Lejla Hamzic – Physical Therapy Internship

Hello! My name is Lejla Hamzic and I am a senior at Garden Spot High School. This semester, I have had the insightful opportunity to complete an internship at a NovaCare Rehabilitation Center in New Holland, PA. My mentor is Janelle Sevilla, a graduate of Lehigh Carbon Community College with an associate’s degree in physical therapy (PTA). The NovaCare clinic is fairly large with about 5-6 other physical therapists and the tech all there at the same time, every day. I am very fortunate to have been able to get this internship and work with the various physical therapists and engaging patients, broadening my knowledge of the physical therapy world every single day.

In the world of physical therapy and rehabilitation, you see different kinds of patients with different types of injuries daily. My daily routine at the clinic allows me to absorb the environment and knowledge from my mentor and other physical therapists while completing my duties. I go to my internship 3 days a week, varying between 2 to 2.5 hours, for a total of about 6.5 hours a week. When I first arrive, I check in with Janelle and then take a walk around the clinic to see if there is anything to be cleaned up or organized. At the beginning of each hour, I bring patients back from the waiting room into the gym area and guide them on where to begin. After a patient’s appointment, I clean their room which includes wiping down the table and changing the pillowcases. In addition to that, I also wipe down any equipment that a patient uses. This allows for every physical therapist in the clinic to smoothly move on to their next set of patients and not have to worry about cleaning, so they can provide their patients with the best treatment. Also, when Janelle is busy juggling 2-3 patients, she has me instruct a patient on how to do an exercise. I grab any equipment, such as TheraBand, free and ankle weights, and show them what to do to continue their program. While I do this, I stay with the patient and engage in conversation with them until Janelle is ready. Even though I do not have my PT license, which means I am unable to physically touch patients, there are still many things I can do. Towards the end of the hour, I go around and ask the physical therapists if they are in need of modalities. If so, I assist by preparing ice or heat packs, along with HWave electrical STIM pads. Though I am fortunate enough to have been given so many hands-on opportunities, I also do a great deal of observation to watch how physical therapists interact with patients and complete manual work on them. A majority of the job involves one-on-one work with a patient, so learning and observing how to do so is crucial to success. Not only do I complete the traditional duties of a physical therapy intern, but I also work closely with the physical therapy technician, Twila. She has shown me the clerical work around a physical therapy clinic. Almost every day, I complete PROs, which are used for patient re-evaluations. In addition to this, I complete paperwork for job screens, make copies of packets, and do any other tasks that need to be completed. Everything I do and observe during my internship shapes my career path and gives me raw insight into the field of Physical Therapy.

From my time at this internship, I have grown greatly as a person and learned many valuable lessons. Though I already have the basis of social skills, since physical therapy is such a social career, there is always room for growth. By spending so much time in a clinical setting, I am able to absorb how to make conversations with patients and develop relationships with them. Not only have I developed my conversational skills, but also my listening abilities. While Janelle or another physical therapist is talking to a patient about their personal life, I make sure to listen closely so I have something to talk about with them later. In fact, one patient actually showed me how they and their dog match bandanas and t-shirts! It is small moments like that which assure me I am bonding well with patients. Additionally, a key part I am lucky to have caught on with is empathy and motivation. Not every day will every patient be at their highest energy level and low pain level, so it is crucial as a physical therapist to constantly be motivating patients, no matter what. In hand with that, it is important not to devalue or ignore patient concerns. Even if you think you are being over the top, the patient will always appreciate the kind words and soft care. A physical therapist should be someone with a caring attitude and a willingness to work with all kinds of people. I have comprehended many valuable points for success in physical therapy and will continue to implement them throughout my journey.

Since this is my second physical therapy internship, I already knew I wanted to pursue a career in physical therapy. I am thankful to have been able to experience a different clinical setting and get a feel for how other clinics run. From the start, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in this field after being a patient myself and experiencing first-hand what physical therapists do. This internship has shown me the ins and outs of the field! In means of post-graduation, I will be attending Slippery Rock University to major in exercise science and hopefully pursue my Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT). In all, my internship experience at NovaCare has me forever grateful to have been guided by such wonderful staff, giving me confidence in my educational and career path!