1. Burnout is a multifactorial workplace phenomenon 

There is no clear consensus on how to define burnout (Tomczak & Kulikowski 2023). 

It is not a medical or mental health condition. 

Dr Jillian Eyles APAM is a physiotherapist and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow in the Osteoarthritis Clinical Research Group, Sydney Musculoskeletal Health, Kolling Institute, University of Sydney. 

Her main focus is on supporting health professionals to deliver osteoarthritis care that is recommended in clinical practice guidelines and educating consumers to ask for the care that is most appropriate for them. 

Dr Rachel Nelligan APAM is a clinical physiotherapist and research fellow at the University of Melbourne with an interest in chronic pain. 

‘I was working mainly with people with chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis [OA], which developed into a clinical interest.'

Dr Wei-Ju Chang MACP’s entry into tertiary education was not initially driven by a desire to work in healthcare. 

His first year of university in his native Taiwan was spent studying forestry, a choice determined more by entrance exam scores than by a personal passion for it.

In your view, what is the biggest challenge physiotherapists face in managing patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain? 

Translating evidence into clinical practice. 

 When Jon Ford FACP reflects on the winding journey that led him to physiotherapy he describes it as a ‘series of fortunate quirks’. 

Persistent pelvic pain is a leading health concern for women, girls and other people with a uterus. 

There are a variety of causes but endometriosis is considered to be the predominant condition. 

When I graduated as a physiotherapist, I never imagined I’d one day be balancing outpatient appointments and team meetings with material suppliers. 

I certainly didn’t think I’d be running a side business from my kitchen table but that’s exactly where I’ve found myself—a young woman, still deeply connected to public health, now dipping my toes into the world of entrepreneurship. 

 What are some key differences in underlying mechanisms between back pain and pelvic pain? 

When Dr Ruth Hardman MACP talks about her career it is with a kind of humility that belies her impact.