As my internship comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on everything I’ve experienced, learned, and discovered about myself throughout this journey. These last few weeks especially gave me a deeper appreciation for the different areas of rehabilitation and patient care.
I also worked with a post-stroke patient, which really confirmed my interest in neurological rehab. The physical therapist asked me to analyze the patient’s gait, and I noticed ankle inversion along with hip and knee weakness. Then I was asked from my perspective what exercises I would recommend; eversion and hip-strengthening exercises. Some days focused more on technical skills like learning hip, ankle, and thumb manipulations, documentation/charting, and how insurance processes work. I even spent time at the front desk seeing how scheduling and patient intake happen. It reminded me how many moving pieces exist behind the scenes to support patient care; everyone works together to have a good flow. I had the chance to shadow both speech pathology and occupational therapy as well. Observing a speech pathologist's work opened my eyes to communication therapy strategies, I learned they also work with brain injuries and swallowing disorders which was something I hadn’t realized before. Shadowing occupational therapy gave me insight into wrist anatomy, hand pressure points, stretches, and specialized equipment they use to help patients regain function.
One of the most memorable experiences was learning how to properly walk with crutches and then teaching someone else how to do it. Seeing both perspectives of being a learner and a teacher helped me understand the importance of clear communication and patience in rehab settings. I noted the importance of building trusting relationships, doing weight bearing exercises can be scary post-surgey but having the support of your physical therapist helps!
Throughout the internship, I observed a wide variety of rehab situations: balance work for knee hypersensitivity, post-neck surgery recovery, posture correction through lower trapezius strengthening, band walking adjustments for muscle targeting, hip traction techniques, and even practicing range-of-motion assessments. I performed the exercises to find different adjustments per patient. Each experience added another layer to my understanding of patient rehabilitation.
I am incredibly grateful for this internship. It confirmed that physical therapy is truly what I want to pursue while also helping me refine the setting I see myself in. I realized I’m much more drawn to rehabilitation centers, especially helping patients relearn how to walk and regain independence after major health events. My coursework, especially anatomy and research-based classes, definitely helped prepare me, but this experience showed me there is always more to learn. I plan to keep strengthening my anatomy knowledge and clinical understanding as I move forward. This internship did not just give me clinical exposure, it gave me clarity, confidence, and motivation for my future career path.