Mojica, Tiamsim, Rey-Matias of Speech Language Pathology participate in exchange program in Seton Hall University, USA

As part of the student-faculty exchange program between the University of Santo Tomas (UST) – College of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Seton Hall University (SHU)  – School of Health Sciences, Asst. Prof. Ma. Georgina D. Mojica, Chairperson of the Speech Language Pathology (SLP) department;  and two 5th year students – Isabel Rey-Matias and Mary Jorie Allen Tiamsim left for New Jersey last February 1, 2016. 

Under this program, students who are in their internship year visit and observe both didactic classes and clinical affiliation sites. The students from both institutions learn more not only about the professional field itself but also about differences in respective cultures and its effects on the practice of one’s profession.  The program collectively runs for about 3 months.  The first two weeks of the month are used for the preparation and briefing of the students’ visits and is usually done by the respective Department Chairpersons of both institutions.  The next  month is when the student-interns from SHU comes to Manila and the succeeding month is the time for UST student-interns’ turn to go to New Jersey.

Students from SHU were here for three weeks in January 2015 and also for three weeks in January 2016. This was the first time that CRS sent its students in Speech Language Pathology (SLP) to SHU.  As arranged by the Dean of SHU-School of Health Sciences, Asst. Prof Mojica and the two students paid a visit / courtesy call to the President of SHU, Dr. Amado Gabriel Esteban.

Aside from the visits to five different clinical affiliation sites, Ms. Tiamsim and Ms. Rey-Matias had the chance to sit in a few of the SLP Masteral classes as well as visit the various laboratory classes of the SLP department in SHU.

Meanwhile, Asst. Prof Mojica participated in individual meetings with each of the faculty members to explore areas of possible teaching-learning and research collaboration between the SLP faculties of the two institutions. 

Interestingly, SHU-SHS and UST-CRS have very similar program offerings – both having Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology.  SHU-SHS has Athletic Training, while UST-CRS has Sports Science. Given this almost perfect match, Asst. Prof. Mojica also met with the Chairs of the 3 other programs to coordinate with the department’s plans for their respective exchange programs.

One of the highlights of this visit was the lecture of Asst. Prof. Mojica to the SHU SLP masteral students and SLP faculty entitled “ SLP practice in the Philippines”.  She discussed on the how SLP services are carried out in the country including the opportunities and challenges that surround its practice.  An interactive open forum allowed for the citation of similarities and differences between the countries’ practices.   It likewise emphasized the role of culture in effecting changes in patient care.