Support Student Physical Therapists Volunteer Trip to Saipan

We are a group of 12 second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students from the University of Hartford. This summer, we have a rare and meaningful opportunity to travel to Saipan, a United States territory in the Northern Mariana Islands, to provide essential physical therapy care to the local community.

Saipan faces a critical healthcare shortage, with only three functioning physical therapy clinics serving over 43,000 residents. The island has a healthcare shortage rating of 18 out of 26, according to Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) metrics, highlighting the pressing need for providers. Veterans are among those most affected, as there are currently no DPT Veteran Affairs (VA) providers on the island. Fortunately, we will be working alongside a professor who is a DPT VA provider, enabling us to treat veterans during our three-week stay. In 2024, this program had over 250 patient encounters, with over half being veterans, making a significant impact on the community.

This trip not only addresses a critical healthcare need but also provides an incredible learning experience. We are dedicated to approaching this opportunity with cultural competence and respect, aligning with the American Physical Therapy Association’s values of inclusion, integrity, and social responsibility. As developing student physical therapists, we are constantly learning and evolving. This trip offers an invaluable opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new culture, gain different perspectives, and grow both personally and professionally. Being exposed to unique cultural values and traditions will challenge us to think differently and adapt our treatment approaches to better serve diverse patients throughout our careers, and provide us with a safe and supportive learning environment surrounded by our professors' guidance and mentorship. This hands-on cultural and clinical experience will help shape us into more adaptable and well-rounded future clinicians, deeply committed to providing our own inclusive patient-centered care in the future.

However, this experience comes with significant travel costs. Please consider supporting our trip to help offset these costs to ensure we can focus on delivering care to those in need.

We deeply appreciate any contribution you can make, whether through a donation or by sharing our fundraiser. Thank you for your kindness and consideration in supporting this life-changing mission.