O.T. students interacting with patients in clinic in Costa Rica.
“Nothing beats being there” is probably a thought that crossed the minds of six WSSU occupational therapy graduate students and faculty members who participated in an international field experience program in Costa Rica July 12-27.
The experience is offered as an elective under the direction of Dr. Darlene Perez-Brown, who organizes the field experience as part of the Occupational Therapy Program’s focus on diversity and promoting cultural competence among occupational therapy students as health care professionals.
Participants in the experience were first-year graduate students Mark Williams, Chris Sellers, Michelle Reams, Holly Shadoin, Tamara Crockett and second-year graduate student Dana Nelson. The collaboration between Winston-Salem State University and Santa Paula University, an institution of higher education that specializes in the education of allied health professionals, was initiated in 2000. But the 2009 experience differed from earlier trips to the Central American country.
On previous trips, students were primarily engaged in service-learning projects, fitting special needs children with wheelchairs. The students modified the chairs to meet the individual needs of each child. This time, the focus was different.
“The focus of the International Fieldwork Experience is broader and aims to prepare students to function in a global society by developing and advancing their knowledge of culture and culturally competent skills that would result in improved client-centered care,” says Dr. Perez-Brown. ”The second purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of the international fieldwork/learning experience in Costa Rica in developing cross-cultural competency skills in Occupational Therapy Master Level students.”
O.T. students implement therapeutic intervention with a group of women with fibromyalgia.
“No wonder they called Costa Rica the happiest place to live. Everyone is so friendly. I hope we can remember this experience and learn how to treat one another
when we get back,” says Tamara Crockett. Holly Shadoin realized how much she still doesn’t know. “I realize I have a lot to learn from the “Ticos” (nickname for Costa Ricans),” said Shadoin.
“I feel a renewal of interest in OT and in culture. I think this experience will help me in my practice. I will connect better with my Latino clients,” says Mark Williams.
In the first week, students participated in activities including OT classes and observations of treatment sessions at the SPU clinic. They also conducted occupational profiles of adult patients and developmental assessments on children with disabilities. In addition, students collaborated in training sessions and attended educational sessions to learn about Costa Rica’s health care system.
O.T. faculty and students present donated items from the university community to grateful Costa Ricans.
In the second week, students conducted developmental assessments in a community setting; wrote treatment goals, designed and implemented therapeutic interventions for clients under the supervision of WSSU or SPU instructors. On the last day at Santa Paula, WSSU and SPU students made a presentation about their cultural and academic learning experience in Costa Rica and shared their impressions about their interactions with other OT students, faculty, clinicians and clients.
Mindful of Costa Rica’s needs in the aftermath of an earthquake, the WSSU community conducted a successful drive, collecting donations of school supplies for victims of the earthquake. Those supplies were delivered to administrators, teachers and students of a grateful nation.
