Occupational Therapy Students Learn and Serve in Dominican Republic

University of Scranton occupational therapy students traveled beyond the classroom this winter, participating in a service-learning trip that combined hands-on healthcare delivery, cultural immersion and community service in the rural Dominican Republic.

Led by faculty chaperone Dr. Chandra Nealon, MS/LPT, DPT, the trip provided students with a non-traditional fieldwork experience in San Juan de la Maguana, where they worked alongside local healthcare providers and community organizations to address unmet occupational therapy needs.

Students delivered services through daily pop-up clinics in rural neighborhoods along with in a more structured rehabilitation setting at the Asociación Dominicana de Rehabilitación Filial San Juan. The experience allowed students to compare healthcare delivery models across settings and cultures while responding to a wide range of patient needs.

OT needs in the area varied from healthcare screenings including vital signs, range of motion, strength, balance and functional mobility to more focused assessments and treatments. Students worked with children with diagnoses like cerebral palsy, developmental delay and autism, as well as adults with diabetes, osteoarthritis, strokes, amputations and injuries related to motor vehicle accidents.

Senior occupational therapy major Camryn Hoffman of Rockville Centre, N.Y., said the clinics emphasized adaptability and cultural awareness. Working with older adults and children, students conducted assessments, took vitals and implemented resource-conscious interventions.

“Limited access to equipment and time, as well as navigating a language barrier, required me to be more creative, flexible and client-centered," Hoffman said. "This reinforced that effective occupational therapy does not depend on high-tech tools, but on meaningful connection and functional relevance."

Jamie Alderfer, a senior occupational therapy major from Souderton, operated pop-up clinics near with her fellow students near their worksite, treating community members who lack access to healthcare.

“It was a fun challenge to work with our classmates and trip leaders to decide how to best help our clients while working with a large language barrier. We discussed feeling our confidence grow throughout the week, as we got more comfortable using Spanish terms and got into the groove of our therapeutic process," Alderfer said. 

Students also spent time observing occupational and physical therapy services at a local rehabilitation facility, where they learned how economic barriers affect access to care.

“Getting to work with people who have much less, but are so appreciative and generous was very humbling," Alderfer said. "I have always had an interest in service, but getting to fully immerse myself in a service trip in another culture was so unique and inspiring."

In addition to clinical work, students participated in a five-day house build through the Cambiando Vidas organization, applying principles of body mechanics, accessibility and universal design while contributing to a family’s future home.

Hoffman noted one of the most meaning moments of the experience, on the last day of the house build. “I noticed the couple who were moving in step back and watch the entire process unfold, visibly excited and grateful as they realized this house would be their future," Hoffman said. "Witnessing that moment felt full circle, as it connected our physical labor, teamwork, and service directly to the impact it would have on the family’s life."

The couple receiving the finished house had even participated in the very first build of the Cambiando Vidas organization. Alderfer noted the significance of this moment and their committment to the community.

"It was very inspiring to me to see all the hard work that they put into their own house and all the other houses, as housing has been something that I have somewhat taken for granted throughout my life," Alderfer said.

Nealon emphasized that experiences like these extend beyond technical skill development and align with the University of Scranton's Jesuit mission.

“Service trips such as this connect both the course objectives and the University’s Jesuit values in a fully immersive experience,” Nealon said. “Students are challenged to reflect upon their own lives and understand the meaning of ‘being for and with others.’”

For many students, the trip reshaped their understanding of service and their future roles as healthcare professionals. 

"After this experience, I definitely feel more inclined to look into opportunities with populations in more need of help or in places unknown to me," Alderfer said. I am learning that the unknown just means there is more to learn!"

Nealon hopes the impact of the trip resonates with both the students and the Dominican communities served.

“This trip serves as a powerful affirmation of human dignity, providing to the people of San Juan de la Maguana, DR, that they are truly seen and valued” Nealon said. “Our group traveled such a distance to help and learn from families, community members, patients and healthcare providers they had never met. This mutual exchange of knowledge and emotion leaves both groups forever changed." 

As the students returned to campus, they brought with them expanded clinical experience and a renewed commitment to service, empathy and culturally responsive care.

The group of fourteen occupational therapy students and faculty leader Dr. Chandra Nealon represent the University of Scranton in front the progressing house build in San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic.