“Teaching has been my primary job for most of the past 25 years. I was concerned before going that it would be difficult to establish rapport with the students because of communication barriers. This did not prove to be true – the common language of physical therapy as well as having the welfare of our patients as a priority, erased any language difficulties.“
-HVO Rehabilitation Volunteer
READY TO VOLUNTEER?
There are multiple steps to the placement process and often more than one approval is required. The process varies slightly from country-to-country and project-to-project. We strive to make this process as quick as possible but potential volunteers should be aware that final approval can take several months.
- To begin the placement process, complete the volunteer application and submit your CV.
Note: For therapists specializing in wound care, we have additional opportunities.
ACTIVE PROJECTS
Belize City, Belize – The Inspiration Center
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: 1-2 weeks (in-person); variable (online)
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.
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; assistance and information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions allowed: Adults and minors.
Thimphu, Bhutan—Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH)
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: One month minimum
Qualifications: 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.
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.
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.
Tbilisi, Georgia – McLain Association for Children, Georgia
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.
Project type: Online (Virtual only)
Length of assignment: Variable
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.
Kumasi, Ghana – Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH)
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: 2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
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.
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Adults only, no minors.
Guatemala City, Guatemala – Innovaciones Medicas
HVO is partnered with a Guatemalan company, Innovaciones Médicas,to provide continuing education to physical therapists, physical therapy students, and physical therapy educators. HVO volunteers travel as a group to provide workshops to be held in Guatemala City, Antigua, Santiago Atitlan, and/or Quetzaltenango.
Project type: In-person
Length of Assignment: 1-2 weeks
Qualifications: Volunteers should have at least 4 years of experience with a current license and experience in teaching (academic or clinical). When possible/ appropriate novice volunteers may be paired with more senior volunteers. Fluency in Spanish is strongly recommended, although translators may be available.
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Adults only, no minors.
Léogâne, Haiti – Episcopal University of Haiti
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.
Project type: Online (Virtual only)
Length of assignment: Variable
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.
Vellore, India – Christian Medical College (CMC)
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: 2-4 weeks in-person; variable for virtual
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.
Housing: Housing may be available for volunteers upon request.
Companions: Adults only, no minors.
Blantyre, Malawi – Malawi College of Medicine Program in Physiotherapy
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: 4 weeks minimum; variable for virtual
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.
Housing: Housing is provided.
Companions: Adults only, no minors.
Kigali, Rwanda – University of Rwanda College of Medicine and Health Sciences (UR-CMHS)
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.
Project type: Hybrid (in-person and virtual)
Length of assignment: 2-4 weeks minimum in-person; variable for virtual
Qualifications: Current license to practice (active or retired); minimum of 2 years clinical experience; prior teaching experience preferred. No opportunities for those-in-training.
Housing: Housing is provided.
Companions allowed: Adults and minors.
Da Nang, Vietnam – Da Nang Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Hospital
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.
Project type: In-person only
Length of assignment: 2-4 weeks
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.
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions: Adults only, no minors.
Da Nang, Vietnam – Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP)
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.
Project type: In-person only
Length of assignment: 2-4 weeks
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.
Housing: Volunteer responsible for housing; information on nearby facilities provided.
Companions not allowed.