Jolie’s Physical Therapy Internship Experience
At Expert Rehabilitation Group in Nutley, NJ, our internship program gives students real-world exposure to patient care, rehabilitation, and hands-on physical therapy. During her time at our clinic, Jolie observed the importance of patient communication, personalized treatment, and recovery after injuries such as ACL tears. Her experience provided valuable insight into the physical and mental aspects of rehabilitation while strengthening her interest in pursuing a career in physical therapy.
What were your main takeaways from this experience?
One of my biggest takeaways from this experience was how crucial patient-to-DPT communication is in physical therapy. I saw that recovery goes beyond exercises, medical knowledge, or treatment plans, but is about building trust with patients and understanding their case-by-case needs. Watching Dr. Roger ask questions and really listen demonstrated to me how much patient engagement affects outcomes. I also saw how personalized care is, especially when working with specific groups like athletes, where small differences in movement and strain can make a big impact on recovery.
What is something new you learned?
Something new I learned was how complex injuries and recovery can be, specifically through the observation of a basketball player experiencing an ACL tear. Previously, I was under the notion that recovery was a straightforward path. However, I saw that it’s truly very non-linear and complex; setbacks occurred both physically and mentally. ACL surgeries, as I learned, take a significant amount of time to heal from and have side effects, which may make patients unwilling to go through with it even if necessary. This demonstrated to me that recovery is about rebuilding strength, confidence, and doing what is in the patient’s best overall interest. This experience made me realize how important situations and patient adaptability are in physical therapy.
Would you consider physical therapy as a career?
This experience strongly made me consider physical therapy as a potential career. I am highly interested in the idea of helping people recover and improve their quality of life in a hands-on way. Physical therapy now also appeals to me because it combines science, athletics, and working closely with patients. This internship showed me that physical therapy is a beyond meaningful path in healthcare that I would consider exploring further.