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Establishing Key Topics in Speech Therapy Short Course |
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In March 2008, Project Boomerang facilitated a meeting between Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, Director of the ENT hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and Associate Professor Lindy McAllister, Speech Pathologist from the University of Queensland. The outcome of this meeting has resulted in the establishment of a long term agenda to implement a formal Speech Therapy diploma course in Vietnam, the first stage of which commenced in 2009.
This agenda has received formal approval from the Pham Ngoc Thach University, HCMC where Dr Dung is Head of ENT Faculty.
The formation of Trinh Foundation Australia was an essential part of this agenda, in order to help fund a formal Speech Therapy training course which will ultimately provide much needed skills in the both the assessment and treatment of communication disability in Vietnam. |
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Meeting Dr Dung at the ENT Hospital HCMC, March 2008 (L to R) Dr Peter Woodward (Orthodontist), Assoc. Professor McAllister (University of Queensland), Sue Woodward (Speech Pathologist), Dr Dung, Dr Aziz Sahu-Khan (Orthodontist), Wendy Sahu-Khan (Specialist Nurse) |
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In July 2008, Dr Lindy McAllister finalised details for the first formalised post graduate course in aspects of Speech Therapy with Dr Dung from the ENT Hospital in HCMC. The course topics included:
· Communication Disorders arising from Cleft Conditions · The Voice and its Disorders · Swallowing and Swallowing Difficulties (Dysphagia) · Speech Rehabilitation following Laryngectomy
The course took place in two lecture blocks; Part1 in February 2009 and Part 2 in October 2009. Supervised clinical training took place for participants in March 2009 and July 2009. Following completion of Part 2, the participants were examined and successfully received certification from the ENT Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City.
Dr Bernice Mathisen (University of Newcastle), Dr Alison Winkworth (Charles Sturt University) and Ms Janella Christie (Southern Health, Victoria) volunteered their services for Part 1 of the short course. Our thanks for all their hard work in formulating the curriculum. |
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In September 2008 a Memorandum of Understanding between Dr Dung, Director of the ENT Hospital in HCMC and Trinh Foundation Australia was signed by the then Executive Committee, Dr Aziz Sahu-Khan, Mrs Sue Woodward and Associate Professor Lindy McAllister and by Dr Dung, to establish the Short Course in Speech Therapy. The designated starting date for the Short Course, to cover specific Speech Therapy topics, was set to commence on February 16, 2009. |
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MOU Signing, 2008 (L to R) Mrs Sue Woodward, Dr Dung and Dr Aziz Sahu-Khan. |
