One Year. One Physical Therapist in Trujillo, Peru.

Combining passions of global public health with travel and cultural immersion... With the help of the Catholic Medical Mission Board, I was afforded the opportunity to live outside of Trujillo, Peru for one year's time (2010-2011). Check out old posts about my experiences as a PT working in hospitals, a school, an outpatient clinic, doing research/community based rehabilitation, and a little teaching too. And my experiences with an entire calendar year of holidays, cultural customs and new culinary experiences!

I make it back about once a year with university students/CMMB projects, so I will periodically provide updates :)

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Regis DPT Program: Peru Trip 2014 - Huancayo


August is nearing and we are in full-force preparation mode for the 4th annual Regis University Doctor of Physical Therapy program service-learning trip to Peru! We are continuing to partner with Catholic Medical Mission Board, as in years prior, but this year we are no longer offering a continuing education event in Trujillo because we will not be in that part of the country. We've also begun to shift our project focus away from continuing education and more toward partnering with local universities.

Because the community-based rehab (CBR) project "Rehabilitation with Hope" is now fairly self-sustaining in northern Peru, CMMB has asked us to assist them in a completely different part of the country in the beginning steps of the implementation of a CBR project based off a similar model. Regis faculty Nancy Mulligan, 9 Regis DPT students, Regis alum and pediatric specialist Amy Forsman, and myself will be traveling together to the mountainous region of Huancayo which is located roughly east of Lima, sitting at above 10,000 feet elevation. The primary focus will be in working with up to 40 kids who have disabilities and their families in home visits to perform initial evaluations, create an individualized plan of care for each kid, and to then follow up with the implementation of physical therapy with local PT's and SLP´s, PT students, community volunteers and families/caregivers.

Can't wait to meet the whole team and get going on this new adventure!

A special thanks for continued support from: Regis University DPT Program, CMMB, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitacion, Claudia Llanten, Nancy Mulligan, Amy Forsman, Ana Herrera, and Maria Roldan.

Links!

CMMB - Catholic Medical Mission Board:
http://www.cmmb.org/cmmb-peru

Dr. Llanten's incredible commitment to public health in Peru:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/strengthening-food-security/dr.-claudia-llanten

CMMB Publication:
https://apha.confex.com/apha/142am/webprogram/Paper309348.html

You Tube video by Andres Gomez: CMMB's work in Peru
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcQAYQ139A0&feature=youtu.be 

Regis University DPT Program:
http://www.regis.edu/RHCHP/Academics/Degrees-and-Programs/Graduate-and-Doctorate-Programs/Doctor-of-Physical-Therapy.aspx