Our Programs
Camp PossAbilities
WHAT IS CAMP POSSABILTIES?
A community-academic partnership between the Christina Sullivan Foundation and UTMB to address health disparities for people with disability.
Why Camp PossAbilities?
People with disabilities are underrepresented in the curriculum of professional health education.
Major healthcare bodies call for improved training In the care of people with disabilities.
People with disabilities are more than twice as likely to report finding healthcare provider skills inadequate and four times more likely to be treated badly.
Inadequate knowledge and limited experience play a significant role in perpetuating healthcare inequities.
Sources: Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education (2018). Core Competencies on Disability for Health Care Education. Peacock, NJ: Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education. and WHO | World report on disability (2011)
THE MISSION:
A partnership was formed between UTMB and the Christina Sullivan Foundation to:
Meet the community's need for inclusive sports
Provide an inter-professional practice experience for students
Encourage PT, OT, and MD student “buddies” to work as a team with a group of assigned athletes with disabilities in playing adaptive sports including tennis and bocce.
Form deeper connections and understanding through team continuity and profiles of the likes, dislikes, and capabilities of each “buddy” and athlete.
Develop adaptive equipment to improve athlete engagement, which is fabricated by students and faculty.
THE RESULTS:
The Foundation’s experience and leadership combined with UTMB’s faculty expertise and student passion have resulted in transformative experiences for both “buddies” and athletes.
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What We’ve Learned
This collaboration provides a natural inter-professional practice experience for students and faculty.
It closes an identified education gap and promotes long-term reduction in health inequities by providing students with knowledge and experience in working with people with disability.
A successful model for adaptive sports programming and learning has been implemented including Bocce and Tennis.
Student demand to participate exceeds capacity. Currently, participation is limited to 30 students for each 6-week session.
The student-participant experiences are rich and meaningful beyond anything achievable in a classroom.