Physiotherapy Abroad
Are you looking for a new challenge? Perhaps you’ve just finished studying and you want to find new ways to develop your skills and explore different career paths as you enter the working world? Well, this might be just the thing you’re looking for. Read on to find out how you can spend a whole year living abroad in this unique and rewarding opportunity to gain immersive experience in physiotherapy. With their physiotherapy abroad program, Apex Social gives you the chance to help others, gain new skills and perspectives, and explore a new country all at the same time. The program is a perfect way to explore this career path if you’re just starting out in your career field!
What is this program?
Apex Social offers trained professionals the chance to spend one year living either in the USA or Australia with a host family who have a child with therapeutic requirements. Participants will work closely with the child, their family, and their therapeutic team to support the child’s development for up to 45 hours per week. Through close cooperation with an interdisciplinary team, participants will gain experience in developing and implementing new approaches to therapy.
As well as accompanying clients to various onsite therapy sessions, participants will be part of the team providing holistic care to the client, allowing them to benefit from therapy in their everyday lives. If you’re looking for a way to enter this career path, then this experience is an amazing opportunity to learn new skills and explore a whole new country and all it has to offer.
What makes it so unique?
Above all, the setting of this program sets it apart from other forms of training. Spending time with the children in the context of their everyday lives allows both the therapist and the child to build a trusting client-therapist relationship more quickly than in a typical therapy setting. This allows therapists to truly adapt their approach to suit the everyday needs of the client and see the day-to-day developmental steps first-hand. It also makes the therapy more enjoyable for the child as therapists can incorporate everyday leisure activities into their methods, turning the therapy into a fun everyday play experience.
The team take care to match participants with a host family whose needs match the skills and interests of the participant, so both the family and the participant will get the most out of their experience. Being part of a host family allows you to identify the needs of the client in their day-to-day lives and see the progress in their development, as well as improve the lives of the families.
What do participants gain from the experience?
First and foremost, this rewarding experience is a unique opportunity in the field of physiotherapy. Through close collaboration with an interdisciplinary team and accompanying children to various types of therapy, participants will learn about different types of therapy (such as ABA behavioural therapy, equine therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy) and how to incorporate these approaches to create a holistic plan which is fully tailored to the individual client’s needs and lifestyle.
As well as professional skills, participants will make huge progress in their personal development. The setting of the scheme means that participants will see visible developmental steps in the client‘s everyday life. Seeing first-hand how a therapy plan can benefit both the client and their family is a truly rewarding and motivating experience. So, if you’re looking some inspiration then this is definitely worth looking into.
In addition, spending a year abroad allows participants to fully explore a new country and culture. With many free weekends, as well as a month-long vacation (with two weeks paid) at the end of the program, there will be plenty of time to get to know every corner of the country you are staying in and explore what’s on offer. The free time also allows you to pursue any other goals and interests you want to explore.
What do previous participants think?
As recently published in physiotherapy journal, physio Journals, Franziska (27) and Bettina (26) both spent a year in the USA living with a host family. Franziska worked with a girl with cerebral palsy and developmental delay and was able to work with her to respond her therapeutic needs in her everyday life. Bettina, like many other participants, had the opportunity to integrate knowledge gained from a team of therapists into her plan for her host family.
Both participants spoke of how much they have developed themselves through the scheme. They were able to learn about different types of therapy and both commented on how invaluable this interdisciplinary approach was both in allowing them to develop their knowledge, as well as for the child who was able to receive holistic care which was integrated into their everyday life. Such care was also very helpful for the whole host family as the therapy was completely adapted to their lifestyle.
Conclusion
Overall, if you’re looking to enter this exciting career and want to challenge yourself to build new skills and develop, both professionally and personally, then this is an amazing opportunity. Find out more about physiotherapy abroad with Apex Social, who will tell you everything you need to know about this experience, with information about physiotherapy, training, career options, the application process, and experiences from past participants.
