Who am I?

Outside of teaching, I am a mum of two and a keen hockey player, having only recently stepped down as Chairman of Timperley Ladies Sports club where I continue to play and coach. Currently I have representative honours for the North West of England over 40s Ladies Masters team. I am also a parent Governor at my local primary school and have been for the last 6 years.

Academic and professional qualifications

• Diploma in Physiotherapy - Withington School of Physiotherapy in (1987).
• Masters in Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Technology - University of Dundee (2007).
• Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice

Previous employment

On graduating, I secured my first job as a junior Physiotherapist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston Birmingham where I undertook my junior rotations. During this time in Birmingham I developed a keen interest in Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy where I  took up my first Senior Physiotherapy post at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Northfield which specialised in bone tumours. On moving back up North, I then moved into the private sector working full time at the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Cheshire for a number of years.

Whilst working at the Alexandra hospital I worked with my manager and the placement team at the Manchester School of Physiotherapy to develop Physiotherapy placements for students within this private setting. I then joined the staff of the Manchester School of Physiotherapy in 2002 and completed my Masters in Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Technology at the University of Dundee in 2007. The following year, I undertook a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice which she completed in 2009.

I then moved over to MMU with the transfer of the Manchester School of Physiotherapy into the University setting in 2004.

Why study ?

Undergraduate courses

Currently I work part-time, sharing the role of Physiotherapy Placement Lead with Sophie Taylor, coordinating and developing excellence in placement learning for undergraduate and pre-registration students. I also have a keen interest in supporting students with disabilities in the practice placement setting.

Research expertise

I have a keen interest in research around the topic of supporting students with disabilities within the placement setting and is currently undertaking a yearlong project (2013-2014) focusing on all aspects of placement learning from pre-placement planning to the quality of placement learning and the gathering feedback on placement learning from all key stakeholders. The start of the project begins with a conference entitled 'Delivering excellence in Placement Learning' to be held on Thursday 19th September 2013

Publications

• Other

  2013 Awaiting publication in Disability and Society - 'Supporting the transition of Disabled students from the University setting to the Practice Placement setting' (Kath Botham and Jo Nicholson)

  2010 'Supporting the transition of Disabled students from the University setting to the Practice Placement setting' CSP conference, Liverpool 2010