At school, Cara van Wyk MACP thought the law would be her career path, with work experience giving a welcome hint of what could lie ahead.

Then an injury from a mountain bike accident in Year 11 led her to rehabilitation with an ‘incredible physio’.

Law was out, physiotherapy was in. 

Today, Cara is participating in the Australian College of Physiotherapists’ portfolio titling pathway pilot, seven years after graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from Australian Catholic University.

She was awarded research titling earlier this year and is now working towards paediatric titling.

The pilot offers physiotherapists the opportunity to become either a Titled Member of the Australian College of Physiotherapists (MACP) or a Specialist Physiotherapist (Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists—FACP) through the Physiotherapy Career Pathway.

"I always wanted to study something that would give me a skill set to make an on-the-ground difference to people, families and communities without relying on resources like medications or specific equipment.

"Physio is the avenue through which I can do that."

Cara’s areas of interest include neurological impairment management, gross motor skill development and intensive therapy in paediatrics and disability. Her dream is for every child to have access to early intervention therapy.

"I have a passion for improving global child health, both through my clinical practice as a physiotherapist in paediatrics and disability and through policy development and research. 

"I find the neuro space very rewarding and enjoyable.

"I get to establish relationships with kids and their families, really working with one person, getting to know them and helping them achieve their goals."

Earlier this year she opened a paediatric and neurological physiotherapy business called NeuroCentric in the Illawarra.

"There’s a gap in services in the area and we are offering therapy and consultation for babies, children, adolescents and young adults with neurological, genetic or developmental movement conditions."

In addition to her clinical roles, Cara is head physiotherapist for the ParaMatildas, the national football team for women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and symptoms of stroke.

Last year, she travelled with the team to the first International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football Women’s World Cup in Spain and is looking forward to supporting the athletes at the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football Asia-Oceania Championships in Melbourne in November this year.

She has also trained as a medical classifier for CP Football. 

In her football role and when working with athletes in the clinic, Cara aims to empower each athlete and to address ‘neurological impairments from a performance mindset, which is very sort of new and not something that’s been done much’.

She also links in with home physiotherapists to coordinate ongoing impairment management for a performance edge. 

Career-focused and goal-oriented, Cara has achieved a Master of International Public Health (at the University of Sydney in 2020), a Master of Advanced Paediatric Physiotherapy Practice (by research at Monash University in 2022) and research titling, as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2023.

She is a member of the APA’s New South Wales Branch Paediatric Committee, the World Federation of Public Health Associations Women, Adolescent and Children’s Health Working Group, and the Disabled Surfers Association of Australia Sydney Branch Committee.

In 2019, Cara completed a placement with the Research and Training Center for Community Development in Hanoi, Vietnam, working on child health policy with the World Health Organization. 

Once Cara identified physiotherapy as her chosen career, goals and objectives quickly fell into place, she says, crediting a supportive network for helping guide her career progression.

"I’ve been so incredibly lucky to have inspiring professional and personal mentors around me and I model my career to emulate the things that I admire about each of those people."

Outside physiotherapy, Cara can be found in the outdoors. Rock climbing, camping, bushwalking and hiking indirectly give her the edge career-wise.

"They are not necessarily directly related to my career, but they are a way for me to look after myself.

"I am at home outside and I believe it is important to be active."

Cara is optimistic about completing the APA physiotherapist title this year, with the clinical component the final step in highlighting her competency in paediatric practice and research.

"The career pathway is a way for me to achieve recognition of my experience, qualifications and professional development.

"And, being female, it’s important to me as a way of safeguarding my career, to give me the flexibility to take time away from physiotherapy and the profession to build a home and raise a family down the track… (to) give me that professional standing, which will make it easier to re-enter the workforce."

An advocate of lifelong learning, Cara says it’s important for physiotherapists to set goals and ‘establish who you want to be as a physiotherapist and then set your learning in line with that’.

The titling and specialisation pathways, she says, should be part of a young physiotherapist’s professional development and career plan when studying for a bachelor’s degree.

A bonus is the support a participant will receive from APA staff and connections with other physiotherapists.

"From the day you graduate with your physio degree, start thinking about the kinds of things that you need to build into your experience and voluntary work or study so you can get yourself into a place where you can apply for the pathway down the track.

"The pathway will be a juggle with work and personal life.

"The biggest challenge is time management and maintaining the priorities of family and looking after yourself.

"However, it has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my career to date and to envision new goals and future directions. 

"I’d definitely recommend the pathway as a way of achieving career recognition and identifying who you are as a physio and setting personal goals.

"Priya Rodrigues, the titling coordinator at the APA, has always been ready to give me the support and advice I need.

"It has helped take away the daunting scariness, from applying to managing workload.

It’s been really wonderful."

For more information click here or email acp@australian.physio