Toucan Abroad

Toucan Abroad exceeded my expectations in so many ways! I gained so much hands on experience in the clinics as well as created many connections for my future as a physical therapist! Outside of shadowing, I loved every excursion, adventure, and hang out! I made so many great friends that I would have never connected with if I didn’t take the leap to study abroad. This was very outside of my comfort zone but through the entire experience I was only encouraged to continue to push myself and grow and supported the whole way through the program!

This experience is something I thought I would never be a part of. The program is the best thing that has happened to me in my academic history. The people I met and the clinics I shadowed were truly the best. The people are all so similar and we clicked quicker than I have with anyone else before in my life. When going to clinics, I was expecting to be sitting around doing nothing and just watching the therapists. That was the complete opposite, we were hands on and learning. I learned more on this trip than I have before.

The friendships I made on this trip are ones I’ll treasure for years to come. This is the most adventurous I’ve ever seen myself be in many aspects. The excursions we went on were thrilling and had me smiling and laughing the whole time. Beyond this, I got amazing professional experience in the clinics. The physical therapists we got to work with were knowledgeable and so excited to share their knowledge and culture with us. I got hands on experience and learned more than I ever could in a traditional study abroad. If you’re unsure about applying for this program, do it!

It really was a great 3 weeks! I got to learn alot from the different physical therapists while also exploring what Puerto Vallarta has to offer. I also got to do all of this with a great group of people! Philip Wykowski and Fernando Muñoz did a great job of making this the best experience for each and every one of us! The Physical Therapist are very helpful and you would be able to gain a lot of insight into what Physical Therapy comprises of. This program gives you a chance to step out of your comfort zone which is important in pursing Physical Therapy. Highly recommend!

As someone who never had the opportunity to study abroad as an undergraduate, I decided to apply to Toucan Abroad to begin my Physical Therapy Shadowing journey. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I found it immensely difficult to volunteer in Los Angeles-based clinics because of the initial lack of vaccine resources. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to run into this Physical Therapy shadowing program online, where I was able to volunteer in three different clinics in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I gained confidence in the field, built my professional network, and met some of the most caring human beings that visited the clinics. I gained experience in Neurology, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Sports Injuries, and Wellness Prevention.

Apart from work, we were in Mexico! The food was delicious, the nightlife was great, and the excursions were unforgettable! Phil and Fernando did such a fantastic job organizing this internship-- without them, this entire program would not be possible.

I look forward to reconnecting with them soon and any alumni that happen to be in the Los Angeles area.