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Speciality Area
Rehabilitation
Building rehabilitation expertise that stays.
HVO partners with rehabilitation professionals and institutions around the world to strengthen physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, education, and leadership.
HVO’s Role
Local providers and educators lead. HVO volunteers teach alongside them.
Partner with rehabilitation departments
HVO works with hospitals, universities, and rehabilitation departments that set their own education priorities.
Teach, mentor and co-develop curricula
Volunteers deliver continuing education, clinical instruction, and one-on-one mentoring, in person and online.
Build local teaching capacity
Courses are designed so local providers can carry the training forward to colleagues across their own health systems.
“
After HVO training, I started a center for children with disabilities in Kigali. Now, it has become a big center where more services will be offered to children. I really thank HVO for believing in me and supporting all my professional activities whenever I reached out for support.
Ines Musabyemariya, BPT
Partner — Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation Volunteer Opportunities
Find a project that fits your expertise.
Placement takes several months and often requires more than one approval. Review the projects below, then submit an application and CV to begin.
Click on a project below to view more details.
Belize
Belize City – The Inspiration Center
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
Belize
Belize City – The Inspiration Center
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
The goal of this project is to improve the knowledge and skills of the current cohort of physical therapists, medical providers, and medical students in Belize through the delivery of informal continuing education. Volunteers may be asked to provide didactic lectures, clinical instructions, and demonstration workshops in Belize or online. Areas of practice to emphasize include, but are not limited to: back and neck pain; stroke management; pain neuroscience and management/trauma-informed care; neurorehabilitation; prosthetics and orthotics; pelvic health; home health care; exercise and physical activity instruction.
Qualifications
Licensed (or retired) physical therapists with content expertise specific to the unit being taught. Volunteers should have experience teaching/training the content being presented.
Bhutan – Not currently recruiting
Thimphu – Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
1 month minimum
Bhutan – Not currently recruiting
Thimphu – Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
1 month minimum
This project focuses on continuing education and clinical mentoring for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapy technicians in Bhutan. The location is at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) in the capital city of Thimphu. Volunteers may be teaching organized continuing education workshops for rehabilitation staff from around the country, and/or providing smaller training courses and one-on-one clinical mentoring at the JDWNRH.
Qualifications
As of October 2025, the Bhutan Department of Immigration will not issue work permits to those over the age of 65. Because of this, no individuals over the age of 65 will be permitted to volunteer with HVO’s projects in Bhutan. This contradicts previous guidance that HVO received in July 2025, when our partners had offered to obtain exemptions to the age limit policy. We wish there was more that we can do for volunteers affected by this policy, but unfortunately this is out of our hands and that of our partners in Bhutan.
Volunteers must be licensed Physical Therapists or Occupational Therapists with at least 5 years of experience. Volunteers must be comfortable with teaching, and have teaching experience.
It is important to be flexible, patient, diplomatic, and enthusiastic. Previous work in a rural setting or experience working in a resource-challenged country is helpful. Volunteers may be in active practice or retired. Volunteers should be in good physical condition; a considerable amount of walking at high altitudes is required.
Companions Allowed
Bhutan’s immigration regulations do not allow volunteers who are staying less than 90 days to bring family members. For longer stays, volunteers may bring a spouse. Not suitable for minors.
Housing
Housing is available on a first-come, first served basis. Let HVO staff know that you’re interested in housing so that necessary arrangements can be made.
Georgia
Tbilisi – McLain Association for Children, Georgia
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
Georgia
Tbilisi – McLain Association for Children, Georgia
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
This project aims to foster collaboration among interdisciplinary team members in rehabilitation (speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, physicians, and nurses) as well as to update their knowledge and skills in treating adult and pediatric patients with neurological problems. The project also seeks to contribute to the professionalization of rehabilitation in Georgia. For now, volunteers will deliver the education and training online, with in-person visits possible in the future. Some examples of volunteers’ activities include sharing assessment and treatment techniques, building their Georgian colleagues’ clinical reasoning skills, and discussing how to find, analyze, and apply evidence-based practice.
Qualifications
Volunteers must have a license to practice and experience teaching and/or mentoring. Volunteers may be retired or in active practice. Those with expertise in the following topics are especially needed: neurologic conditions, orthopedic, and spinal cord injury.
Ghana
Kumasi – Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
Ghana
Kumasi – Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
Volunteers will work with physiotherapists, hand surgeons, residents and fellows to train on current standards of rehabilitation. Training will be a combination of didactic and clinical instruction methods in the clinic.
Qualifications
Volunteers must hold a current license to practice physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology, and have a minimum of three to five years of experience. Volunteers for this project may be retired or in active practice with prior teaching/training experience preferred. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Companions Allowed
Adults only, no minors.
Housing
Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Haiti
Léogâne – Episcopal University of Haiti
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
Haiti
Léogâne – Episcopal University of Haiti
Format
Virtual only
Length
Variable
HVO volunteers work to enhance the capacity of the Department of the Sciences of Rehabilitation of Leogane (FSRL) to educate and train physical therapists and occupational therapists. Volunteers might serve as instructors for courses for the bachelors’ PT and OT programs, mentors for FSRL staff through co-teaching, and providers of faculty development opportunities.
Qualifications
Volunteer faculty will include licensed physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language therapists, or other related content or clinical specialists – with specific expertise – and a minimum of three to 5 years clinical and/ or teaching experience. Experience in similar settings will be crucial, as well as a willingness to collaborate with local experts and faculty-in-training. French fluency is desirable but not necessary.
India
Vellore – Christian Medical College (CMC)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
India
Vellore – Christian Medical College (CMC)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
Volunteers provide continuing education for physiotherapy staff, students, and faculty through classroom instruction and clinical training. Volunteers work to improve the quality of physical therapy services to patients in the CMC system through updating and broadening therapists’ knowledge of physical therapy theory and procedure. Typical treatment in the PT department on average lasts 20 minutes, totaling 1000 treatments for 500 patients per day. Aside from the PT Outpatient Dept, the PTs also provide treatment in the orthopaedic, neuro, surgical ICU, medical ICU, cardio thoracic, and pediatric departments. This site is open to volunteer teams of two.
Qualifications
Volunteers for this project may be retired or in active practice. Most areas of expertise are accepted, but the volunteer must have at least two years of clinical experience. Prior teaching experience in continuing education, clinical, or academic environment required. Volunteers should hold a current license to practice physical therapy in the US or Canada. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Companions Allowed
Adults only, no minors.
Housing
Housing may be available for volunteers upon request.
Malawi
Blantyre – Malawi College of Medicine Program in Physiotherapy
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
4 weeks minimum; variable for virtual
Malawi
Blantyre – Malawi College of Medicine Program in Physiotherapy
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
4 weeks minimum; variable for virtual
Volunteers help to broaden professional development opportunities for physical therapy faculty at the College of Medicine Programme in Physiotherapy (COMPT) to improve teaching, clinical reasoning and/or clinical practice. Clinical mentorship of COMPT faculty can be part of this role. Volunteers also augment the physical therapy education for undergraduate students enrolled in the BSc Hons Program in Physiotherapy.
Qualifications
Volunteers must hold a current license to practice physical therapy and have a minimum of three to five years of experience. Volunteers for this project may be retired or in active practice with prior teaching/training experience preferred. Volunteers experienced in curriculum development and strategic planning are needed and encouraged to volunteer over academic breaks. Assignments must be a minimum of four weeks.
Companions Allowed
Adults only, no minors.
Housing
Housing is provided.
Rwanda
Kigali – University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences (UR-CMHS)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks minimum in-person; variable for virtual
Rwanda
Kigali – University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences (UR-CMHS)
Format
Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length
2-4 weeks minimum in-person; variable for virtual
HVO is partnering with UR-CMHS to support physical therapy and occupational therapy education, practice and research through in-person and or e-learning methods. HVO will recruit two to three qualified therapists per year to deliver continuing professional development courses to practicing physical therapy clinicians in Rwanda. The courses will also aim to impart principles of teaching and training so that clinicians who complete the courses can share newly learned concepts with their colleagues in the field.
Qualifications
Current license to practice (active or retired); minimum of 2 years clinical experience; prior teaching experience preferred. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Companions Allowed
Adults and minors.
Housing
Housing is provided.
Vietnam
Da Nang – Da Nang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital
Format
In-person only
Length
2-4 weeks
Vietnam
Da Nang – Da Nang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital
Format
In-person only
Length
2-4 weeks
Volunteers provide clinical education to physical therapists and physical therapy students in various areas to increase the physical therapy staff’s ability to teach and problem solve. The hospital provides in-patient and out-patient care for children and adults.
Qualifications
Volunteers must be fully licensed physical therapists certified to practice in the US or Canada, with a minimum of three to five years of experience. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Companions Allowed
Adults only, no minors.
Housing
Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Vietnam
Da Nang – Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP)
Format
In-person only
Length
2-4 weeks
Vietnam
Da Nang – Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP)
Format
In-person only
Length
2-4 weeks
HVO volunteers will work with local faculty and staff to enhance the DUMTP’s new bachelor’s degree program in physical therapy. Volunteers will work with students, staff and faculty to advance their knowledge and skills, including the development and implementation of care plans to meet individual patient needs through critical evaluation and analysis. Volunteers will also work with DUMTP faculty, staff and students to implement evidence-based research and strategies into their practice. Volunteer activities may include lectures, clinical training, didactic instruction, curriculum development, mentoring, workshops and research advising.
Qualifications
Volunteers must be licensed physical therapists with at least 5 years of experience. At least two years of teaching experience is mandatory. The volunteer should be comfortable speaking and lecturing to university students. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Companions Allowed
Companions not allowed.
Housing
Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Your expertise can travel further.
Join a global community of health professionals strengthening rehabilitation care through education and partnership.
Questions first?