Matthieu and Simon testify on their internship in Denmark during their third year
At CEERRF, the opportunity to undertake international internships is not only encouraged but also concretely supported. Through our commitment to the Erasmus+ program and our membership in the ENPHE (European Network of Physiotherapy in Higher Education), we offer our students the exceptional chance to explore physiotherapy in various contexts around the world.
These internships are not just enriching professional experiences, but also moments of intercultural learning and personal development, allowing our future physiotherapists to train in diverse environments while receiving the necessary logistical and financial support for a successful immersion.
Discover the testimony of Matthieu and Simon, third-year students who completed their internship in Denmark.
It all started with an idea: “We’ve already done an internship together camping in the south, so why not discover physiotherapy elsewhere while improving our English? Maybe in the far north?” From there, the International Office at our school, Mrs. Le Gall and Mr. Castillo, proposed an internship in Esbjerg, the 5th largest city in Denmark, over 1200 km from Paris. We couldn’t have been further from Marseille, the sun, and the cicadas of our first internship for this second experience of the year.
So, we set off for a four-week internship at a rehabilitation center, housed in a university residence in Esbjerg thanks to the University of Southern Denmark. We had considered renting independent accommodation, but ultimately, spending four weeks surrounded by a multitude of students from different backgrounds and courses turned out to be the best decision.
Our physiotherapy internship was an enriching experience both professionally and personally. It was a true Erasmus experience, full of discoveries, exchanges, learning, and sharing.
We discovered a new healthcare system and a culture quite different from what we know in France. In a particularly calm environment, far from the stress, noise, and hectic life of Paris, living and working there was a unique experience. These particular conditions allowed us to rethink certain aspects of our role as physiotherapists. We were also occasionally faced with the language barrier, which reminded us of the importance of communication in the therapeutic alliance.
On a personal level, we also learned a lot, largely thanks to our interactions with other students. Living in a university residence greatly helped us to communicate daily in English, Italian, and French. We spent entire evenings cooking with other international students, sharing recipes and travel experiences, and organizing parties and weekends to explore Denmark.
In conclusion, this internship was a unique, formative, and incredible experience in many ways. We can only recommend seizing this opportunity if you have the chance. Don’t hesitate to go and discover what is being done elsewhere: go for it !
Simon Desmazieres and Matthieu Favreau
Third-year Physiotherapy Students
