White sand beaches. Lush rainforests brimming with hundreds of species of mammals and birds. Spectacular waterfalls and remarkable ruins from the Mayan civilization. You might think Belize is a tropical paradise. But there is one thing sorely lacking—access to occupational therapy services.
In January, four students from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program traveled to Belize with Erin Mathia, assistant director of the OTD program and assistant professor, to participate in a ten-day interdisciplinary project. They were part of a larger group of 46 other occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy and speech-language pathology students and faculty from Alveria and Misericordia Universities.
“Our goal was to provide sustainable OT solutions that will improve the quality of the lives of residents in spite of limited resources, even after we return home,” says Mathia. “As an added bonus, we discovered that this trip also transformed the way our OTD students think about their future practices.”
Making An Impact
Mathia says the group worked closely with community partners in Belize, such as Monkey Bay, that helped them distribute flyers and accompanied them into towns where they could set up clinics. “We were not trying to ‘fix’ a certain condition,” she continues. “We were there to see what was preventing people from doing their daily activities and giving them strategies for moving forward.”
For example, students frequently adapted household items like bed sheets to be used in place of a leg lifter or bed ladder to help clients struggling with mobility.
Robin Zappin, assistant professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Alvernia University in Reading, Pa., has been leading the Belize program for six years. She says the experience helps students develop adaptability and clinical reasoning in resource-limited environments. “They learn to think creatively and deliver truly patient-centered care, without relying on equipment. They also build genuine human connections.”
“Small, evidence-based interventions lead to profound outcomes,” Zappin continues. “These moments are not just clinically rewarding—they are deeply human.”
Lessons Learned
“One of the most important lessons I learned was how to adapt in the moment and develop strategies for families using very limited resources,” says recent graduate Caroline E. Perry (OTD ’26). “I learned how to listen carefully to the concerns of families and respond to their immediate needs without having a pre-established plan.”
Shelby Ligo (BS ’22, OTD ’26) agrees. “I learned so many things that cannot be taught in the classroom, especially the value of prioritizing client concerns to guide treatment sessions, rather than allowing my assumptions as a clinician determine the treatment I provide.
The idea of the service learning trip originated with two OTD students after attending the 2023 Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association conference and hearing about the work of other universities in Belize. They came back to Pitt eager to initiate a similar program. Mathia and Professor PamelaToto provided the support and tools they needed to make their dream become a reality—and begin what they hope is an annual opportunity for OTD students.
Rachel Romano (BS ’22, OTD ’26, at left with a client in Belize) recalls one experience that changed her view on the impact of an occupational therapist.
“I was working at a pop-up clinic in the Orange Walk area of Belize,” recalls Romano. “One client with autism came with his mom. He was holding his hands over his ears and appeared to be dysregulated. We had brought various sensory items and adaptive tools with us from Pittsburgh, including noise-cancelling headphones. At this point in the week, we only had one pair left and they were pink, but I brought them to the client and put them on his head. Immediately, I could see the way that his world shifted as he became calm and regulated. Throughout the rest of the session, as we talked, the boy was able to sit quietly and listen and engage with us. He looked at me frequently, smiling and giving me a thumbs up. This experience showed me that even the most simple or basic solutions can have a tremendous impact on a client who does not typically have access to these resources. This and the gratefulness shown by the people in Belize shifted the way that I practice as an occupational therapist.”
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This year’s cohort of students participated in an interdisciplinary online course with students from the other universities in the fall semester, prior to their trip. Among other things, they learned about the culture of Belize, how to practice cultural humility and how different disciplines can work together to benefit the client.
“However,” adds Toto, “having the opportunity to work collaboratively with other disciplines while they were in Belize and to learn how each member of the team brings a unique perspective was eye-opening for the OT students.”
“Interdisciplinary collaboration allows for the highest level of individualized care for each patient,” explains Romano.
“When working closely with other disciplines, like physical therapy and speech therapy, I appreciated being able to share ideas, learn different perspectives to providing care and narrow the scope of my practice to target specific client needs,” continues Ligo.
Perry notes that although it wasn’t always possible for all members of the team to evaluate clients at the same time, they communicated with each other continuously. “For example,” says Perry, “While speaking with a client’s family, one of the speech-language pathology students recognized potential sensory concerns and asked me to join the conversation. Because we had collaborated before, she knew I could provide occupational therapy insight. Experiences like this highlighted the importance of teamwork and shared knowledge in providing effective care.”
This was the second year that Pitt OTD students participated in the Belize project, but Mathia hopes it will not be the last.
“This is important work and all of us were both grateful and humbled to be able to contribute to it,” concludes Mathia. “The connections we made with the people of Belize as well as the interprofessional network we built with other faculty and students will impact how each of us practices in the future.”
