THE USE OF A SERVICE LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO ENHANCE CULTURAL COMPETENCE AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS. Dennise Krencicki*; Kathryn N. Oriel Developmental and Rehabilitative Sciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers University - The Graduate School Camden, Stratford, NJ UNIQUE: Physical therapy students were provided with an opportunity in which cultural competence would be fostered by the application of knowledge learned in previous coursework, while at the same time servicing a disadvantaged group of migrant farm workers and their children. PURPOSE: The purpose of the project was to engage students in a service activity where cultural competence would be fostered. The screening of migrant farm workers and their children was developed as an innovative means to teach physical therapy screening procedures in a diverse cultural environment, while also providing a service to the community. FOUNDATION: Several approaches to the development of cultural competence have been cited in the literature, although there is no definitive answer as to which is the most successful in developing these competencies in students. The use of situational experiences such as our migrant project is among those educational experiences used in the literature. This project allows students to utilize specific screening techniques in the physical therapy realm and apply them to a specific cultural population. DESCRIPTION: Physical therapy students took part in a structured screening of both migrant farm workers and their children. The migrant farm workers were screened for cumulative trauma disorders and spinal abnormalities. The children of migrant farm workers were screened for developmental delays using either the Denver II or the Modified Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. Older children were also screened for scoliosis. Through the performance of these screenings, the physical therapy students were able to apply examination techniques in a real world setting, integrating academic content taught in musculoskeletal and neurological physical therapy curricula. Personal interactions throughout the experience offered an opportunity for students to acquire skills in dealing with clients who were predominantly non-English speaking with unique lifestyle issues. OBSERVATIONS: The physical therapy students, throughout the service learning engagement, appeared to acquire the ability to adapt their approach to examination with clients who were non-English speaking. The feedback about the service activity was overwhelmingly positive from students. The students involved reported that they enjoyed the practical application of their coursework, and felt that they were better prepared to enter clinical settings as a result of the experience. The students also expressed a greater understanding of the needs of migrant farm workers and their children. CONCLUSIONS: Through this structured service learning engagement, students were provided with a meaningful opportunity to enhance their cultural competence, while also applying curricular content learned prior to the experience. FUNDING SOURCE: None KEYWORDS: service learning, migrant farm worker, cultural competence Copyright 2009 by the American Physical Therapy Association. Requests for reprints should be directed to the corresponding author of the article. Educators, students, and other academic customers may receive permission to reprint copyrighted material from Physical Therapy (ISSN 1538-6724) by contacting the Copyright Clearance Center Inc, 222 Rosewood Dr, Danvers, MA 01923. Other types of customers who want permission to reprint should contact the APTA Editorial Office, Attn: Physical Therapy.