Program Reviews

This program takes students from all over the US and brings them together. I have made 20 new friends from far and wide across the US that I have no doubt I will keep in touch with. Being immersed in a different culture and language while also learning how your profession works in a different part of the world is something you can’t find anywhere else. Mini weekly excursions and long weekend getaways are the best way to get to know your new friends along with learning a new language by immersing yourself in the clinics with physical therapists! You will come out of this program with a ton of new friends, new experiences, and 60+ shadowing hours to put towards your DPT school applications!! The work hard play hard mentality is what will get you through this program and it will change your life completely! We went from a group of 21 complete strangers to a family in a matter of 3 weeks and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

My Toucan Abroad experience in Costa Rica was the most amazing trip I have ever been on. The entire group of students on the trip got along amazing, and we were all so close by the end of the 3 weeks. My experience in the clinics was exceptional. Not all the therapists I worked with spoke English, but even if they did not, they used translator apps or other ways to communicate. Each therapist I worked with was a genuinely kind human and taught me so much! I was able to get much more hands on experience during these 3 weeks than I ever have in the states. The clinics are all very easy to find and travel to! Along with the shadowing, we had lots of free time to plan mini excisions and get away for long weekends. Some things I did during the week was visit hot springs, go zip lining, hiking, exploring a waterfall, playing board games in the hotel, and so much more. During the weekends we traveled to the coasts and were able to hit the beach, go on a catamaran, hike, hang out with the group at air bnb/hotel, go out for food and enjoy some drinks, plus so much more! The directors of Toucan Abroad, Phil and Fernando, are two of the most amazing people I have ever met. They helped us plan all of our mini excursions, as well as our large weekend trips. They were both willing to help out in any way possible with no questions asked. They truly created the best experience possible for each and every one of the students of the trip! I recommend this trip to anyone who wants an Abroad experience!

Studying abroad with ToucanAbroad was one of the most impactful things for my career, networking, and relationships. Experiencing different PT techniques than generally accustomed to helps broaden the perspective of the limitless possibilities of this career. Aside from using skills and knowledge, this study program helps create new and lasting friendships as well as expanding horizons for travel. Overall, ToucanAbroad has helped push me out of my comfort zone to try new things & meet new people.

Let me start off by saying, this was truthfully the best experience ever. I have gained so much knowledge from the therapists that I have shadowed with, I gained a greater perspective of lens of the world by being here for the ample amount of time. In addition, I gained a family from the session! The directors of the program were the cherry on top and definitely made the experience even more cherishing. Studying abroad not only has given me a new appreciation of other cultures, but it has taken me out my comfort zone in so many great ways. If you are questioning to study abroad, or are scared too, JUST DO IT!!! you won’t regret a thing, and you will gain so much more than you know! <3

Hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my life. To begin, anyone who may be skeptical or hesitant to participate in this program, rest assured it is legit. At first glance this program may seem too good to be true, especially since there are not many Physical Therapy study abroad programs, but it is real and so worth taking a chance on! Toucan abroad provided an exciting and safe environment that allowed its students to truly immerse themselves in Costa Rica’s rich culture. Phil and Fernando were super fun and helpful! They were always willing to suggest fun things to do or great places to eat. The therapists were amazing as well! They were super eager to teach us their techniques and answer any of our questions. There was also no need to worry about the language barrier, as the therapists were excited to be able to practice their English, and they would also use google translated if needed. Overall the three weeks I experienced in Costa Rica with Toucan Abroad was better than I would have ever imagined! ¡Pura Vida!

This was one of the best experiences of my life. I throughly enjoyed my time in Mexico. Shadowing the physical therapist, going on multiple excursions and adventures with our group was amazing. The food was good and the locals were amazing. The people that I meet while on this trip were amazing and I consider them to be like family. If you’re looking for an opportunity to get out of the country to boost your physical therapy application this is a good program to be apart of. This is a good program.

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!