Introduction/Rationale: Cultural humility and global perspectives are essential competencies for occupational therapy practitioners. However, opportunities for direct cross-cultural engagement during occupational therapy education remain limited. An innovative international pen pal project was developed to address this gap by connecting occupational therapy students across three continents.
Objectives: To enhance students' cultural humility, examine occupational engagement across cultural contexts, and analyze how social participation manifests in different societies through structured peer-to-peer international exchange.
Methods/Approach: Occupational therapy students were paired internationally for a four-month structured virtual exchange program. Monthly themes guided discussions about cultural contexts, meaningful occupations, and social participation. The Pizzi Health and Wellness Assessment (PHWA) was utilized as a shared assessment tool to facilitate discussions about health and wellness perspectives across cultures. Students exchanged letters, videos, and cultural artifacts monthly surrounding a specific area identified by the researchers
Results/Practice Implications: The project fostered deep cross-cultural dialogue about occupation and participation while providing a structured framework for developing cultural humility. Using the PHWA created opportunities for students to examine how cultural contexts influence perceptions of health, wellness, and meaningful occupation. This approach demonstrates the value of integrating standardized assessments into international educational exchanges.
Conclusion/Contribution: This innovative educational model advances the profession's commitment to cultural humility and global perspectives. By combining structured peer exchange with standardized assessment tools, the project provides a replicable framework for developing culturally responsive practitioners prepared for global practice.