Two students from Argentina, Rosario and Giuliana, of the licentiateship of Music Therapy of the University of Buenos Aires, are currently in their second year. They serve as co-therapists in the extension programme named “Clinical Music Therapy” in the public hospital, “Hospital de Agudos Dr. Teodoro Alvarez.” This extension programme belongs to the class Music Therapy II, under the supervision of Music therapist Lic. Karina Ferrari. It started in the year 2007, and it serves the purpose of integrating teaching, investigation and extension, meaning that it gives students the opportunity to have clinical experience in the field for their future work and also to contribute to their thesis when they reach the end of their studies. The extension programmes of the University of Buenos Aires also aim to respond to a social need of the community, using knowledge gained from university education to help vulnerable sectors providing free therapeutic assistance. Music therapy work will be carried out with the theoretical framework of the Plurimodal Approach. The different sectors within the hospital in which Music therapy sessions take place include admissions, diagnoses for individuals, and group treatments for children, teens, and adults in: Mental Health (addictions, day hospital, outpatient clinics, early internment room), Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Trauma & Orthopaedics, Neurology & Otolaryngology, and Medical Clinic for men and women.Having the opportunity to work as co-therapists has been a truly rich experience for both of us since it allowed us to have a close encounter with clinical music therapy and the different aspects of actual practice without having reached the internships phase of our studies (which would be the fifth year). Likewise, during our time in the extension programme, we were able to answer many questions we had regarding the practice of music therapy ever since we chose this career path. We felt we also had many prejudices regarding music therapy because of how little it is yet known in the general public, but these very soon went away when we experienced firsthand all that it can do. We now have a very different notion of health and healthcare; we’ve experienced how we can, through music therapy, create health spaces and how we can implement methods and techniques to improve quality of life.There are different approaches in each sector. For example, In Obstetrics we implement the “mother song” in which we try to establish a bond between mother and child, encouraging the use of the singing voice. Also, preventative discussions are carried out in the waiting room, promoting our work and also offering an antepartum workshop. In the Medical Clinic, we work either in individual or group sessions with patients after a referral from the medical staff to the music therapy team. We focus on different aspects of physical or psychological rehabilitation, alongside medical interventions, seeking stimulation of cognitive functions and emotional support to improve the quality of life of the patients we serve.Giuliana – In my experience as a co-therapist, I felt I’m now immersed in the actual meaning of music therapy, and it ensured that I continue to study music therapy. I have also asked myself many questions, and through these I’ve been able to inspect and reflect upon these doubts and matters. Having participated in several different sectors of the hospital has also opened new interesting paths for me, mainly obstetrics and pediatrics where I’m currently participating in giving informative and preventive talks to mothers about our work. We conduct surveys, investigations, etc. in the presence of a licensed music therapist, who gives us enough wiggle room to make little mistakes and be able to correct these, so that we can view a different perspective. Furthermore, participating in the extension programme together with the university courses makes it easier to complement and integrate these two - that is to say, the practice and the theory. That is why I believe it’s a necessity that all students and future professionals should go through this experience to better our professional skills without losing sight of our main aim, of course, Health.Rosario – In my particular case, working in the medical clinic is an experience I never imagined I could have. Before this I never knew music therapy could be in such an area. So, having the opportunity to be able to challenge firsthand this very common misconception, gave a 180° turning point to what I expected this profession to be. It wiped out all of the wrong impressions and misconceptions I had. It allowed me to rethink the practice of it and the different fields it can have. Also, it allowed me to rethink the different challenges each of these fields have and the determination with which we should confront them, to open up new paths and generate new instances of awareness about the benefits of our work.Finding myself in a hospital, also made me understand the responsibility implied in carrying on with our labour. Since very often we find ourselves in very difficult and tough situations we have to process to move on - even more so when it’s our first encounter with the actual work in our discipline. This presents itself constantly as a personal challenge, having to face pain and, very often, death. I believe this helps us appreciate and understand the effects of our work in the people we assist, it makes me stronger each day and gives me courage and determination to say this is the profession I chose for me.Information provided by Paula Gómez Carrillo, WFMT Student Delegate for Latin America
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