Last week, Health Volunteers Overseas staff attended the 2015 Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) hosted by our sponsor, the American Physical Therapy Association in Indianapolis. When colleagues gather to learn, network and celebrate their profession at events like CSM, they create an energy and enthusiasm for their work. The experience emphasizes the power of collaboration and professional development in the health care field.
Much like professional meetings, HVO projects focus on the power of collaboration. Our programs and projects seek to bring education and professional development to resource-scarce countries where health providers often face isolation and limited opportunity. HVO volunteers travel to our project sites to provide education opportunities to students of health care and collaborate with their peers to enhance health care skills and knowledge.
Of course, it is not just the on-site health providers who learn and grow from the experience. Often, volunteers themselves report improvements in their own professional understanding and enthusiasm. As one volunteer recently reported following his trip to HVO’s physical therapy project in St. Lucia:
This experience has helped in my development as a professional. I feel forcing oneself to adapt to new environments and the new challenges is a daunting task but ultimately results in self-improvement. It is humbling yet empowering to see health care providers do so much in a converted track stadium.
My first few patients had [Chikungunya] and the local therapists provided a lot of insight into these cases that really influenced their management. In these cases, it is great to see how the exchange of ideas in both directions can make an impact. This was my first volunteer experience abroad, and I am already looking forward to the next opportunity.
At HVO, we know the power and importance of professional collaboration and education in the improvement of global health. Not only do HVO volunteers bring knowledge and information to HVO sites, they foster enthusiasm, empowering their colleagues overseas and renewing their own passion for improving global health.