Four Student Physical Therapists (SPTs) from the residential and hybrid pathways just returned from a two-week partnership with Child Health and Family International in La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia, along with their mentors Dr. Denniston PT, DPT, NCS and Dr. Elizabeth Steele PT, DPT, CCS. Students rotated through outpatient and inpatient settings that focused on pediatric clients with diagnoses ranging from hip dysplasia to Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy. Morning clinic visits included cotreatments with SPTs from the Universidad Central, Universidad Catolica Boliviana, and Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, followed by afternoon Spanish classes and didactic material on the local cultures and global health considerations. Immersions were scheduled on Friday afternoons and weekends, full of Incan history and Aymaran culture – it was an unforgettable experience! Students reported:

“I would recommend this experience to future students who want to improve their Spanish so their future patients have more support, as well as those who want to challenge themselves and their views on global health!”

“Traveling to Bolivia with Child Health and Family International allowed me to grow both professionally and personally through immersion into a new culture and healthcare system. I am so thankful that I was able to experience such an unforgettable and incomparable opportunity.”

All photos taken with consent.