Students getting hands-on experience
A few years ago, a local man rolled into the pro bono physical therapy clinic at Northern Arizona University. After many months of weekly therapy, he walked out of it.
The patient, who had no health insurance at the time, had suffered a severe cerebrovascular accident (death of brain cells after oxygen is cut off from the brain, as in a stroke), and he required a wheelchair to move. His quality of life was low, with little prospect of recovery.
That changed as he continued coming back to the clinic. Every Wednesday, campus and community members who are uninsured or underinsured can get physical therapy (PT) at no charge from PT students who need practice hours and hands-on experience. As this patient came each week, semester to semester, his life and health have improved. He walks with a cane, he can participate in Xbox Kinect video sports gaming and he is able to move and enjoy life more independently.
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Source| NAU News: NAU physical therapy students getting hands-on experience through pro bono clinic