In November, I had the privilege of traveling to Chiapas, Mexico with the Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) program for a week. I was in a group with one other CSD student from Teachers College, a pre-dental student from Johns Hopkins University, and a pre-med graduate from Cornell University. We were led by Dr. Cate Crowley.
This was part of a training put on by Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft palate organization, which funds cleft palate surgeries and care in addition to providing education to clinicians around the globe. With about 30 clinicians from different professional backgrounds—surgeons, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, etc.—we learned about cleft palate and how to care for it. We then applied that knowledge to speech therapy sessions twice each day, conducting various activities to improve the children’s speech. There were 25-30 clients. Each was a child with a repaired cleft lip or palate who lived locally. Doing this work was incredibly impactful, and the family-centered and interdisciplinary care components will stick with me as I enter my career. Furthermore, I was able to observe the dental surgery of a girl with a cleft palate. This is a unique experience that I would be unlikely to have in the US.
Although the trip was only one week, it was a life-changing experience that helped me with my Spanish language skills and my clinical skills. It also enabled me to connect with clinicians and clients who I will remember forever. I am so thankful that this opportunity was made possible for me.