The internal placement offered a real-life experience. Watching experienced Veterinary Physiotherapists demonstrating their skills was an enjoyable introduction to what is going to follow next. Observational experience is shown to benefit the learning process (Dennis et al., 2017; Fernando et al., 2017).

The day was separated into two parts, equine and canine. The equine part started with lecturer Marigold Thompson showing the equipment she usually uses in physiotherapy sessions. Later, we discussed the equine assessment process, and eventually, we watched her perform physiotherapy sessions on a retired horse (Pictures 1 and 2). On the canine part, Lecturer Jade Terry discussed with us a case, explaining the assessment process of the patient. After we met our canine patient, Charlie, we all had a table with all the possible therapies we could use (Picture 3). Then we had to think and decide which one was the most appropriate for our case.

My first impression was that the whole procedure was very familiar to my everyday clinical work as a Veterinarian. As a mature student, I felt self-confidence but I also realized what has previously been seen in adult learners, the need to transform my perspectives (Chen, 2017), as I am entering a new profession.

During the equine session, the importance of the practitioner’s physical condition was pointed out, as they use their body and physical strength to perform specific therapies. This is supported by the fact that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMD) are common among physical therapists (Anyfantis and Biska, 2018; Bork et al., 1996). Exercise is an important part of my routine and I felt happy that it will continue being.

I enjoyed both parts equally but I found the canine more interesting; not because of my background, but because it was more interactive. Having the opportunity to try to choose the proper therapy for the dog helped me simplify the process in my mind. It is shown that simulation-based learning can be valuable for students (Hough et al., 2019). I am looking forward to the practical courses in the second year.