It was amazing to discover that the quality of care people got was excellent, she said. This was especially helpful since most of the public tends to focus on roadblocks and other challenges practitioners have to deal with everyday. The practicum is designed to work around a student s schedule. Students can enroll in one to six semester hours, available spring and summer sessions. For example, physical therapy students usually enroll in one semester hour, attending only the orientation and cultural sensitivity workshop, while most students enroll in six semester hours to obtain additional clinical hours to meet program requirements.
All students live in a rural community near their clinical practice site.
Full-time students may add the Rural Interdisciplinary Practicum course to their spring schedule without added tuition for the summer, regardless of which session they select to attend. In addition they participate in an ongoing community health promotion program. Treasure hunts acquaint participants with residents activities. For example, the Soul Food treasure hunt enables students to interact with members of a church community, sharing an evening meal, fellowship, spirituality and Bible study. Students are surprised at the genuine hospitality they receive in these small community settings, said Elizabeth Erkel, Ph.D., curriculum coordinator, MUSC College of Nursing.