Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy (DUMTP) recently hosted a joint TFA-DUMTP continuing professional development event across 3 full workshop days. 15 participants enjoyed a mixed lecture-workshop style event presented by Ms Sarah Day, Speech Pathology Advisor with the Australian Volunteer Program. TFA speech therapy graduates from each of the previous HCMC training courses joined the DUMTP speech therapy team, and a group of Neonatologists from the local Da Nang Women’s and Children’s Hospital in attendance at the workshop.
Participants had the opportunity to consolidate their understanding of typical feeding development in the early years and develop new understandings about best practice methods in assessment and intervention, particularly in the infant population and with children with behavioural feeding disorders. Participants spent time developing case presentations based on case studies provided as well as completing a SWOT analysis of current paediatric feeding services in Vietnam. Participants went on to discuss goals for future development and formed a professional online group to ensure they continue to discuss their ideas and plan for implementation.
Presenter, Ms Sarah Day, would like to sincerely thank TFA for their support of the CPD event, including the provision of 2 travel scholarships to participants from HCMC, as well as Ms An, TFA interpreter, for the wonderful translation work that she completed to prepare all the lectures and resources for the workshop and her interpretation work during the workshop. Sarah would also like to thank Dr Cao Bich Thuy, Head of Rehabilitation Department at DUMTP, for supporting the workshop attendees outside of her university staff with necessary paperwork to attend the workshop. Dr Thuy is extremely supportive of the development of speech therapy in Da Nang and more broadly across Vietnam. TFA would like to also recognise Dr Thuy’s work in supporting her colleagues and showing exceptional leadership to promote the profession as it grows.