Trip Overview

From Heather Hall, DPT ‘11…

I am finishing up my first year in Bradley’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program. At the end of 2008, I found out about a mission trip to the Dominican Republic that was taking health care professionals to work in a severely underserved area. I studied intercultural relations during my undergraduate work, and was very excited about the opportunity to combine working in other cultures with what I had learned about physical therapy!

One of my professors, Cheryl Sparks, PT ‘98, will be going on the trip so I’ll have a chance to work with patients under her supervision.  We’ll be with a medical team consisting of a general practitioner, chiropractor, plastic surgeons, and several nurses at Solid Rock Mission’s clinic in San Juan de la Maguana.  People will also be working on a construction project at the same time. Our plans are to work with the surgeon and chiropractor to teach strengthening exercises and help with patient care.  We also plan to travel a few hours from the clinic to check for individuals who might need surgeries that can be performed later in the year.

Our hope is that by providing these services, we will be giving people the opportunity to have their lives changed.  I have never been to the Dominican Republic, but what has been described to me is nothing like what I have seen in the United States. I am so excited to see what will happen during our time there and am glad that you, too, will be able to experience it through my eyes!