This study aimed to investigate the opinion of the Physiotherapy students on the extracurricular internship and the influence of this practice on their professional formation. A cross-sectional study was performed with Physical Therapy students from a higher education institution in Ceará, Brazil. The sample consisted of 157 students, 29 men (18.5%) and 128 women (81.5%), with mean age of 22.6±4.02 years, from second to last semester of graduation. A questionnaire was applied with 20 objective questions covering the experiences and repercussions of this practice. A total of 61 (38.9%) surveyed students affirmed to have participated of extracurricular internship. Out of these, 55 (90.2%) were motivated by the necessity of acquiring experience; 53 (86.9%) were performing therapeutic interventions in patients; and 13 (21.3%) had 15 to 20 working hours. However, 36 academics (59.0%) did work in disagreement with the rules of the Federal Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The students considered the extracurricular internship as a tool of improvement of their professional formation, because it allowed the practice of common physical therapist daily life activities procedures and techniques. There is a necessity for competent organizations to inspect these kind of activities, so that the students can practice tasks accordingly their qualification level.
clinical clerkship; students; Physical Therapy Specialty; education; higher
