Physical Therapy Shadowing in Costa Rica

This has been one of the coolest experiences of my life. I learned so much in the clinics and all of the physical therapist are amazing. During this trip I got to learn PT techniques that I have never seen before and get a lot of hands on practice. Everyday is a new adventure from zip lining, hiking to volcanoes and waterfalls, going to different beaches, and making great friendships. The toucan team and staff are so nice, fun, and make you feel safe and comfortable the whole time. This trip will push you out of your comfort zone in the best way possible and I’ve made memories that I will hold on to forever. Don’t hesitate. It’s a once in a life time opportunity!

This program was an experience I will never forget. I made amazing friends, ate amazing food, learned so much about Physical Therapy, and got to do fun activities. It not only pushed me more to re learn Spanish but pushed myself to keep focusing on me and my schooling. I never thought I would experience something like this and I’m so glad I did. I will truly never forget the two weeks I spent in Costa Rica. The physical therapists were so helpful and so were our instructors! I’m going to miss it all!

The two weeks that I spent in Costa Rica with Toucan Abroad were absolutely life changing. Not only did I learn a plethora of knowledge from licensed physical therapists from several of the surrounding clinics, but I also was able to grow immensely as a person. Experiencing the vibrancy and unknown of a new culture allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone, see life from a different perspective, and grow more compassionate towards others. I am incredibly grateful for the lifelong friendships I was able to make with other students in the program and all of the breathtaking adventures we had the opportunity to experience together. Hiking Volcán Turrialba was one of my favorite excursions that I had the opportunity to go on! This program does a wonderful job at making everyone feel like family. I look forward to carrying all of the knowledge and experiences with me as I pursue a career in physical therapy!

While in Costa Rica we learned how to do dry needling, electro therapy, ultrasound, different massage and kinesiotape techniques, shock wave therapy, passive gymnastics, cupping, and so much more. I have met so many amazing people from all over the country and have learned so many lessons from them. Costa Rica taught me to have patience in myself and the world around me. They live such a simple life there and just take one day at a time which I think we all can learn from. This trip has made me even more passionate about physical therapy because I can see how much it can help a person. I can be the one to help their legs move to take them places around the world that I am lucky enough to experience. The world is so beautiful not to be experienced.

I loved my experience in Costa Rica with toucan abroad. I had the best time of my life and also learned a lot. It was a great mix of fun and learning. I definitely recommend it. I spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica and I got to observe 2 different physical therapist. I got to do a lot of hands on stuff like cupping, dry needling, and a ton of different type of therapies. I also enjoyed the weekend trip to the beach. It was super nice and an overall great time. I never once was bored throughout the whole trip because we were always doing something.

I highly recommend toucan abroad for anyone wanting to get observational hours for physical therapy! I learned so many useful techniques that I can now apply to my life back at home. I got to do a lot of hands on learning that one might not get the opportunity to back in the states due to all the regulations and guidelines. While studying was my main focus, I also had one of the most fun 2 weeks of my life! So many excursions and adventures made the 2 weeks fly by. The relationships you build with the physical therapists and other participants is also a huge perk to this trip. If you are questioning taking a trip with toucan I highly suggest you do it!

Toucan Abroad was such an amazing experience! When I first saw the ad on facebook I thought it was too good to be true, but it was even better than I expected. I went on the trip to Cartago, Costa Rica and I learned so much about physical therapy and the country itself. The directors make sure to plan out your 3 weeks with lots of fun activities and weekend trips. They take care of so much for you and are the best people!! Phil and Fern make sure everyone is having a good time whether that’s getting dinner and drinks or playing board games on a rainy day. If you’re thinking about applying and are the fence, trust me you aren’t alone, everyone in my group pretty much felt the same way but we all came out of this experience with new friendships and memories that we’ll never forget. Take the risk and go on a Toucan Abroad trip I promise you won’t regret it!

This trip lingered in my thoughts for years prior to me signing up and joining. As I began my gap year between undergraduate and graduate school, I saw the perfect opportunity to join Toucan Abroad and open my mind. With all the nerves that come with traveling alone to a foreign country, obviously there was a little bit of hesitation when signing up. My piece of advice would be to take the jump! I met some of the greatest people on this trip and experienced life in ways I will never be able to vocalize. There is a fantastic balance between learning hands on techniques in the clinics and immersing yourself in foreign culture like never before. I am forever grateful for the people I was lucky enough to meet on this trip, and will never forget my first experiences with manual techniques while abroad! Not only did I grow as a physical therapy student while on this adventure, I grew so much as a person. I could not recommend this trip enough. Take the jump!