Sixth-semester students from the Speech-Language Pathology program at Fundación Universitaria María Cano, Neiva campus, under the guidance of Professor Mercedes Elena Fernández Castellar, carried out an academic activity focused on swallowing assessments, as part of the Oral-Pharyngeal Function course. The session took place at the San Francisco de Asís Community Dining Hall in Comuna 3, led by Sister María Isabel Rodríguez Arias. The purpose of the activity was to apply two swallowing tests to the elderly population attending the institution, aiming to identify possible alterations in the swallowing process.
This activity allowed students to strengthen their clinical competencies while also highlighting the importance of the speech-language pathologist’s role in addressing oral-pharyngeal functions, thereby contributing to the well-being and quality of life of older adults.
Community engagement is fundamental to María Cano’s educational mission. These experiences enable students to better understand professional dynamics through fieldwork, bridging theoretical approaches presented by instructors with practical application, and humanizing knowledge by deepening the understanding of how academic learning translates into real-world practice.