Day 2 in Gent!!

We definitely didn’t let the jet lag slow us down! Day 2 in Belgium started off bright and early with us traveling to the UZ Gent Hospital to meet with two lovely speech-language pathologists that work in pediatric rehabilitation there along with their university intern. The pediatric rebab section of the facility focuses specifically on care for children (0-16) with acquired brain injuries—such as those caused by vehicular accidents, brain tumors, etc. The therapists initially start their care through observation and short evaluations while the child is in acute care before transitioning them into the ambulatory care area. We learned that the facility relies heavily on a multidisciplinary approach to care, so the SLPs often collaborate with other professionals like occupational therapists, physical therapists, and psychologists to provide maximal support to their patients. Their main goal is to create a functional and natural environment for their clients, ensuring that they feel as comfortable as possible in order to promote their engagement. This could be through providing therapy outside of the clinic at aquatic sessions with dolphins, during cooking sessions, or in a traditional one-on-one care model. It was incredibly interesting to hear more about what pediatric care looks like in Belgium.

Additionally, when speaking with the university student, we discovered that the model for schooling is very different in Belgium and the United States. For those who may not know, in the U.S. you must first complete a four-year Bachelor’s program and two-year Master’s program in Speech Pathology. Whenever you complete your graduate degree, you must then pass the national praxis exam and finish a nine to twelve month clinical fellowship (think a doctor’s residency program where a new clinician works under a more seasoned SLP for guidance) before you can become a fully licensed SLP. In Belgium, their model is entirely different as they attend university for five years (3 years like undergraduate, 2 years like graduate) where they do clinical internships, and when they are done, they become fully licensed clinicians. This approach seems to be more straightforward. However, I can’t argue how beneficial the clinical fellowship year is as a new SLP in the field. It’s always great to have people to consult!

We were also able to do some sightseeing around the city this afternoon when we went on a group scavenger hunt. I was in awe of the art and architecture found in nearly every building. We visited several cathedrals, a bridge, and the grocery store (Can you believe that almost a liter water bottle was only 0,98€?!). After trying some Belgian waffles and Gent noses, we headed back to the hotel to meet for supper. We rounded the day out at ’T Vosken where we all had our fill of wonderful food. If I were to go into detail, I wouldn’t stop typing, so let me be brief and say that it was fantastic. I think I’ll be talking about the food for years to come! All in all, our second day here in Gent was amazing, and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.