Physiotherapy Elective Students can gain experience working in Ghanaian hospitals with OGVO. By shadowing physiotherapy staff, you will learn how treatment is carried out in these facilities. You will be exposed to a wide variety of conditions and treatments which may differ from what you are used to. Certain cases may be at times very challenging to experience, but you will find it hugely rewarding.
You must be a student studying physiotherapy to do an Elective placement. When you first arrive at the hospital you will discuss your work schedule with the OGVO coordinator and the placement supervisor who will be a member of the hospital staff. You will shadow one of our supervisors who all speak English and are experienced at working with Western countries Physiotherapy students. They will be ready to test out your knowledge and give you the benefit of their training and experience.
Electives for Physiotherapy Students in Ghana
Physiotherapy Elective students work in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is one of the more modern hospitals in Ghana, with a wide range of departments and a large amount of new equipment. It will, of course, still be quite different to what you may be used to in Western countries.
A typical day on this project
A typical day will start off by
having breakfast with your host family. You will then use public transport to
get to your placement, using either tro-tro or shared taxi. You will be shown
how to do this during your orientation with OGVO staff.
Your work days
will run from 8am to 2pm, and you’ll have morning and afternoon sessions.
During these sessions, you’ll sit on consultations with patients who’ve been
referred for physiotherapy treatment. You’ll also observe physiotherapists
doing exercise therapy, electrotherapy, and posture management. You’ll see
patients with various conditions, from post-medical complications to
musculoskeletal conditions.
Your level of
involvement is dependent on your level of experience and studies.
In
the evenings and over weekends, you’ll be able to relax, explore Mole National
Park or Cape Coast & Elmina Castles and Kakum National Park, and spend time
with your host family.
Physiotherapy Student Electives in Ghana are available for shorter periods than 4 weeks. While you will be able to gain valuable medical experience on a short-term trip, we recommend staying for a longer period to allow yourself more time to get to know the local medical system, see more of a variety of conditions and procedures, and develop stronger relationships with local medical staff.
Can I use this program as part of a college or university placement?
It is certainly possible to use one of OGVO’s programs as part of your university or college placement. Project staff can sign off any paperwork required by your course tutors. OGVO regularly receives medical, psychology and nursing placement students at our projects across Ghana and we have ties with some of the leading universities.
If you’re a course tutor and would like further information about how one of OGVO’s programs could meet the placement requirements for your degree course then please contact us directly.
Location
Ghana is a peaceful and welcoming country; Ghana satisfies one's appetite for both modern and traditional life. Its wide valleys, low-lying coastal plains, and thick rainforests resound with the beat of traditional rituals, while her cities glow and vibrate with all the bustle of the modern world. The Ghanaians are the friendliest people in West Africa: warm, proud yet humble with a contagious and calming sense of funniness.
Ghana is hot. It is always hot. What’s more, it's always humid. Humidity usually lingers between 95 and 100 percent. The rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-November - sometimes. The rain provides a little respite from the intense heat, but temperatures will still be in the mid-80s Fahrenheit. The south of the country experiences the heaviest rainfall during September.
