Lydia Weber – Physical Therapy Internship

Hello, my name is Lydia Weber, and I am a senior at Garden Spot High School. Currently, I am doing an internship at NovaCare Rehabilitation Center in New Holland PA, with my mentor, Janelle Sevilla. I have always been into fitness and bodily movement, but it wasn’t till after I finished anatomy class that my interest for becoming a Physical Therapy Assistant matured. I enjoy my time watching the therapists work with patients, along with learning what takes place in a PT clinic.

I go into my internship twice a week for 3 hours, for a total of 6 hours a week. When I get there, I first check in with Janelle and then make sure everything is cleaned and ready for the next set of patients. At the beginning of each hour, I bring patients from the waiting room back to the gym area. Then I observe Janelle or another therapist while they work with a patient through several exercises that I occasionally lead or help with. Throughout the hour I walk around and clean equipment as patients are done using it. Towards the end of the hour, I get the stimulation units ready with either a hot pack or an ice pack.

Though my duties don’t seem like much, they have allowed me to build a better understanding of what a career as a PTA involves. I was very fascinated with how much responsibility they have of recalling all their knowledge of how each part of the body works so that they can use appropriate exercises to care for their patient. My experience at this internship has helped me finalize my decision of becoming a PTA in the future. I look forward to being able to help patients with their physical needs and to build relationships with them.

Not only did this internship help my future career decisions but it also helped me grow personally. It took me out of my comfort zone, which is truly the beginning of growth. I had frequent experiences where I needed to start an impromptu conversation with a patient. It’s not something that comes easily to me, but these scenarios have helped me to grow that area of my social skills. Having the opportunity at NovaCare to interact with people and ask them questions about their lives outside of physical therapy, has made me learn so much and grown in many ways.