Is International Physical Therapy Continuing Education Worth It? Our Vietnam Course Recap with Dr. Clare Frank

International physical therapy continuing education sounds amazing on paper:  

travel, CEUs, world-class instructors, and a destination you may have always wanted to visit. But is it actually worth the time, cost, and long flight?    

our class photo in Da Nang, Vietnam.

After hosting our JetSet Rehab Education course in Da Nang, Vietnam with Dr. Clare Frank, our answer is simple: yes, when the course delivers clinically   and the travel experience adds something you cannot get from a standard weekend course at home.                                                       

This Vietnam course brought together physical therapists and rehab professionals for a hands-on learning experience focused on kinetic chain  relationships in thoraco-scapulo-humeral dysfunction. The setting was unforgettable, but the real value came from the combination of clinical depth,small-group collaboration, cultural experience, and time spent learning directly from one of the most respected clinicians in physical therapy education.                                                                    

                                                                              Learning From Dr. Clare Frank in Vietnam                                

Dr. Clare Frank has a unique ability to connect movement concepts, hands-on clinical reasoning, and practical patient care. Throughout the course, she helped participants look beyond isolated shoulder mechanics and think more globally about the relationship between the thoracic spine, scapula, humerus, trunk, and full kinetic chain.                                                

The course included discussion and lab around:                                

• - Movement concepts in the thoracic spine, scapula, and humerus               

• - Key functional tests for the thoracic spine                                 

• - Functional assessment of the scapula and humerus                            

• - Intra-abdominal pressure and joint centration                               

• - Stability-mobility re-education                                             

• - Neuromuscular contact points for re-education                               

• - Facilitatory positions for the thoraco-scapulo-humeral complex              

• - Kinetic chain coordination training and exercise progressions               

One of the best parts of the weekend was watching clinicians from different practice settings apply the material in real time. Participants included physical therapists, PTAs, inpatient clinicians, outpatient clinicians, and providers with a range of clinical backgrounds. By the end of the course, everyone had a clear answer for how they could bring the concepts back to their own patients.  This is what makes a continuing education course valuable: not just new information, but skills and knowledge you can use Monday morning.                         

Students exploring Vietnam before class.

Instructor Clare Frank in Vietnam with Jetset Rehab Education

                                                                              Why International Physical Therapy CEUs Feel Different                        

A destination course is not just a course in a different location. When it is done well, the destination becomes part of the learning experience.  In Vietnam, we were based near Da Nang and Lang Co, surrounded by jungle, beach, mountains, local food, and a completely different rhythm of life. The setting created space for deeper conversations before class, during meals, and after the course day ended.                                                   

                                                                             That matters.                                                                 

When clinicians travel together, eat together, explore together, and learn together, the professional walls come down. Questions get more honest. Networking feels less transactional. Friendships happen naturally. You are not just sitting in a lecture hall collecting CEUs. You are building a clinical community.                                                                    

sightseeing after class

The “Stay After Class” Experience                                             

At JetSet Rehab Education, we believe con-ed can be more than sitting in a hotel conference room. The Vietnam course reminded us why we built this model in the first place. Outside of class, the group had the chance to experience Vietnamese food, coffee, culture, history, and local travel around Central Vietnam. From resort breakfasts to local restaurants, seafood near the water, Vietnamese coffee, and exploring the region, the trip gave participants a much richer experience than a standard weekend course.                                               

Clare calculating the cost of her meal, $1.14 for an amazing bowl of noodles.

The food was a major highlight. Vietnam has an incredible food culture, and being able to experience it locally gave everyone a deeper appreciation for the country. The same was true for the people, the history, and the pace of daily life. This is one of the underrated benefits of international continuing education:  it can make you a better clinician by making you a more curious, culturally aware person. When you treat patients from different backgrounds, understanding even a small part of where they come from can change the relationship. Travel does not replace clinical skill, but it can deepen empathy, communication, and connection.                                                                   

Hoi An, Vietnam. photo: Randal Glaser

Was the Long Flight Worth It?                                                 

For many U.S.-based clinicians, Vietnam is a long travel day. There is no way around that. But once you arrive, the experience can be hard to match. The combination of high-level instruction, luxury accommodations, local culture, affordable food, small-group learning, and professional networking made this course feel different from a typical CEU weekend.                   

The flight is temporary. The clinical tools, friendships, and memories come home with you.                                                                

$1.14 for this meal.

Snacks and Vietnamese coffee on a break.

Who Should Consider a JetSet Rehab Education Course?                          

A JetSet Rehab Education course may be a good fit if you are a physical therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant, Occupational Therapist, Athletic Trainer, Chiropractor, or rehab professional who wants more than a checkbox CEU experience.                                    

These courses are built for clinicians who want to:                           

  -

• - Improve hands-on clinical reasoning                                         

• - Add practical tools for patient care                                        

• - Network with other motivated clinicians                                     

• - Travel with purpose                                                         

• - Turn continuing education into an experience worth remembering  

• - Learn from respected instructors in physical therapy and rehab           

If you are looking for a passive online course, this probably is not your thing. If you want to learn, travel, connect, and come home with clinical ideas you  can use, this is exactly why JetSet Rehab Education exists.                   

What Is Next for JetSet Rehab Education?                                      

Vietnam was an incredible reminder of what international physical therapy continuing education can be. We are continuing to build future courses with world-class instructors in destinations that make the learning experience even more meaningful.                                                              

Upcoming and future JetSet Rehab Education courses may include topics such as neurodynamics, vestibular rehab, blood flow restriction, elbow rehabilitation, myofascial decompression, and other practical rehab courses for clinicians who want to keep growing.                                                         

Courses can sell quickly, especially destination courses with limited spots.  

If you want to join us for a future physical therapy continuing education course, register early and get on the JetSet Rehab Education email list down below.

                                                                              Ready to Take Your Next CEU Course Somewhere Worth remembering?               

Hands-on education.

The weather was nice so we had some of the class outside.

We hosted a happy hour at the beach after class.

Poolside relaxation to help recover from burnout.

Clare ended class with a contest.

Before class.

Sightseeing Da Nang with Clare Frank after class.

JetSet Rehab Education combines physical therapy continuing education, travel, networking, hands-on learning, and unforgettable destinations.  Explore upcoming courses, register for a future JetSet experience, and subscribe so you do not miss new course announcements.