How to do an internship abroad? Physiotherapists in Portugal

Together with a classmate, they decided to take advantage of the last opportunity of their student life – to experience a foreign work environment and gain experience that would move them towards professional certainty in their future profession as physiotherapists.

“We traveled after our master’s degrees to gain even more experience in our next job before we start working somewhere at TPP,” explains Laura. At the same time, she adds that they wanted to compare the methodologies and procedures of physiotherapy in Slovakia and in another European country – also because at that time they were not yet sure whether they would stay and work at home after school or travel.

New professional experience and real work with patients

The internship brought them something that cannot be completely replaced in school conditions: direct contact with patients and immediate involvement in real practice. “We were immediately involved in communication and patient care,” says Laura.

They worked with a variety of patients at the rehabilitation center and had to combine their own knowledge from school with their language skills to understand both professional instructions and the patients' needs. "The internship gave us new perspectives and experiences that we tried out firsthand. Everything we learned was reinforced there," he adds.

A workplace she recommends to other students

A foreign internship is not only about the professional side. For Laura, the personal side was just as important. Spending two months in a new environment, far from home, was not only a challenge, but also a huge shift.

“We had to arrange everything in an unfamiliar environment. We set our values ​​and sorted out the priorities we had until now,” she describes. According to her, no theory can replace such experiences, until practice abroad shows a person what they can handle.

Laura would recommend the clinic where they worked to all physiotherapy students who want to:

• work with a wide range of patients,
• use electrotherapy, thermotherapy or negative or positive kinesiotherapy,
• try out modern therapeutic procedures in practice.

She says that the work team surprised them with their openness and professionalism – so much so that after two months they didn’t want to leave.

The most beautiful experiences? People, the sea and compliments from patients

For Laura, the best moments of the internship were mainly the reactions of the patients. “The best experience was the compliments from the patients, who really liked us, even though we didn’t always speak the same language.”

However, an integral part of the Portuguese stay was also the environment. “Swimming in the sea during September and October and lots of sunny days – that was a bonus that we thoroughly enjoyed.”

They were also surprised by little things that they might not have expected in Slovakia – patients brought them gifts, wrote positive messages and a very pleasant atmosphere was created between them.

She concludes her impressions of the internship by saying that it was a “lifechanging experience” that she recommends to everyone, because in addition to other cultures, you also get to know yourself better.