Studying Physiotherapy In Lithuania To Make A Difference

Wafa Ali Bhatti is in the first batch of students on the physiotherapy programme taught in English at LSMU, currently completing her first year of studies. The student came to Kaunas, Lithuania, from South Africa and is having the time of her life so far!

“Physiotherapy is a career field which gives you the ability to make a difference in people’s lives, that is why I pursued physiotherapy as my career choice,” says Wafa Ali, who is studying BSc Physiotherapy at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU).

She explains why she chose LSMU:

“I was researching the best degrees in physiotherapy in Europe, and that is where I saw LSMU, on a study guide website.

“LSMU is growing at a fast pace, it welcomes students from all over the world. I chose to study here because it offers a lot of practical hours for the physiotherapy programme, plus it has its own hospital. It is a perfect combination for students studying in any health science field, I believe. The degree is recognised worldwide, and LSMU has great accreditation for its quality of education.”

Wafa Ali believes that physiotherapy is often overlooked by students pursuing health sciences degrees, with many favouring subjects like medicine, pharmacy, or dentistry. However, physiotherapy was always the dream for Wafa Ali:

“It has been my passion to study physiotherapy and make a difference. It is an important branch of the medical profession and can make life-changing impact in people’s lives.”

Like students across the globe in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, most of her classes this year have been online – with all the pros and cons they entail.

“A big pro for me would be, I did not have to go out in the freezing Lithuanian weather! Plus, I attended classes even when I was sick or did not feel like stepping out, because it’s just several clicks away, and that’s it. I saved a lot of time commuting with online learning, because I did not physically have to attend. Plus, it’s keeping us safe from the coronavirus.

“The cons: it took away opportunities to meet classmates, new people, and new friends. I did not get a chance to get to know the teachers or physically attend classes.”

Despite this disruption to the usual university experience, Wafa Ali has “learnt so many new things. I have learnt techniques of assessing and testing muscles manually and a range of motion, I have learnt so much about the human body so far; the anatomy module was good, overwhelming but very intriguing.

“I have also learnt the importance of my personal health, critical thinking and professional communication.”

However, the Lithuanian language is proving to be somewhat of a struggle, with Wafa Ali describing it as “one of the toughest languages to learn in Europe – but I have learnt a lot of things in Lithuanian as well.”

Practical elements are often a huge draw to studying programs such as physiotherapy, and, despite the pandemic, Wafa Ali has got to experience these opportunities first-hand:

“My most memorable experience was when I had a chance to attend a few anatomy lab sessions in person and I got to experience learning from a real dead body, quite amazing and interesting! It was the first time I ever saw a dead body dissection.”

It’s not just the classes that Wafa Ali is enjoying during her time at LSMU, she’s also had the chance to explore beautiful Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania, which she enthuses about:

“Kaunas is an exquisite city; it has everything for people from all over the world to enjoy. The beauty of Kaunas lies in its simplicity and culture. I have the best walks by the river. There are many other sites to explore yet – I am waiting for the lockdown to be over, so that I can explore more.”

Class diversity is a real strength of LSMU – Wafa Ali’s group mates are from different countries, such as Israel, Iran, and Eritrea; - students study in a small groups of up to 10 people, which gives an opportunity to get more attention from lecturers.

“I love studying at LSMU; it offers a culturally rich environment, welcoming students from all over the world. I am loving the exploration of the diversity and the culture here.”