Cinthuja, P.2025-10-272025-10-272021-11-11Proceedings of Peradeniya University International Research Sessions (iPURSE) - 2021, University of Peradeniya, P 47978-624-5709-07-6https://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/5745Inadequate knowledge will presumably result in the ―wrong‖ people applying or the ―right‖ people not applying for a specific degree programme. There is a need to analysis the awareness about their future career among Sri Lankan physiotherapy first year undergraduates. The objective was to assess the knowledge about their career among Sri Lankan first-year physiotherapy undergraduates. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in three universities in Sri Lanka. Questionnaire was developed based on existing literature and checked for validity by conducting a pilot study among randomly selected undergraduates. Descriptive analysis was performed in SPSS. 58 participants (age 21.2±0.9, 42 females) participated in the study. 17% entered with their Advance Level first attempt. Among other results, 43% participants considered they have appropriate knowledge about their profession, 78% searched before applying to the degree programme, 91% were aware of exercise as a method of management, 94% know musculoskeletal conditions are treated by physiotherapists and 78% know it is required to have a valid license to practice. However, only 40% were aware that physiotherapists manage paediatric conditions, 47% were aware PhD can be completed as their postgraduate qualification and 38% were aware they can work as a researcher and 14% were aware that they can work in administrative positions. In conclusion, most of the participants had moderate level awareness about their career choice. However, not all the participants were fully aware about their future job description, role and regulations. As future recommendations, there is a need for a programme to make first-year undergraduates aware about their career, and it is ideal to be done as a career guidance programme during their advance level stage to ensure ―right‖ people applying for this programme.en-USFirst-year undergraduatePhysiotherapySri LankaVocational guidanceArticle