Dr Tash Pocovi started her career in physiotherapy working in private hospital settings, treating a range of postoperative patients on the ward. 

Eventually, research became a fundamental part of her work. Pairing the two, she began investigating low back pain treatment and prevention – an area that has come to define her career. 

While she tried to maintain both, the demands of research eventually made it unsustainable and by the time she completed her PhD, ‘Preventing low back-pain recurrence’, at Macquarie University, she had left clinical practice behind.

It was around that time that Journal of Physiotherapy’s fellowship crossed her radar. The novelty of the editorial side of the fellowship attracted Tash to apply. 

‘I think it’s quite unique. I had never heard of a fellowship that wasn’t just a research fellowship but I was always interested in joining an editorial board. 

'This felt like a safe segue where I might gain some insight and mentorship.’ 

After submitting her resume and cover letter, Tash was asked to provide a proposal on how she would engage the Journal’s readership. 

Her pitch proved successful and Tash started her fellowship in January 2025.

The fellowship runs two fellows concurrently, a first-year fellow and a second-year fellow, both of whom rotate through the Journal’s portfolios for approximately four to six months at a time. 

These portfolios cover Critically Appraised Papers, Clinimetrics, Clinical Practice Guidelines and Research Notes, with fellows receiving mentorship from editorial board members across all stages of the publication process. 

‘As a reader of the Journal, I was usually looking for the latest randomised controlled trial or systematic review in my field of low back pain. That’s all I would read. 

'When I started my fellowship, I quickly became aware of all the other content the Journal publishes and the value that each of these portfolios provides to the physiotherapy profession and the Journal’s broader readership.’

The first-year fellow takes on an additional responsibility: managing the Journal’s social media presence and increasing the readership’s online engagement with the Journal.

Beyond the social media rotation, Tash’s fellowship involves sourcing experts to peer review articles and brainstorming pertinent topics of interest to the physiotherapy profession among the editorial board.

Dr Tash Pocovi.

She also had the opportunity to do some writing of her own. 

‘I was fortunate in that I got to write an editorial on low back pain management. 

'It’s nice to be able to have that on my CV but also to have had the time and space to be able to pull something like that together. That’s quite valuable. 

'I also wrote a clinimetrics paper and did an appraisal of a clinical practice guideline.’

While Tash came to the fellowship with experience writing scientific papers, she found that the transition wasn’t entirely seamless.

‘Although I would say my previous research helped me in some respects, it was also a bit of a steep learning curve but you’ve always got the senior researchers and editorial board members to turn to for guidance.’ 

However, for Tash, the greatest challenge had less to do with knowledge than with confidence. 

‘The editorial board meeting in February is the first meeting you attend and it’s a real icebreaker. 

'I went in a bit cautious and tentative. I was only one year out from finishing my PhD so I felt really fresh. 

'But when you see past your own imposter syndrome, the editorial board makes it so easy for your contributions to not only be heard, but feel valued.’

The board meetings offered Tash more than just confidence – they reshaped how she thought about what makes research worth publishing. 

‘When I would write in my little research bubble, I’m not entirely convinced that I was really targeting clinical implications. 

'That is something I realised through all the editorial board meetings: if it’s not going to help clinical practice, it’s probably not of value to our readership. 

'I make sure that slant features in everything I write because I so clearly see the value of that now.’

Now that there are only six months left of her fellowship, Tash is keen to keep an eye out for positions on editorial boards in the future.

‘I was very sad to hear that when you finish your fellowship, you actually can’t immediately reapply for a position on the
editorial board. 

'Otherwise, I think I would have pounced at the opportunity because I had such a pleasant and rewarding experience.’

For any physiotherapists who are thinking of applying, Tash has three words: just do it. 

‘I knew it would be a good opportunity walking into it but I actually got much more from it than I’d initially anticipated.

'I wouldn’t let that thought of “I don’t know how strong of an applicant I am” deter you from applying. Everyone brings their own unique strengths.’

Expressions of interest are now invited for the next Editorial Fellowship term, which will run for two years from January 2027 to December 2028. 

The Editorial Fellowship (one post available) will enable an emerging Australian physiotherapy researcher to gain important and valuable exposure to an international editorial board.

Expressions of interest close Friday, 7 August 2026. For full details including how to apply, see the July issue of Journal of Physiotherapy.