Physiotherapy and rehabilitation departments train "physiotherapists" with professional autonomy who receive a 4-year undergraduate education at international standards in order to improve the health status and well-being of individuals and societies, to prevent diseases with treatment approaches and preventive health programs, and to increase the quality of life of individuals.
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation is a branch of science that aims to improve the quality of life of the individual with multifaceted physiotherapy and rehabilitation approaches in order to correct the function in disorders of the musculoskeletal system, circulatory and respiratory systems, and nervous system, and plans the correct and effective exercise prescription for sick, disabled or healthy individuals. The physiotherapy profession was born with the aim of preventing/treating the functional losses of the disabled population caused by wars, accidents and polio epidemics and reintegrating these individuals into social life. Physiotherapists are professionals who can use physiotherapy-specific assessment methods after a diagnosis by a specialist physician in the event of a disease, have the knowledge and skills to plan and implement treatment approaches developed by physiotherapists, and have important duties in increasing the quality of health and life. Physiotherapists are people who work in areas such as orthopedic rehabilitation, neurology and neurosurgery rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation, especially cerebral paralysis and muscle diseases, rehabilitation following hand injuries and surgeries, rheumatic diseases, women's health, sports health, rehabilitation after surgeries, intensive care, thermal applications, especially health tourism and vocational rehabilitation.
In the 21st century, the high rates of chronic diseases in societies that have become inactive due to developing technology, and the increase in the aging population in the world and in our country make the need for the physiotherapist profession inevitable. With the aging of the population and the importance of preventive health services today due to the need for conscious protection of health, physiotherapists plan and implement individual-specific exercise prescriptions by determining evidence-based preventive and developmental protocols in order to increase the level of physical activity and improve the quality of life within the framework of the needs of individuals in addition to illness. Physiotherapists work with patients, other health professionals, families and caregivers within the framework of ethical principles. Physiotherapists also have an important place in education, training, research, and the creation and development of national and international health policies.
The increase in life expectancy in society and the aging population, the increase in the quality of life expectancy and the understanding of the importance of physiotherapy and rehabilitation, the fact that physiotherapy can develop according to the changing needs of society, cause the interest in the physiotherapy profession and the need for physiotherapist employment to increase day by day. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, Germany, with a population of 83 million, ranks first with 188,000 active physiotherapists, and France, whose population is gradually decreasing to 65 million, ranks second with 88,000 active physiotherapists. Turkey, with a population of 80 million, has only 22,000 active physiotherapists. Although the number of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Departments has increased rapidly in state and foundation universities in recent years, it still does not have a sufficient number of physiotherapists compared to Europe.
The Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Bursa Uludağ University was opened with the approval of the Council of Higher Education dated 28/09/2016 and numbered 75850160-104.01.01.01-59919. In the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation undergraduate program, students are provided with systematic vocational training aimed at acquiring professional knowledge and skills. During the four-year program, they take basic medical sciences courses in the first year, courses in which basic physiotherapy evaluation and treatment approaches are given in the second year, and rehabilitation courses and physiotherapy and rehabilitation evaluation and therapeutic approach training specific to disease and age groups in the third year. In the fourth year, students are provided with clinical practice training where they have the opportunity to apply the information they have learned during the three years. In addition, students are required to do a summer internship in the summer of the second year.
The Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation of Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Health Sciences aims to train physiotherapists who have professional ethics and autonomy, are knowledgeable, can take responsibility and have acquired professional practice skills, have the infrastructure to practice their profession, and are equipped with up-to-date and international information at the end of their four-year education.