May 5 open house will inform health care students of internship opportunities at TRC
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As part of their education, college students planning to enter a health care profession are required to intern at businesses that provide services in a variety of health-related disciplines. An increasing number of students planning to enter the health care field are turning to The Resource Center for their clinical rotations and internships.
The Resource Center can accommodate people wishing to do internships in preparation for becoming many different types of practitioners: occupational therapists, certified occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and rehabilitation/vocational counselors.
To educate students about the opportunities available at The Resource Center, TRC will hold an open house Thursday, May 5, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in its Clinical Conference Room at 186 Lake Shore Drive West in Dunkirk. Health care students who attend the event will be entered into a drawing for an iPad.
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| Megan Tomassini of Jamestown, center, was the winner of an iPad at a January 9 open house hosted by TRC’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center and Article 16 Clinic on Jamestown. With Megan are Heather Brown, left, Director of Individualized Services and Article 16 Clinic Services, and Mary Shelley, Recruitment Coordinator. |
One student who interned at TRC is Desmond Drischell, who recently completed a five-week clinical rotation as part of his Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program through Villa Maria College in Buffalo. He conducted his internship at TRC’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the agency’s Michael J. Raymond Center on Jones & Gifford Avenue in Jamestown. Desmond worked under the direction of William Bowler, a physical therapist and rehabilitation clinical instructor.
This was Desmond’s third experience as an intern at The Resource Center. He also interned last year from May to August in TRC’s Day Services Program, which supports adults with developmental disabilities in learning skills of daily living, and then he spent part of his December break at the Day Services Program as well. As part of that experience, since he was working with the physical therapy staff, he also did some work in the Diagnostic and Treatment Center. As part of his recent placement, Desmond worked with a number of physical therapy patients.
While TRC’s clinical services are accessible to anyone in the community, many of the people who utilize the Diagnostic and Treatment Center are individuals with developmental disabilities who receive other types of supports from The Resource Centerg. Desmond enjoyed the opportunity to work with individuals with a wide range of physical challenges.
“I have found that working with this population has been very valuable.” said Desmond. “Many people may not think about working with people with disabilities, but once you’re in, you realize how enjoyable it is.”
“Desmond was great with the participants we serve in Day Services,” said Debbie Brown, TRC’s Director of Adult Services. “He has a calm manner that enables participants to quickly feel at ease with him and to interact and work with him during services. He was an asset in the time he was with us.”
Through his internship, Desmond has encountered a broad range of people. He works with the general public as well as those with developmental disabilities.
“I see people at all different levels, from supervisors to people who are non-verbal,” Desmond said. “It gives you a broader range of experiences. It’s never really the same thing over and over again. I try to keep patients maintained. I help them with range-of-motion and stretching exercises, as well as restorative work and muscle stimulation. I also do a lot of gait training, which helps people relearn how to walk.”
Desmond worked with the other clinicians in TRC’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center to provide patients a comprehensive experience. He says it’s valuable to have therapists from the different disciplines on site, one of the many benefits of receiving services from The Resource Center.
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| Desmond Drischell, right, assists Amanda Rice during a therapeutic session at TRC’s Jamestown Physical Therapy facility. At left is William Bowler, a TRC Physical Therapist who oversaw Desmond’s work during his internship. |
“We do work closely together,” said Desmond. “It’s nice to see what they’re doing. It’s good to have them all under one roof – it’s easier to keep an eye on how the others are doing.”
Desmond graduates in May with an associate’s degree and his certification as a PTA. He completed his internship with TRC at the end of March, then started a new internship at the Veterans Administration in Buffalo. He highly recommends that students consider interning at TRC.
“It’ll broaden their experience. You really don’t think about this type of setting as a first choice when you start out. People are hesitant to step into this arena with this population, but despite those who say they’re different, you quickly realize they (people with developmental disabilities) are not any different than we are,” Desmond concluded. “I think TRC has a lot of opportunity for the people it serves, and as part of that experience, people like me tie into it. For me it was a great experience, and it would be beneficial for anyone else looking to try it.”
Steve Riczker, TRC’s Director of Health and Health-Related Services, added that Desmond has been one of the most popular interns to recently work at The Resource Center.
“The staff have truly enjoyed working with him and have found that he has always approached his work in a professional manner,” Steve said. “We are pleased that Desmond chose The Resource Center for his experience and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
“We have developed some great relationships with colleges graduating clinical staff and find that our staff learn a great deal through the experiences they have with the interns.”
“Interns are always an exciting, fresh addition to our team, as they work with us to develop their skills in their field of study,” said Heather Brown, TRC’s Director of Article 16 Clinic services. “We welcome anyone interested in discussing internship opportunities to contact us or complete the on-line application listed on our web site under ‘student opportunities’. This is a great way for us to assist in developing the future workforce in our field, and we welcome the opportunity to share our experience and what The Resource Center can offer for their future career.”
For information about the May 5 open house, contact TRC’s Recruitment Department at 661-1557.