Physiotherapy Internship in Mexico

Gain practical physiotherapy experience by working at a hospital or with disabled children

Destination

Mexico

Age

18+ y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

Requirements

You need to speak basic Spanish.

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

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Starting at £1,520 for 1 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Real physiotherapy experience

Work alongside experienced physiotherapists in Guadalajara, observing treatments, helping with daily tasks, and learning about various conditions.

Understand global health practices

Gain valuable insights into physiotherapy in Mexico, working in hospitals and rehabilitation centres to help others while growing your skills.

Use this as a learning opportunity

Take the time to shadow experts, ask lots of questions, and compare physiotherapy practices in Mexico with your home country.

Enjoy magnificent Mexico

Live with a host family, enjoy home-cooked Mexican food, and explore Guadalajara’s mix of modernity and tradition in its culture and architecture.

Develop professional skills

Enhance your observation, communication, and patient interaction skills, broadening your understanding of physiotherapy in an international context.

What you need to know

Overview

Do you want to gain practical work experience in the physiotherapy field? Do you want to work alongside and learn from qualified professionals? Are you eager to travel and experience life in Mexico? If you answered yes to these questions, this internship is ideal for you!

Our Physiotherapy internship in Mexico will give you valuable work experience to add to your CV. You’ll learn how treatments are carried out in the rehabilitation department of a hospital. If you already have some experience, this will give you a deeper understanding of how physiotherapy is practised in a developing country.

You don’t need to have previous experience or training to join this project. You do need to speak basic Spanish, as not all staff members and patients can speak English. You also need to be at least 18 years old. Please be aware that your level of experience and training will define your exact role and how much hands-on work you can do.

This project runs all year round, and we recommend that you stay as long as possible so you can learn more and maximise your impact on the local community.

A Day in the Life

Your day will begin with breakfast with your host family. Once you are fed and ready for the day, you will then catch a bus to your hospital placement. A Projects Abroad staff member will accompany you on your first day and show you the way.

Once at the hospital, you will meet with the physiotherapist that you will be shadowing. You will then accompany them throughout their day. You will observe them going through their daily tasks. This may include preparing equipment, making patient notes and, of course, providing treatment to patients. Since you will be doing a lot of observing, it’s a good idea to keep a notebook with you so that you can make notes throughout the day.

Depending on your level of experience, you may be given more responsibility. In this case, you’ll be able to help your supervising physiotherapist provide treatments and make treatment notes.

If you are an experienced physiotherapist, the content of your days will be slightly different, as you may be working at a school for children with disabilities. The format of your working days will be much the same. However, instead of shadowing physiotherapists at a hospital, you will assist with the daily therapies given to children with muscular damage.

You will have a lunch break where you will be able to head back to your host family for a midday meal or enjoy a packed lunch and a break from patient rounds at the hospital.

At the end of the workday, you will be free to relax and explore the city. Stroll through a market, have a drink with some friends, or head back to your host family for dinner.

Aims & Impact

The aim of this Physiotherapy internship in Mexico is to give you the opportunity to learn directly from qualified physiotherapists.

Many of the hospitals in Guadalajara are very busy. By taking part in this programme, you will be able to provide a much-needed helping hand to local physiotherapists treating patients in rehabilitation departments. Additionally, many centres that accommodate people with disabilities lack funding. This means that patients often lack the support and healthcare that they need. Providing children in this situation with access to necessary treatments is another aim of this project.

Living and working in Mexico will give you insight into how physiotherapy treatments are conducted in other countries and will give you the opportunity to learn about a new culture and traditions. Through medical and cultural exchange, you will leave Mexico with a new perspective, both professionally and personally.

In general, we are working towards four long-term goals outlined in our Medical Management Plan. These are to:

Encourage an understanding of medical practices and promote an exchange of medical knowledge
Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups
Promote awareness of non-communicable diseases
Improve the quality of specialised or alternative healthcare provided

Help us achieve these long-term goals while gaining invaluable physiotherapy work experience in Mexico.

Activities

As a Physiotherapy intern in Mexico, you’ll shadow a qualified physiotherapist at a hospital and assist where necessary. If you have enough experience, you can work with disabled children. Here are some of the tasks you can expect to help with during your internship:

Observe qualified physiotherapists working in the rehabilitation department of a city hospital
Help with daily tasks and provide treatment if you have enough experience and training
Provide therapy and care for disadvantaged children with disabilities

Your work will focus on the following three areas:

Observe local physiotherapists as they treat patients

You will be placed at a hospital in Guadalajara, where you’ll shadow professional physiotherapists as they treat patients in the rehabilitation department. You’ll see how different illnesses and conditions are treated and how these treatment methods differ from those used back home. We encourage you to ask lots of questions about what you see and take detailed notes so you can have a record for yourself.

Provide treatments to patients and assist with daily tasks

If you have experience and training, you may be permitted to assist physiotherapists as they work with patients.

This will include preparing equipment, updating patient treatment files, and checking in with patients, among other daily duties.

Work with disabled children

If you have enough experience, you can provide treatment to disabled children at a local school. Many of the centres for disabled people in Mexico receive limited financial support. This means that patients don’t always get all of the treatment and care they need. By participating in this internship programme, you’ll be able to help disabled children who otherwise may not receive enough professional care and treatments.

Map & Location

¡Hola! Get ready for a fiesta of flavours, colours, and experiences in Mexico. The birthplace of chocolate and the Day of the Dead celebrations, Mexico is a captivating nation with incredible food. people, music, and more.

It also has a rich history with Mayan ruins and colonial towns to explore, and is home to the world’s smallest volcano! Our project locations in Mexico are safe and you will be welcomed into the community like one of the locals immediately.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco in western Mexico, is steeped in tradition and brimming with modern energy. With a population of over 1.4 million, it’s the second-largest city in Mexico, and boasts a rich history and mild climate year round.

Famed for its mariachi music, tequila, and delicious cuisine, the city houses historic landmarks like the Guadalajara Cathedral and the Teatro Degollado. Wander along cobbled streets and experience the lively atmosphere of this enchanting city.

Food & Accommodation

You’ll have everything you need to enjoy an incredible experience in Mexico, including a clean bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water. You’ll stay with a caring host family, vetted by Projects Abroad, who will treat you like one of their own from the moment you arrive.

Your home away from home will be clean, safe, and secure, with Projects Abroad staff members handling your transport to and from your placement. Your host family will provide delicious home-cooked food throughout your stay and introduce you to Mexican culture.

Speak Spanish with them every day, share your experiences and culture, and make meaningful connections with people around the world. We will try to have you share your accommodation with other participants so you can experience the real Mexico together.

Free Time and Leisure

With beautiful beaches, eye-catching art galleries, and buzzing restaurants, there’s something for everyone in Mexico. You’ll have plenty to do during your free time on your project in this dynamic country.

There’s something captivating about touring through old buildings. If you’re into neo-gothic architecture, treat yourself to a trip to the Templo Expiatorio del Santisimo Sacramento. It’s a work of art with its ornate steeples and glowing stained glass windows.

There are also plenty of museums, giving you the chance to immerse yourself in the country’s rich history. For something different, you can spend the day appreciating the wildlife and lush vegetation of Las Peñas Ecological Park.

You can’t take a trip to Mexico without tasting authentic Mexican cuisine. You can spend an evening enjoying pozole or tamales at a local restaurant and watching the vivid orange-red sun melt into the horizon.

We have a host of different projects in Mexico so there’ll likely be lots of other volunteers in the area during your trip. That gives you the flexibility to choose to travel and explore in a group or on your own.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Mexico Arrival Procedures page.