Introduction
The history of the development of Physiotherapy as a profession as well as the development of Physiotherapy as a professional degree at the University of Pretoria should be seen in the greater context of the Development of Physiotherapy as a profession in South Africa.
In the first section of this historical overview of the development of Physiotherapy as a professional discipline at the University of Pretoria, a brief introduction is given of the development of Physiotherapy as a profession.
The First World War was the driving / initiating force for the development of Physiotherapy as a profession. In 1921 a group of masseuses initiated the ‘Certified Masseurs Association’. In the same year a branch of the ‘United Kingdom Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics’ was founded in Natal. In 1924 these two associations merged to form the ‘South African Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics’. After the Second World War, the name was changed to the ‘South African Society of Physiotherapy’.
Training of Physiotherapists at the University of Pretoria
2020 marks the 70thanniversary of physiotherapy training at the University of Pretoria – this makes TUKS Physio the second oldesttraining center for physiotherapists in South Africa.
The training of physiotherapists in Pretoria started in 1950 and was offered by the former Pretoria General Hospital who initiated the School of Physiotherapy. The course was a three-year diploma training course which was issued by the South African Medical and Dental Council. The training was later controlled and coordinated by the former National Department of Education. During this change in governing body, the name was changed from the Pretoria School of Physiotherapy to the Pretoria College of Physiotherapy.
In 1981 the training of physiotherapists was taken over by the University of Pretoria as a Sub-Department of Department of Internal Medicine and the three-year diploma course was changed to a professional four-year BPhysT degree course. The degree course was developed on a sound scientific basis in the basic natural sciences and the basic medical and social sciences. A number of clinical areas were identified where students could do their clinical training as clinicians.
Due to the limited number of students that could be trained in the clinical field, students were selected. The selection criteria were adapted to the criteria of the Faculty of Natural Sciences because two of the first-year subjects were Physics and Chemistry and students had to meet the criteria to do these two courses. In 1981 the first group of students were given the opportunity to enroll for the professional BPhysT course at the University of Pretoria OR to continue to do the three-year diploma course. The first ten graduates completed their four-year degree course in November 1984 and graduated in March 1985.
The number of prospective students applyingto study Physiotherapy at the University of Pretoria rapidly increased since 1986 making the selection process all the more difficult.
In 1987 the Physiotherapy Department applied to the University and Department of National Education to become an independent academic department. In the same year the Sub-Department was moved from being a sub-department of Internal Medicine and placed under the jurisdiction of the Dean’s office. The final decision on whether the Department should become an independent academic Department was delayed because Department of National Education launched an investigation into the possibility of shifting the training of students in Nursing and some other Health professionals (former Supplementary Health Care professions) to a Technicon. The investigation was completed in December 1991 and the decision was made that the training of Physiotherapy students would remain at the University of Pretoria. The decision that the Sub-Department of Physiotherapy should become an independent academic department was confirmed in 1994.
The facilities in which the Department of Physiotherapy was accommodated, was the S G Lourens Nursing Colleague’s training building, until the University of Pretoria could identify and extend other facilities in which to accommodate the Department at the HW Snyman-South building. The Department moved to its new facilities in 1995 to facilities that had been renovated and built in and around the H W Snyman-South Building.
In 1988 the clinical facilities in which students received their clinical training were expanded to include: An area for the treatment of sports injuries in the Sport Institute of the University of Pretoria, was identified and the clinical area was managed by final year physiotherapy students, and a lecturer. Other clinical areas included the former H F Verwoerd Hospital, Kalafong hospital, the former ‘Old and New 1 Military’ hospitals, Pretoria and New Hope schools for cerebral palsied children, Huis Piekand Ons Tuis, homes for the aged, and selected private practices. In 1991 clinical facilities in KaNgwane was investigated as a potential area where students could get clinical training in a rural community health setting. In 1992 Jubilee hospital in Hammanskraal was identified as a closer and suitable area in which students could get their clinical training in community health.
Since 1989 the final year physiotherapy students delivered a support service for runners who participated in the Comrades Marathon on a yearly basis. This outreach support service was financially sponsored by the former Ciba Geigy company. Since then it has become a yearly support service rendered by the final year students of the University of Pretoria which was later joined by final year students from other Universities.
Research and postgraduate studies in Physiotherapy at the University of Pretoria
A formal Physiotherapy academic day was initiated in 1986 where the final year undergraduate physiotherapy students could present their research projects for external examiners from a neighboring university. The prizes for the three best projects was sponsored by van Schaik’s and the former HAUM bookstores. This culture is still continuing today, with the oral presentations contributing to the final research mark.
In 1986 the BPhysT (honors) degree was approved by the then Department of National Education. Ms Elsa Smith, and Ms Linda nee Rabie were the first two students who received their BPhysT (Hons) degrees at the University of Pretoria IN 1988.
The Masters degree in Physiotherapy was approved by the former Department of National Education in 1989 and again the first two students who received their MPhysT in 1991 were Ms Elsa Smith and Ms Linda Rabie.
The BPhysT (Hons) was converted into a MPhysT by means of course work and the first group of seven students enrolled in 1993.
Prof Tania van Rooijen was the first PhD graduate of the Physiotherapy Department in 2004.
The number of masters and PhD graduates has been rising exponentially ever since.
Departmental leadership over the years
The first acting head of the sub-department of Physiotherapy was Ms M A Beattie.
In 1986 Ms Carina Eksteen was appointed as senior lecturer and the head of the Sub-department of Physiotherapy; It was a Sub-department of the Department of Internal Medicine. Prof Carina Eksteen later received her PhD from the faculty of Education in 1998.
Prof Tanaia van Rooijen was the 3rdHOD, and she led the department for from 1996 to early 2014.
The first African head of the department is Professor Joyce Mothabeng, who was appointed September 2014. She also the first physiotherapy HOD to deliver an inaugural professorial lecture in May 2015.
