Student Resources
Student Pathway to Vietnam Program
Calls for Expressions of Interest
Six months prior to the starting date,
all 4th year students in Occupational Therapy,
Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology are
notified of the School of Community Health's
intention to run the Vietnam programme
and placement dates.
Information session for all interested students
Background information is supplied to students outlining the nature and objectives of the placement, student costs, safety and the commitment required by students and the University.
Selection of students
12 students are selected, aimed at having equal numbers of students from each discipline. Where this is not achieved, vacant places are be filled from another discipline area. Selection is made on the basis of previous academic and clinical performance and overall professional behaviour.
Student Briefing
Six hours of orientation sessions, for all students going to Phu My, are held at least 8 weeks prior to departure. These are followed by discipline specific sessions as required, to cover discipline specific issues such as assessment and materials required for placement. Fundraising activities are conducted prior to departure in order to purchase materials and resources for the program whilst at Phu My.
Placement
Up to six weeks long, based at Phu My Orphanage, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Students accommodate themselves in local hotels and travel daily to and from the orphanage via motor bike, bus or taxi. Work at the orphanage starts at 8:00am and finishes after 4:00pm each day. Students are encouraged to use their weekends to further explore the cultural, historical and economic aspects of Vietnam and its' impacts on lives of people with disabilities. The placement concludes with finalizing documentation related to the placement and conducting informal group evaluations of the staff and interpreter's experiences of the students' presence in the orphanage environment.
Assessment
Students are provided with ongoing informal feedback on group work and clinical skills during the placement. Two weeks following the placement students are required to submit a reflective written piece which discusses how key aspects of the Vietnam placement experiences have shaped their approach to current and future practice as a therapist and to provide recommendations for future programmes at Phu My.
