Physical Therapy in Nepal with Projects Abroad

  Nepal

• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: All Year Round (you set the start and end dates)

Description: Come participate in a physical therapy placement in Nepal!

There is a real shortage of physical therapy skills in Nepal, so we provide volunteers of all abilities to help local doctors and physical therapists. Initially, you'll shadow local staff though as you become more confident and comfortable you will take more of a hands-on role. You will find that the experience you can get will really help you get an idea of how a busy physical therapy department works. If you are a trained physical therapist, you will find yourself busy and in demand from your first day.

You might work in the Hospital and Rehabilitation Center for Disabled Children (HRDC), which is based on a hilltop by a quaint village on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The only hospital of its kind in Nepal, HRDC takes in children from all over the country. Many have been born with polio or had accidents that haven't been treated correctly - all have physical disabilities. You'll come across neglected orthopedic conditions, TB, polio, post-burn contractures and cerebral palsy. Volunteers work with inpatients and with outpatients who attend a couple of times in the week, sometimes traveling many hours for a visit to this important center.

We also work with the Royal Nepal Orthopaedic Hospital. This was set up to provide medical care in the field of trauma, orthopedics and rehabilitation, to Nepalese people who cannot receive these services through the standard government-run hospitals because of overcrowding.

This program will be a great boost to your resume and give you an opportunity to help out in short-staffed Nepalese institutions.

This placement is also offered as a two-week summer special for high school students between the ages of 16 and 19.

Highlights: For your accommodation, you'll live with a Nepalese host-family, which is great environment for learning about a new way of life. All the families involved are extremely supportive of the projects carried out by Projects Abroad and are eager to experience an inter-cultural exchange and learn about the lives of volunteers.

Projects Abroad has opened here to give volunteers a truly unforgettable experience. Our office is in the bustling capital city of Kathmandu where jostling crowds, rickety bullock carts and noisy auto-rickshaws all contribute to the noise, character and constant energy of its traditionally narrow streets.

This program offers you the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications: no qualifications or experience required

Cost in US$: From US$1,795 up

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 17-70

This Program is open to Couples and Individuals

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992