Animas High School currently offers a unique program to each junior class. Leading Internships for New Knowledge (or LINK) sends juniors on three week internships in the field of their choice. During LINK, students have no regular classes as they spend 30-40 hours a week with mentors in the workplace, learning how to apply their skills outside the classroom. Have any questions? For more information, visit
ahsinternships.weebly.com. |
As a part of LINK internship I chose to spend my time at the local hospital, Mercy Regional Medical Center, where I would be inside of the out-patient physical therapy clinic. This clinic, unlike the in-patient clinic, deals with both surgery recovery patients and non surgery patients as well. The clinic is one of three in the greater Durango area, all started by a fellow Animas student's father. Mercy integrated physical therapy gives patients an opportunity to experience a modernized form of physical therapy, which includes newer and more refined healing techniques.
Finding my internship was a fairly simple task. At the beginning of the year, and when LINK was just starting to enter my mind, I had remembered that one of my music teachers at the Stillwater Music Foundation had talked about working as a physical therapist. Clay Lowder taught (and still teaches) drums at Stillwater, and so when January arrived I gave him a call. I was unsure as to what his response would be, or whether or not the clinic wanted high school students participating in their practice, yet he was enthusiastic about the prospect. By far the biggest challenge was dealing with Centura Health, the owners of Mercy Hospital and hospitals around the country. By applying as an intern, I had to jump through the same hoops as someone entering medical residency or as a college student. I had filled out the paperwork that I thought I needed, yet several days before the internship started I was told that I had to take a TB (tuberculosis) test, and fill out several more sheets of paperwork. It was last minute, but it worked out in the end. I chose physical therapy because of my interest in the human body and anatomy, while also wanting to apply it towards helping those in need. With my application of this knowledge I know that not a day will be wasted. This experience will hopefully solidify my belief that physical therapy is a job in which I could thrive in. Although I wont be able to bring much content to the clinic, I know that an open mind and a willingness to learn will be greatly appreciated. After hearing the stories of past students and their nonstop cellphone use, I want to ensure my complete and total concentration and respect. By the time this internship is over, I hope to have them feel assured that the future of physical therapy is in the hands of a generation that cares and is continuously asking questions. This experience should benefit both my mentor and myself, and if I can help him to process his knowledge and pass it on to me, then the situation is ultimately a win-win.
By far the skill most used throughout my LINK internship, and the most useful skill I possess, is my ability to interact with others. Throughout my internship Clay had me working with patients using modalities, or forms of therapy that do not require the therapists hands. Ultrasound treatment would last 8 minutes, and during that time each patient and I would engage in different conversations. It became apparent that the importance of patient - therapist relationships were high, and that by having a patient open up to you it would be infinitely easier to help treat them. Memorization is something that I have always struggled with, and it was pertinent that in the first week of my internship that I memorized common physical therapy (PT) terms in order to understand and better comprehend what my mentor and his colleagues were saying. The first week was challenging in the sense that I had spent half of each day memorizing certain areas of the body and the terms used by physical therapists. This is not a bad thing, as I now feel confident in basic PT terms. Not only this, but because of my ability to memorize the terms and areas of the body while also staying engaged and alert, I was offered a job working at the clinic next summer. My challenges within the first week paid off, and will help me to knock volunteer hours off of those required by physical therapy schools. I was able to become my mentor's personal assistant, and helped him setup modalities and run patients through exercises, which saved him time in which he could spend writing the assessments and reports. While helping his patients carry out their exercises, this also awarded more time for other patients, as the schedule was often tight and would overlap. If any high school student from Animas High School was to intern with the clinic again, I am positive that they would be welcome. If the student brought the same enthusiasm to the table that I did, I have no doubt that they would learn as much, if not more, than I. And so what comes next? As I stated before, the clinic has asked me to come work as a tech next summer. This is the first step towards getting into a college, and using my fours years to take pre-physical therapy classes will then prepare me for the physical therapy graduate program. Continuing my interest in the human body and it's function, next year will be the first step in many. The journey started with LINK, and wont be ending for quite some time.
Finding my internship was a fairly simple task. At the beginning of the year, and when LINK was just starting to enter my mind, I had remembered that one of my music teachers at the Stillwater Music Foundation had talked about working as a physical therapist. Clay Lowder taught (and still teaches) drums at Stillwater, and so when January arrived I gave him a call. I was unsure as to what his response would be, or whether or not the clinic wanted high school students participating in their practice, yet he was enthusiastic about the prospect. By far the biggest challenge was dealing with Centura Health, the owners of Mercy Hospital and hospitals around the country. By applying as an intern, I had to jump through the same hoops as someone entering medical residency or as a college student. I had filled out the paperwork that I thought I needed, yet several days before the internship started I was told that I had to take a TB (tuberculosis) test, and fill out several more sheets of paperwork. It was last minute, but it worked out in the end. I chose physical therapy because of my interest in the human body and anatomy, while also wanting to apply it towards helping those in need. With my application of this knowledge I know that not a day will be wasted. This experience will hopefully solidify my belief that physical therapy is a job in which I could thrive in. Although I wont be able to bring much content to the clinic, I know that an open mind and a willingness to learn will be greatly appreciated. After hearing the stories of past students and their nonstop cellphone use, I want to ensure my complete and total concentration and respect. By the time this internship is over, I hope to have them feel assured that the future of physical therapy is in the hands of a generation that cares and is continuously asking questions. This experience should benefit both my mentor and myself, and if I can help him to process his knowledge and pass it on to me, then the situation is ultimately a win-win.
By far the skill most used throughout my LINK internship, and the most useful skill I possess, is my ability to interact with others. Throughout my internship Clay had me working with patients using modalities, or forms of therapy that do not require the therapists hands. Ultrasound treatment would last 8 minutes, and during that time each patient and I would engage in different conversations. It became apparent that the importance of patient - therapist relationships were high, and that by having a patient open up to you it would be infinitely easier to help treat them. Memorization is something that I have always struggled with, and it was pertinent that in the first week of my internship that I memorized common physical therapy (PT) terms in order to understand and better comprehend what my mentor and his colleagues were saying. The first week was challenging in the sense that I had spent half of each day memorizing certain areas of the body and the terms used by physical therapists. This is not a bad thing, as I now feel confident in basic PT terms. Not only this, but because of my ability to memorize the terms and areas of the body while also staying engaged and alert, I was offered a job working at the clinic next summer. My challenges within the first week paid off, and will help me to knock volunteer hours off of those required by physical therapy schools. I was able to become my mentor's personal assistant, and helped him setup modalities and run patients through exercises, which saved him time in which he could spend writing the assessments and reports. While helping his patients carry out their exercises, this also awarded more time for other patients, as the schedule was often tight and would overlap. If any high school student from Animas High School was to intern with the clinic again, I am positive that they would be welcome. If the student brought the same enthusiasm to the table that I did, I have no doubt that they would learn as much, if not more, than I. And so what comes next? As I stated before, the clinic has asked me to come work as a tech next summer. This is the first step towards getting into a college, and using my fours years to take pre-physical therapy classes will then prepare me for the physical therapy graduate program. Continuing my interest in the human body and it's function, next year will be the first step in many. The journey started with LINK, and wont be ending for quite some time.