Physiotherapy Internship in Ghana

Our physiotherapy internship gives you unparalleled back door access to working with some of Ghana's top clinical and elite sports therapy professionals. During your placement you will have the opportunity to work in a combination of community clinics and sports physiotherapy, putting your training into practice with guidence and support of fully qualified professionals.

Your time will be split approximately 60% clinical work in a friendly local community close to the capital Accra and 40% elite sports physio with some of Ghana's top footballers, working in association with the Ghana Football Association.

This is a great experience for students and graduates starting a career as a professional physiotherapist, and a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of the hurdles many physiotherapists and medical professionals have to overcome in developing countries.

Due to the nature of the internship you will need to be self-motivated, flexible and prepared for some long and sometimes frustrating days.

Clinical work

During your placement you are likely to encounter a wide variety of medical conditions and ailments. Many of the patients' conditions reflect the problems in Ghana; strokes due to hypertension, car accidents, and a high proportion of crush injuries to the hand and tendons from cutting and grinding machinery. A hand injury in Ghana usually means no compensation and no income, and only those that can afford the two pound fee per session have access to treatment. There is also a lot of facial palsy from otitis media, which is treated with electrical stimulation.

The clinic does have equipment, including a hydrotherapy pool, but it has a long way to go before the clinic can cope with the needs of the local community.

During your placement you may also have the opportunity to teach Ghanaian physiotherapy students and work with staff to share ideas and impart valuable knowledge from your 'western' training.

Ghana Football Association

During your placement you will work to treat some of the top players in the Ghanaian Premier League and lower divisions. This is a unique opportunity and one that will give you not only a wealth of experience of working with elite athletes, but will greatly boost your CV, and future job prospects. Depending on the time you are in Ghana you may even get the opportunity to go pitch side at football games to shadow and help full time Physiotherapists treat players, many of whom will go on to play club football in Europe. A truly once in a lifetime experience that will not be forgotten.

Whilst you will be working during the week, weekends are free to explore Ghana in more depth. If you are on a long-term placement, for three months or more, travelling trips can be arranged during your stay to give you a break from your placement.

Ghana has a vibrant and diverse culture with an exciting social scene to explore. Whilst we are aware that the placement is the foremost motivation for travelling to Ghana, we have also made provision for participants to relax and explore the fun and excitement Ghana has got to offer when it comes to enjoying their free time. In-country staff will organize regular social activities/events, these usually include weekends away to bring interns  together giving them an opportunity to get to know each other, share ideas, participate in sporting activities and enjoy night outs to bars and pubs in Accra. Interns can also join in the weekly social events such as the ever popular beach party in Accra or salsa dancing sessions, now including the new addition of learning the AZONTO dance - a communication dance craze that is currently sweeping the nation!

Here are some of the places activities Interns typically do during their time in Ghana

Accra

The capital city Accra is one of West Africa's most desirable destinations. The friendliness of the citizens is unparalleled making this city a perfect introduction to Africa. There are two main market places, each with a different speciality. The Kaneshie market on the west of the city sells mainly foods and spices and is a fantastic place to sample the local cuisine. On the other hand the central Makola Market is the place to head for souvenirs particularly beads, carvings or batik.

Also worth seeing is the Arts Centre, which is the home of the best craft market in the country and is also packed with street performers and other entertainers. Accra is also famous for its nightlife, it hosts numerous bars and drinking spots but its real highlight is the dance clubs which fuse western dance music with traditional African dancing and music. Accra also has several good beaches within easy reach; the most convenient is Coco beach, which is only a few miles from the city.

Kumasi: Ashanti and Central Region

The other key destination in Ghana is Kumasi. This city was once the capital of the Ashanti kingdom and is a definite cultural centre. The main draw is the National Cultural Centre which is an enormous complex chronicling every aspect of Ashanti civilisation. As well as the exhibits there is a library and an exhibition hall, which offer visitors the opportunity to take workshops in traditional Ashanti dance or drumming. In the Ashanti region there is Lake Bosomtwe, many centres for traditional cloths and weaving, the Manhyia Palace and many other historical and cultural areas of interest

Northern, Upper and Eastern Regions

Mole National Park is the largest of Ghana’s National Parks and situated in the heart of the Guinea savannah woodland ecosystem, it is home to 100 mammalian species, reptiles and amphibians and an estimated 300 birds species. The mammals include elephants, roam antelopes, hartebeests, waterbucks, buffalo and some warthogs. Uncounted lions, leopards, hyenas and various primates can also be seen in Mole. A total of 600km of game protection and viewing roads have been developed within the park.

A basic 33-bed, no frills hotel facility, which overlooks an elephant bath, offers overnight accommodation and restaurant facilities. Additionally, composite facilities are available for visitors. A landing strip for small aircraft provides the option of air access to Mole. The main town/city in the North is Tamale, and from here you can visit the oldest Mosque in West Africa and the Paga Crocodile pond, where Crocodiles are free to roam free within the local village.

Lake Volta: Western Region

Lake Volta is the largest reservoir in the world (being larger than Lake Nasser), lying in Ghana and covering almost 8,502 km² (3,275 square miles). Its northernmost point is at the town of Yapei, and southernmost at the Akosombo Dam, 520 kilometres downstream.

The lake was formed in 1965 when the Akosombo Dam was built. The dam produces electricity for much of the nation. It is also important for transportation, plied by both ferries and by cargo boats. In this region, there are many things to see such as Mount Afadjato – the highest mountain in West Africa, the tallest Waterfalls in West Africa, and the beautiful scenery around the lake, which you can explore by foot or even better, by local boat from Akosombo.

Gold Coast: Southern Region

The long stretch of coast west from Accra is known as the Gold Coast, made famous by its historical importance, having once been the dominant region in Africa for the exportation of Slaves. Dotted along the coastline are many forts to bear witness to this past, and many charming fishing villages, which are well worth a visit. Cape Coast is the major tourist destination to visit, with its impressive castle, which once housed thousands of slaves at any one time, where many died before even making it onto the boats.
From Cape Coast, it is also possible to take a day trip to Kakum National Park, made famous by its 30m Canopy walkway, high above the rainforest, allowing you a bird’s eye view over this beautiful reserve, if not rather a scary experience, suspended so high up on a rope bridge!!!
 

Step 1: Application

To apply for this internship we ask you to either call us or apply online. When you apply we will request information on your emergency contact details, passport number and your health background and other important information. At this stage a deposit payment of £199 is requested, this deposit is non-refundable, unless your application is declined by our team in Ghana.

Once your application has been recieved we will request the following details from you.

• A current CV /resume detailing your work and study history
• A cover letter outlining your key objectives you plan to achieve during your Internship
 

Please note: If your internship is part of your university course, and requires accreditation we also request a letter from your tutor supporting your application for an internship.

Step 2: Acceptance of your placement

Once our team in Ghana have reviewed your application, and accepted you onto the programme for your preferred dates we will contact you to confirm your application has been successful. We recommend you purchase insurance as soon as you secure your placement.

Step 3: Online account details

Once your placement has been secured, we will set up and send you details of your online account login which will take you to your personal Real Gap secure website. Here you can view details of your internship, along with info specific to your time in Ghana. This includes; what to expect during your time in Ghana, what to take with you, country and visa information and details such as insurance and where to get necessary vaccinations. Once you have your login details you can go ahead and book flights, to do this please contact your travel advisor who will give you a quote.

In the run up to your placement, our expert team will be here to answer any questions you may have and to fully prepare you for your time in Ghana.
 

When you first arrive into Ghana on a Saturday, our team will be there to welcome you at the airport, just watch out for a Real Gap sign when you first arrive. Many international flights arrive into Ghana in the evening, this is no problem and our team are happy to meet you at anytime of the day or night.

From the airport you will drive across the capital city Accra to our accommodation at Teshie-Accra which is about half an hour drive from the airport. Here you will have a chance to settle in and meet other Interns living in the house. The house is great fun, lively and very sociable; it is not uncommon for interns to arrive in the evening, only to be whisked off for a night out by others in the house, with a few sore heads the next day!

Orientation and induction
On your first day our staff will take you for a welcome orientation and tour of the city to help get your bearings.

We are based in the capital of Ghana- Accra, possibly the safest Capital city in Africa. The compound is at Teshie- east of Accra which is an area well known for its arts, bars and cafes, great beaches and bizarre coffin shops!

The orientation starts the day after you arrive and the next couple of days are spent visiting some of the tourist highlights in central Accra to settle in and acclimatize to the Ghanaian climate. These places include but not limited to the following;

• A visit to some of Ghana's most popular markets to try your hand at African drumming with the locals.
• Visit some of the bizarre coffin (yes, coffin) shops around Teshie, an eye opening experience!
• Stop in at some Ghanaian bars/pubs to meet and chat with the locals.
• Visit to Ghanaian beaches to relax, sunbathe, swim in the sea or the swimming pool

After the tour we hold a full induction talk which outlines details about your placements, a chance to meet the team, Ghana do's and don'ts, safety measures, locals, travel itinerary and much more. You will receive an induction pack and a folder to keep valuables in our safe during your stay.