In partnership with the Srinakharinwirot University (SWU), three students in their 5th year under the Physical Therapy (PT) program of the UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences were in Thailand from August 2 to 29, 2017 for a Global Internship Experience (GIE). The students, composed of
Rick Antoni Tropicales, Joseph Dione Quintana, and Sopia Beatrix Gomez, were accompanied by a faculty member and GIE leader, Ms. Kristina B. Devora.
The PT interns were assigned at the Thai Red Cross Society in Samut
Prakan Province, Thailand. They were tasked to conceptualize and implement treatment strategies after thorough evaluation of patients with neurologic conditions majority of whom were diagnosed with either stroke or spinal cord injury.
Aside from clinical practice, they also discussed their patients’ cases
and presented research articles related to PT practice to the medical team
and to SWU faculty members. They were also invited to attend a seminar that took place inside the SWU campus given by Prof. Marco Pang from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU).
Devora was invited to sit as a member of the panel during the research
and case presentation of students enrolled under the Master’s degree in
Physical Therapy program in SWU. Being the first time to collaborate with
SWU, Devora also explored a potential partnership with SWU that will include student exchange and training in the field of neurologic rehabilitation.
The collaboration between the two universities was facilitated by former PT
Department Chair Assoc. Prof. Valentin Dones III, Ph.D., and Asst. Prof.
Christian Rey Rimando from UST CRS, while from SWU, PT Program Director Dr. Wanvisa Panichaporn and Faculty of Physical Therapy Dean Assoc. Prof. Rumpa Boonsinsukh, Ph.D., provided the necessary assistance.
