‘I didn’t even know it was a thing.’
That is La Trobe student Ella Hayes on her understanding of cardiothoracic physiotherapy before she started university.
It wasn’t until a Bendigo Health placement opened her eyes to the specialism, which focuses on people with acute cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, that Ella felt her career plan slot into place.
Now near the end of her Master in Physiotherapy Practice, she found the experience awakened such a powerful interest that she has won a $5,000 scholarship to develop her career in the field.
‘I initially thought of physiotherapy as being a private practice where you deal with muscles, and that’s about it,’ Ella says.
‘After doing the cardiorespiratory placement at Bendigo Health, it’s now a huge passion of mine.’
‘I found that we could be a real part of the medical team, and the knowledge you had to have was just incredible.’
It has been quite a journey for Ella, who is already a graduate of La Trobe’s Biomedical Science degree and once thought she was destined for a career in research or as a doctor.
She credits her biomed lecturers with helping to find her passion.
‘Physiology, anatomy, pathophysiology: all of those subjects were just so fascinating to me,’ she says.
‘I found myself thinking, “What career can I do this every day?”, and physiotherapy caught my attention.’
‘The staff were really supportive and helped advise me.’
She is now the inaugural recipient of the Evelyn Duff Cardiothoracic Scholarship, which is offered by the La Trobe Rural Health School to an outstanding final year student with a passion for an area that Ella once knew nothing about.
Named after a physiotherapist with a reputation for tirelessly supporting students and early-career clinicians, the award aims to continue that legacy and inspire a new generation.
‘I’ve heard from numerous physios at Bendigo Health and St John of God about how amazing Evelyn was, how supportive she was of new students and graduates, especially in the cardio field,’ Ella says.
‘It means a lot that someone so caring, who I never even met, has donated the money that I can use to benefit my career.’
In the spirit of the award, Ella is planning to use the funding to deepen her knowledge and then pass on what she learns to others.
‘I hope to do more professional development in the ICU and respiratory fields so that I can give back the skills I get to future students or future colleagues,’ she says.
‘I would like to funnel that scholarship so that it not only benefits me but can reach more people.’
Find out more about studying physiotherapy at La Trobe University.
