An Academic–Community Partnership: A Faculty-Student Collaborative Occupational Therapy Clinic for Health Equity and Experiential Learning

Authors

• Jennifer Martin, Texas Woman's UniversityFollow
• Nancy Saucedo, Texas Woman's UniversityFollow
• Jazmine Jacobo, Texas Woman's UniversityFollow
• Monica Gendy, Texas Woman's UniversityFollow
• David John, Texas Woman's UniversityFollow
• Yolanda Escalante, The Agape ClinicFollow

Abstract

Purpose: This descriptive report outlines the development and operation of a faculty–student collaborative occupational therapy (OT) clinic embedded in a community-based primary care setting serving uninsured individuals. The clinic’s dual mission is (1) to reduce disparities in access to OT services and (2) to serve as an educational model for developing student competence, cultural humility, and advocacy skills. Description: Established in 2019 and relaunched in 2023, the clinic operates one day per week, providing consultative OT services primarily for musculoskeletal conditions, with additional referrals for neurological and systemic issues. Over two academic years, the clinic delivered 229 service hours across 202 patient visits, while engaging Level I fieldwork and capstone students in patient interviews, documentation, culturally responsive communication, and program development. Students practiced trust-building strategies, adapted education for low health literacy, and contributed to bilingual and telehealth initiatives. Lessons Learned: Key implications include the importance of culturally responsive engagement, the value of immersive experiences for student learning, and the need for sustainable outcomes tracking. A trial of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) demonstrated the utility of patient-identified outcomes but revealed challenges in consistent implementation. Future plans include embedding standardized outcome measures to support quality improvement, program sustainability, and workforce development. Conclusions: Integrating culturally responsive service delivery with experiential student learning offers a replicable teaching model for allied health education. This faculty-student collaborative clinic describes how equity-focused practice and immersive education can prepare future practitioners for advocacy-driven care in underserved communities.

Author Bio(s)

Jennifer Martin OTD, OTR, CHT, CLT, is a board-certified licensed occupational therapist and an Associate Clinical Professor at Texas Woman's University in the School of Occupational Therapy in Dallas, TX.

Nancy Saucedo OTD, OTR, is a board-certified licensed occupational therapist. She is a recent graduate from Texas Woman's University in Dallas, TX.

Jazmine Jacobo BS, OTS, Monica Gendy BS, OTS, and David John BS, OTS are all second year occupational therapy students at Texas Woman's University in Dallas, TX.

Yolanda Escalante, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is an advanced practice registered nurse, certified family nurse practitioner, and director of medical clinic operations at The Agape Clinic.

Recommended Citation

Martin J, Saucedo N, Jacobo J, Gendy M, John D, Escalante Y. An Academic–Community Partnership: A Faculty-Student Collaborative Occupational Therapy Clinic for Health Equity and Experiential Learning. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2026 Jun 01;24(2), Article 2.