Medical Internships

The city tour was a great experience, I feel that the visit to Hoa Lo Prison was among the most memorable experiences I have had so far in Vietnam. I don’t think that anything should necessarily be improved about the city tour, but I do think that it could be expanded to be more of a “tour series” in future years. A city as big as Hanoi has a number of attractions to visit – certainly too many to see in one day. It could be that the program chooses three different Saturdays all to devote to city exploration with the group, thus allowing even more guided contact with Hanoi’s hotspots. As for the local buddies and the on-site staff, I have genuinely loved getting to meet all of you! You all bring such different energies and personalities to the table, and I have loved the opportunity to spend time with everyone (I believe that I have hung out with all of the local buddies individually outside of group activities at least once, if not more) and get to know everyone better. The local buddies have certainly been like friends to me from day 1, and that isn’t something to take for granted. I really appreciate you all and think that you are all wonderful people.

The accommodation is wonderful. If it was any better I would be spoiled. Most dorms at Princeton don’t have an in-room bathroom or AC unit, so this is truly like a luxury hotel.

I think the program has been handled extremely professionally and has facilitated far more wonderful experiences for me (and hopefully the other students as well!) than I would ever have been able to have on my own. I think the best thing about the program is that, for the most part, it is whatever a student makes of it. Rarely are we ever being forced/herded into mandatory group activities, but there is always a group around if you want one. So you have the freedom to choose between exploring alone and sharing company.

Interning at 1A Hospital has been an incredible life-changing experience. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and the impact that it has made on not only my future career but my personal life as well. This internship has prepared me with great knowledge and increased passion for my pursuit of a Doctor of Physical Therapy in the U.S.
My daily tasks alter from week to week depending on which department I work in. I have worked with both physiotherapists and medical doctors allowing me to enhance my comprehension of multiple medical conditions. My daily interaction with the doctors allows me to ask a plethora of questions which helps me understand the complexities of the injuries or diseases patients may be dealing with. I have observed medical conditions and injuries ranging from patients that have ACL tears or sprains to children patients with Cerebral Palsy. I have also observed patients that have been affected by strokes, scoliosis, tuberculosis, and countless orthopedic injuries.
I was able to view a plethora of diagnostic imaging tests consisting of X-rays and MRIs. I have assisted directly with the patient’s care by utilizing therapy techniques such as joint mobilizations, stretching, passive range of motion, assisted walking, and strengthening therapeutic exercises. I was also able to assist with Traditional Medicine interventions by removing acupuncture needles after the treatment was completed. Overall, my time as a physiotherapist intern is truly unique and remarkable.

There are a few words that could describe my time here this summer. The time I have spent here has been priceless and life-changing, even more than I thought it could be. I learned so much from my nursing internship in Vietnam that will help me very much in the future. However, the life experience I’ve learned, through adapting to another culture, traveling alone to beautiful places, and having a sense of home here is something I’ll never forget. The people here have touched my heart, and I’ll have these memories forever. This country, these places, and the people are beautiful, and I am so happy I came here. It’s inspired me to always follow my dreams, no matter how big they are, and that I can do anything.

Prior to arriving in Vietnam, I had never had a so-called “life-changing” experience. There is no guidebook on how to achieve one, nor was I able to grasp such a concept, moments so strong as to change the path for your life. That is until I went to Vietnam. There is so much more than meets the eye in the beautiful country of Vietnam. A tourist or temporary visitor may only be granted with picturesque views of rice fields and the women in their hats, the mountains of the north, or a steaming bowl of Pho placed on their plastic red table. And while these experiences are all incredible in their own right, there is so much more to discover, whether it be the story of the people under the hats, the sellers on the streets, or the history of the land that you have the opportunity to travel.

ABROADER Vietnam granted me the opportunity to uncover such stories and an internship with memories that have left me longing to go back since the moment I returned home. Vietnam has become my second home. Granted, I had gotten the opportunity to travel and become accustomed to Vietnam for about four months prior to starting the internship. My University had allowed me to study abroad during which time I adjusted to the food and language, learning about almost every aspect of Vietnam culture. But this was only a preview of what was to come. My time with the internship let me interact with the people, practice my Vietnamese, take trips with my coworkers, and uncover passions for things I didn’t know existed. While I couldn’t see it at the moment, the internship boosted my confidence and improved my relationship with failure. It also made me more open with myself and those that I met. I wished my internship could go longer, and perhaps I will find a job in Vietnam one day, so for now all I can do is reminisce through reviews about the most life-changing time I had with my internship and with ABROADER.

My Internship here was an incredible time. It was educational, stuffed to the brim with wonderful experiences, new friendships and so much more. I am glad to have had ABROADER Vietnam supporting me with adjusting to the lifestyle here, and have already recommended it to colleagues from home. I was impressed by how fast they were to help, and how far they went to help me fix things if problems occurred. The only problem I ran into was during my internship, you can imagine the number of people with adequate English was limited, especially those that were able to give me clear instructions on what to do. As a result, a measurable amount of time was spent observing and helping out with small-scale procedures within the departments. This was not the case in all eight of them, so at times I was able to work just like back home, providing valuable assistance to the Nurses in the department who work as an integral part of the team. I believe the internship provided the patients and the Nurses with valuable experience. Besides the occasional English lesson for the nurses, being the caregiver to children should expand their cultural horizons. The individuals I worked with, on the other hand, provided me with as much attention and chances to learn as possible. In the future, expanding their English knowledge can only improve relations with students. All in all, I am certain that anyone who will be working with them for an internship will see how hardworking they are in making the experience here in Vietnam as flawless as possible.

Everyone from the program coordinator to my local buddy was extremely supportive! The experience would not have been as great as it has been if I was by myself. I felt very satisfied with the service ABROADER Vietnam provided for my Nursing Internship in Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh Hospital of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. I was clear about the rules and expectations required of me during my placement. My supervisors instructed me and helped me with language translation and clarifications of responsibilities. With their help, I felt I was well-equipped for the job I was assigned. I brought my equipment from home to the workplace and it provided great assistance for my work. During the internship in Vietnam, I was glad I was able to learn technical skills from the nurses from the hospital. They have all been very supportive, friendly, patient, and open to my help. They trained me with techniques quite different from how it is occasionally done back home. I will definitely recommend this program to my colleagues!

About Work

The most enjoyable part is being able to be hands-on with the patients because for me it is easier to learn and understand while doing the actions, and it makes me hold my attention better. 

In my first week, I was tasked with shadowing a different physical therapist (PT) each day in a different department. Each PT had a different expectation of me it seemed. For some, I followed and observed the day and was able to ask questions when I needed clarification on something. For others, I have been able to assist in the treatments of patients, such as providing stability and assisting in stretches. I believe I am clear on the goals and expectations of this internship. I think both are to experience the culture surrounding the healthcare the PTs provide, assist when needed, ask questions, and provide support to the patients and PTs. 

In the next few weeks, I will be working in the electrical therapy room, daycare room, swallowing unit, and speech therapy unit.  I feel good about the work I have been assigned. I’m excited to work in the electrical therapy room as well as the daycare. The electrical therapy room has a few machines I am familiar with so I am excited to use them and learn more about them. I am also looking forward to working in the daycare because my goal is to work in pediatrics and I think this will be a great experience and step towards that goal. I figured out I would love to become a Pediatric Nurse so I seek out for advice. Therefore, I get to work in the Daycare most of the time. 

I engage with my coworkers and supervisor every day. We eat lunch together, and hang out before lunch and after naptime, i have even been asked to help some of them with their English. 

Student’s sharings

I think I have adjusted to the climate, food, and local environment. It took me a while to get there but I feel good about all of those things right now. No health or safety concerns at this time either. 

I think communication between the site team and local buddies is good, and we all come together often to hang out which is nice.