Can undergraduate interns be a benefit to your practice?

Most physical therapy practices are familiar with having student interns from physical therapy schools across the country.  That is a well-known industry standard.  But most PT practice owners and therapists don’t realize that more and more undergraduate programs are now starting to require longer-term internships for most healthcare majors.  And I think this is a great idea!

When I was in undergraduate school at Florida State University, I switched majors so many times I can’t even keep track.  The main reason for this was that I couldn’t picture myself doing the same old thing for 40-50 years in the workforce.  The summer between my sophomore and junior year, I had the great opportunity of interning at a local physical therapy practice near my hometown in Long Island, New York.  This was pivotal for me as a student to get first-hand experience and really see the day-to-day of what being a physical therapist entailed.  Over the course of the next 2 summers, I was able to solidify my love for the physical therapy profession because of the experience I had in this practice.  

I’m excited to see the more and more healthcare undergraduate programs are requiring students to take on an internship in their area of interest.  What better way for them to know if they are pursuing a field they will love?!