Dr. Monica Mendez

My experience as a physical therapy student, clinician, and educator in Mexico and the United States has defined how I impact our future clinicians. The commonalities in critical healthcare issues are evident not only in our home country but globally. The lack of access to healthcare is a worldwide issue and awareness becomes the first step in bridging the gaps to access. Allowing opportunities for students to experience the limitations of healthcare access firsthand will mold service-centered global citizens. As an educator, I strive to facilitate student practices across borders and with those who are first-generation immigrants. It is my duty to emphasize the barriers such as language, economic status, and lack of knowledge that we can improve. With lived experiences, students learn there are more cross-cultural similarities than differences and it is our duty as global citizens to ease access to healthcare.