International professional experience is invaluable for developing job-ready allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech pathologists, says Dr Michael Curtin from Charles Sturt University (CSU). On Wednesday 28 October, Dr Curtin, the coordinator of the CSU occupational therapy degree offered through the School of Community Health will discuss the benefits and challenges of undertaking overseas clinical placements to third-year students as part of the final year in their degrees in 2010. He will be joined by current final-year students who this year completed five to six week placements in Trung Tâm Bảo Trợ Trẻ Tàn Tật Mồ Côi Thị Nghè (Thị Nghè Orphanage) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. “There is no doubt that working at the orphanage challenges the students, and the skills they learn are useful in their professional and personal lives,” said Dr Curtin.