I’m a half Vietnamese and half Australian school leaver. I arrived Bangladesh just over a year and a half ago as a year 12 student and just recently finished school. I’m currently on a short break and preparing myself to head for university in Australia.
I came to CRP as a recent high-school graduate and didn’t have much background knowledge about Physiotherapy or Occupational Therapy beyond basic biology and what each job entailed. I had a month before heading to Australia for university to study Physio and OT and I thought that since I was in Bangladesh, CRP would be a good place to go to if I wanted to know what each of the occupations were like in practice and it would be a good chance to observe and learn from the professionals up close.
I only spent one month here – consisting of three weeks in CRP Savar and one week in CRP Mirpur – but I have walked out with the knowledge and experience that I wouldn’t have been able to capture through reading textbooks and essays. I had focused my observation in three departments: Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Paediatrics. Although the majority of my time was spent observing, I was continuously learning something new as the professionals I watched explained their working process with me. They always checked to make sure I understood what was going on and why each treatment method was chosen for the patients. They made me feel very welcome and never turned down my request for a chance for to watch their therapy sessions for the day.
It is surprising how organized the departments are set up in their buildings. Though they have to share some of the work space, each department has its own clinical room and wards (if necessary) and pathways, entrances, and other tidbits of the departments are adjusted to allow the best access-way for all patients in every condition.
Truly an experience.
Best wishes to Valerie and the rest of CRP’s staff and patients in the hope that the public’s knowledge of these practices grows, and along with it, CRP’s reach to those who need it.
