The Impact of a Student Clinical Internship

By Dustin Rex, PT, DPT, MS, CEEAA, DOR, Cedar Pointe Health and Wellness Center, Cedar Park, TX
We love hosting students across all disciplines for so many reasons — most significantly, students are able to shake up our routine, expose us to the cutting edge of our profession, and bring us back outside the box, where we are able to make the most difference for our residents.

We have recently hosted Chelsea Basilio, SPT, through the University of St. Augustine, Texas. Chelsea will be completing her internship in early April. As a part of the process, most students complete an in-service or project. Chelsea met with Brooke Brown, PT, DPT, and me about her project and what she specifically wanted to accomplish. She identified the need, created from scratch a tool that is comprehensive yet succinct, and composed it in a manner that is visually appealing for patients, families, and staff. It is a great training guide that reflects the essentials of transfer training (safety and function) and reveals the innate talents Chelsea possesses for problem solving and initiative.

Chelsea initially presented to our Rehab team and then also presented to our entire staff during our weekly IDT huddles. She helped create laminated copies for education and training along with hard copies for distribution to patients, families and caregivers.

Chelsea’s work was well-received by everyone and rightfully so. We are grateful for her time and contributions at Cedar Pointe and are similarly grateful for our university partners that continue to excel in training the next generation of clinicians.