Making Connections

During our trip, we were fortunate to be able to

VCU and U Ghana students working on a case study

meet the University of Ghana's first ever class of OT students!  The University's OT program was started just a few years ago by two foreign-trained occupational therapists.  Their first class has 19 students!  We first met up with the students at the New Horizon School where they participated in the transfer training we conducted.  The students from U Ghana and the VCU students who had just returned to Accra from the Volta region then met in small groups to discuss case studies of New Horizon students the Accra-based VCU group had worked with during the previous days at the school.

Visiting the U Ghana OT Department

Afterwards we all treked back to the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Ghana for lunch.  It was interesting talking to the students and hearing about their experiences.  They had many of the same concerns (complaints?) as OT students at VCU did: too much theory, not enough practical knowledge, etc.  I'm glad to know it's not just my class :)

U Ghana lecture hall

We took a tour of their facilities, and while small, it was impressive.  Their lab was fully equipped with adaptive equipment and even had a real working hospital bed (at VCU we have to use an air mattress on a table).  Their lecture rooms were also reminiscent of the ones at VCU: uncomfortable desks and no natural light  :)   They even had air conditioning!

In addition to actually working with the kids, an important part of this trip was making connections.  In order for this service learning program to be sustained, we need partners in Ghana to help us identify need and coordinate sites to visit.  During our time in Accra we strengthened our connections with both the Grace School and the New Horizon's School.  We are already talking about and starting to plan for what the next group will be doing for the schools next summer.  This new connection with U Ghana will be important. Since there are no OTs in Ghana yet (except the two professors), the kids at New Horizon are not getting regular OT services.  We are able to come in and do some immediate interventions, but there are many things we can't do because we don't have anyone to follow up (for example, splinting/orthoses). Perhaps the U Ghana OT program can begin to work with the school too and we can coordinate interventions so that when we leave they can continue with the plan.  The connection may also provide new teaching and/or mentoring opportunities for VCU's OT doctoral students: in addition to working with kids, the summer program could also include a chance to teach a seminar at U Ghana. So many ways for this program to grow!  While I am not sure I will be able to go on the trip again next summer, I hope that I will at least be able to help do some planning and prepare the next group for their adventure!

VCU and U Ghana OT students!