Meet Oda

Hi, I'm Oda Pedersen, from Norway. The reason I chose to study chiropractic was initially related to the application it had towards sports injuries. I have always been very active, especially in sports such as football, handball, volleyball, skiing and sprinting. This made me not only interested in the human body but also its function. Furthermore, it gave me an insight into why injuries occur and the way the body adapts to them.

My friends and fellow team players had previously been injured and the response they had to chiropractic treatment was phenomenal. When I heard about local chiropractors and some of the work they were doing on various injuries, I was very interested in helping people in the same way.

I always wanted to work in the health sector as helping people in pain was something I wanted to do. I knew that through chiropractic I could achieve this and would enjoy doing it at the same time.

Currently, there is no chiropractic education in Norway so I had to study abroad. This appealed to me as this was something that I had always wanted to do. I wanted a new experience in a new place, however I didn't want to go too far away from home. This made The University of South Wales a good option. Furthermore The University was recommended highly at Bjørknes College. The application process was fast, simple and easy to follow and the University was very helpful with any question or queries I had. Also, the university had a high focus on international students and as this was the first time I was going to be living abroad, the university sounded very inviting.

The University has a wide variety of student societies, clubs, activities and sports activities. There is something for everyone. I had an amazing time playing for the University Volleyball team where there was an amazing social environment. Also Cardiff city is only 25 minutes away on the train and the Brecon Beacon national park is only a short drive away. This really appealed to me as I like to go walking and cycling.

I would love to spend a couple of more years abroad before I go back to Norway and with the chiropractic degree; there are so many opportunities to do so. I also want to continue to improve knowledge and skills through postgraduate courses and specialize in certain areas as there are many aspects to chiropractic that I would like to explore.

The degree is challenging at times but the end result is so rewarding. The fact that you can see how what you are doing is impacting someone else’s life is an amazing feeling, only something you can experience for yourself.