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| In early December 2007, nine Ohio State University doctorate of physical therapy (DPT) students embarked on an unforgettable service learning trip to Yucatan, Mexico. The first-of-its-kind elective course for Ohio State DPT students was supported by faculty members Dale Deubler, MS, PT, and Anne Kloos, PT, PhD, NCS, and five other physical therapists who served as clinical instructors.
The faculty and students worked in nine locations in the city of Merida, including a school for children with multiple disabilities, nursing homes, a rural rehabilitation clinic, a residential facility for people with disabilities and private homes. They provided services to local residents, which included individualized consultations, screenings, evaluations and treatments. |
The group in front of Hacienda Teya, a former Sisilplantation
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"Working with clients from the Mexican and Mayan cultures reinforces the core values of the physical therapy profession, including altruism, social responsibility and compassion. By providing physical therapy to the neediest residents of Merida, the students also learn that professional duty has international implications," says Deubler. "Prior to the global health service learning course, DPT student exposure to underserved populations was limited to 20 hours of experience with the Columbus Physicians Free Clinic. Now, they can elect to have the opportunity for supervised clinical work in another country."
The elective course was made possible through a partnership between the DPT Programs at OSU and at Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU) in Wheeling, West Virginia, and the Mission of Friendship, an outreach project supported and funded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania, which is based in Merida. The partnership between OSU and WJU is unique among PT programs in the U.S. Faculty and students from WJU work in the same sites during the month of February, and OSU visits during December. This unique partnership allows for a continuity of service throughout the year and provides more opportunities for collaborative educational experiences between PT faculty and students from the U.S. and at the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan in Merida.
Sarah Matics with girls from Nueva Vida
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One of this year’s participants in the program, Kristin Corsi, had nothing but good things to say about her experience. “This trip not only improved my ability to be a better physical therapist; it improved me to be a better person,” said Corsi. “I would not trade anything in this world for my experience in Merida.”
While visiting Merida, the nine PT students also had an opportunity to experience the culture. They visited the Mayan ruins, shopped in the El Centro, and made new friends at the Nueva Vida, a home for girls with impoverished or abusive families. “When we went to the Nueva Vida, having every single girl come give you kisses and welcome you was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Corsi.
You can see and hear more about what the students learned on their trip in a short video was featured on the OSU main webpage. |
The elective course will continue to be offered every December. Interested second-year DPT students may apply in Winter Quarter for the following year. If accepted, they participate in orientation activities prior to leaving for the two quarters of clinical affiliations. As OSU graduates, the lessons learned during this course should empower students to bring about positive change within their local communities, the nation, and the world.
If you are interested in purchasing an OSU PT fleece, sweatshirt or polo shirt to help fund the next Merida trip, please follw the link for order information.
For additional information, please contact Dale Deubler, PT, MS at deubler.1@osu.edu
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