel Development for Allied Healthcare Professional (AHP).
What is the most rewarding part of being a physical therapist? I think the most rewarding part of being a physical therapist is making positive changes to people's lives in so many different ways.
What are some of the more difficult things about being a physical therapist? I think one of the most challenging aspects for me when working in inpatient geriatrics is that people sometimes misunderstand the role of a physical therapist. It's not just about drainage planning – it's about so much more. Geriatrics offers an opportunity to improve your clinical thinking skills because the patients are weak and you cannot use normal logged interventions. You need to create something unique for that person. Don't even let me start "pulling grandma" …
What are some of your professional passions? My clinical passions are all frailty, sarcopenia and inflammatory artropathy in the elderly. My non-clinical passions are preceptor, career paths, and work culture.
What are some of your personal passions? Cycling! I think I know more about cycling than I do physical therapy! One of the toughest events I've ever done is The Paris-Roubaix athletic, maybe it was even more difficult than the Ironman Triathlon I did! 
What advice would you give to a newly graduated physiotherapist? I would say a few things. First, stay on your track and spend time discovering your unique style as a clinician. Second, if you're on a rotation scheme, the first year is all about learning the basics. So don't rush into the specialty you want to specialize in. You won't make the most of it if you get into it. Third, the most powerful words you can say are "I don't know". There is no expectation of knowing everything. I certainly don't!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Good question! I always ask my team members and the people I supervise to create a 5-year plan. It is really good for focusing on what is important to you and giving you structure for your development. It also helps you choose which options to use and which ones to pass on. I just got to the end of my own 5 year plan and haven't had a chance to sit down and create my next one. It's been a busy summer! The next time I get a chance, I'll definitely take one. 
What's the best part about being a Physiopedia volunteer? The team is amazing. What a great group of like minded physical therapists! Being part of Team Physiopedia is special in many ways. We are improving health literacy around the world and providing access to world-class professional development (CPD) for those who otherwise couldn't.
How has it helped you to advance your professional development / career as a volunteer at Physiopedia? I can confidently say that without Team Physiopedia I would not be where I am now. The opportunity to work with clinicians and experts around the world really puts things into perspective and opens my eyes to what is possible. I cannot underestimate the impact of writing articles and updating them with a wide range of evidence / literature on my development. It has really given me a lot of transferable knowledge to bring to my specialty. Overall, I'm a much more versatile clinician.
What are your hopes and aspirations for Physiopedia? I hope Physiopedia continues to be the world leader in CPD for our profession.
What is your favorite course at Physioplus? I really enjoyed Laura Finucane's class on red flags. It is a must have for all physical therapists, regardless of your specialty / area of work. It is really impressive to have such an expert about Physioplus and it shows how good the Physioplus platform is. Anyway, I can't say my own, can I? (Smiley!
Would you like to say something else? Not at the moment!
If you want to know more about Scott's Frailty Course, click here!
