700 Section - Redefining Health from Survival to Function: Lessons Learned Moving from Medicine to Physiotherapy

This personal and professional reflection aims to highlight how transitioning from medical studies to physiotherapy reshaped my understanding of health, redirected my career goals, and deepened my appreciation for the essential role of function-centered care within rehabilitation.

Design:

Searching for a discipline that values the human being beyond their organs, and that integrates well-being, autonomy, and quality of life, I found my path in physiotherapy. This transition allowed me to reconnect with my childhood ambition, not only to save lives, but to give life more quality, purpose, and participation.

Results:

One of the most transformative outcomes of this journey has been the evolution of my understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration. Experiencing both the medical and rehabilitation perspectives revealed the unique yet complementary contributions of physicians, physiotherapists, and other rehabilitation professionals. This dual exposure highlighted the powerful synergy that emerges when acute management and post-acute rehabilitation work in true partnership.

Conclusion:

This presentation will offer a reflective narrative on my transition from medicine to physiotherapy while emphasizing a broader call for strengthened collaboration between acute care physiatrists and post-acute rehabilitation professionals. Enhancing communication, continuity, and shared decision-making across the care pathway is essential to improving patient outcomes and advancing a global shift from survival-focused care to a model centered on functioning, participation, and quality of life.