Wenche Bjorbækmo - 30 DoS - Day 14

I am a physiotherapist with long clinical experience and have a Ph.D. in health sciences, specialization in habilitation from 2011 at the University of Oslo. Currently, I am a professor at the Institute of Physiotherapy at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet).  Here I teach at the master's degree in health sciences and have a particular responsibility for the specialization in physiotherapy for children and adolescents. 

My research interest includes qualitative research with children and adolescents and their experiences of body, movement, activity, and participation in different contexts and situations in their everyday life. It also includes an interest in professional health practices and especially physiotherapy practice with a focus on what practical knowledge is about, how it is expressed and performed when physiotherapists practicing their profession.

Lately, I have been concerned with developing the curriculum for the specialization in physiotherapy for children and adolescents at OsloMet aiming to put together a curriculum that reflects perspectives on the body, movement, movement development and learning, activity, and participation that includes both naturalistic (bio-medical), social, cultural and humanistic philosophy and sciences.

I have always been inquiring about the practices I have entered into and been part of. Something that has not always been well received by colleagues. I have often been asked; why can you not just do as we usually do, why asking all these questions. When I took my master's degree, I read a book that fascinated me. The book title is “Betatt av viten” (Fascinated by knowledge), Instructions for use of Donna Haraway and is written by Kristin Asdal, Anne-Jorunn Berg, Brita Brenna, Ingunn Moser, and Linda M. Rustad (1998, Tiril Schrøder, Illustrator). Reading this book was eye-opening and thought-provoking. One quotation referring to Donna Haraway has since followed me as very central, in my translation it says: No one can be indifferent or passive to the various changes that take place in society (for example in habilitation) and believe that the direction and form of knowledge processes are due to natural development and the passage of time and that they always are in the best interests of those affected. 

With this interest and background, I do think and hope I may contribute to discussions and writings within the CPN community of significance for the future of physiotherapy. At least, I wish to contribute and be part of this really important professional movement. 

I hope that the physiotherapy profession bravely will develop its own knowledge base based on the profession's practical knowledge and recognizing that physiotherapy can stand on its own if we expand our theoretical basis and insight to include knowledge about body and movement as; biology, nature, culture and experience.