Beyond Borders, Beneath Words: Using Natural Language Processing to Map Student Reflections on International Service Learning to Physical Therapy Values.

Summary: Physical therapy students often travel abroad to provide care in underserved communities, a practice known as International Service Learning. While educators know these trips are impactful, measuring exactly what students learn from them can be difficult without reading thousands of pages of journals. In this study, researchers used Artificial Intelligence—specifically Natural Language Processing—to analyze over 800 reflection notes written by students working in Mexico. The AI successfully identified that students weren't just learning clinical skills; they were deeply engaging with core professional values. The analysis showed that students focused heavily on "Excellence," "Integrity," and "Compassion," especially when writing about cultural differences. This proves that AI can be a powerful tool for educators to "read between the lines" and confirm that students are developing the heart of a healer alongside their hands-on skills.