Study abroad programs are designed to give students an opportunity to be immersed in a culture, but they can also offer unique life-changing experiences. For 15 speech-language pathology graduate students from the School of Communicative Disorders (ComD), their experience last summer was that and much more as instructor Pam Terrell, Ph.D., led a 12-day program to the Center for Cleft Lip and Palate Care (CAIF) in Curitiba, Brazil.

 

Terrell was inspired to create the opportunity while on an Operation Smile mission to Nicaragua in 2006, where she met two Brazilian plastic surgeons who became her mentors. She introduced the CAIF study abroad program after she returned, providing the first international learning experience for ComD students.

 

"It’s very hard to study abroad as a communicative disorders major because our course of study is so specific and regimented," said Terrell. "If a student takes a semester to study abroad, it adds at least one year to their studies."

 

Students gained knowledge regarding cleft lip and palate as they completed ComD 786 (Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Disorders), but this experience in Brazil provided them with practical experiences regarding the different surgical procedures, as well as a diverse cultural perspective associated with the defect. Unlike cleft palate teams in the U.S. that follow 100-200 patients annually, the state-of-the-art team at the CAIF treats over 3,000 patients each year.

 

"The most valuable takeaway for the students was realizing that even though they didn’t speak Portuguese, they could still evaluate voice, resonance, and articulation in a foreign language with the skills they had," Terrell said. "I think they felt more confident in their overall skills as a result of this experience and developed greater cultural competence and respect for other cultures."

 

Students were exposed to rare syndromes, a multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment process, current surgical techniques, nasoendoscopic evaluation assessment of velopharyngeal impairment, and the use of prosthodontics.

 

"My experiences in Brazil provided numerous once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that will remain with me as good memories and learning experiences for years to come," said graduate student Callie Joosten. "I learned a lot about myself and was challenged to try new things each day."

 

Terrell and Head of ComD Gary Cumley, Ph.D., are working with the Wisconsin Nicaragua Project on developing another international educational experience for graduate students.​