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School of Health & Life Sciences

Student placement provided Megan insight into overseas healthcare

26 November 2020

 

Physiotherapy student Megan Quigley experienced the stark differences between healthcare in the UK and the developing world during a four-week placement in Zambia.

Megan, 23, from Stockton, travelled to Lusaka as part of a physiotherapy placement with Work The World, which specialises in overseas student healthcare electives to provide insight into the challenges associated with delivering healthcare in the developing world.

As part of her placement, Megan was based in the paediatrics unit in the Children’s Hospital, primarily in the cerebral palsy outpatient clinic, surgical ward and paediatric intensive care unit. She also had an opportunity to attend adult prosthetics clinics.

Megan, who completed the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy earlier this year, said: ‘I travelled on my own to complete this physiotherapy elective, which was quite nerve-wrecking for me, as it was the first time I had travelled on my own.

‘During the placement I was exposed to conditions I had not seen in the UK and observed a way of working life that you would not see within the NHS. Despite the lack of modern equipment, the knowledge of the physiotherapists was exceptional and combined with our thoughts, we devised versatile treatment plans.

‘One memorable case was a child who had cerebral palsy who I worked with a lot. Although this is not necessarily a new pathology to me, it gave me the opportunity to develop in other ways, for example communication with a young child who did not speak English, making the treatment patient-centred so she enjoyed it, while still targeting her rehabilitation needs. It was very inspiring to see how independent she was at such a young age.’

My gratitude for the NHS is at a supreme level

Physiotherapy student Megan Quigley

Megan added: ‘When we were not on placement, we were creating even more memories. We travelled to Livingstone where we swam in Devil’s Pool, ziplined across the river connecting Zambia and Zimbabwe and I even jumped off the edge bridge connecting the two together.

‘I took the opportunity to fully immerse myself into the culture of Zambian life and attended church with one of the physios I worked with. I felt honoured to experience this aspect of her life.’

Megan summed up her trip by adding: ‘My gratitude for the NHS is at a supreme level. This elective helped me uncover a newfound confidence in myself, a wider perspective and new appreciation for healthcare.’


 
 
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