For final-year students of K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy, the field visit to the All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AIIPMR), Mumbai, between 13th and 17th April 2026, marked a shift from studying rehabilitation to actually understanding it.
Inside one of the country’s leading rehabilitation centres, students experienced how multidisciplinary care comes together in practice. Moving across departments such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, speech therapy, vocational rehabilitation and psychological counselling, they saw firsthand how each discipline contributes to a patient’s recovery journey.
What stood out was not just the range of services, but the way they intersect. A patient’s recovery is rarely linear or limited to one intervention. It requires coordination, clinical judgement and a deep understanding of individual needs. This exposure pushed students to think beyond textbook protocols and start viewing care through a more holistic, patient-centred lens.
The visit also brought them closer to assistive technologies and rehabilitation equipment that play a critical role in restoring mobility and independence. Seeing these tools in use, rather than in theory, helped students connect clinical knowledge with real-life application and outcomes.
Equally important was observing how clinicians interact with patients. The ability to communicate clearly, build trust and respond with empathy emerged as essential aspects of practice, reinforcing that effective rehabilitation is as much about people as it is about procedures.
Structured over four days in smaller groups, the visit allowed for meaningful engagement, discussions and clarity of concepts.
By the end of the experience, students walked away with sharper clinical insight, a stronger understanding of multidisciplinary care and a clearer sense of their role as future physiotherapists.
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