Kayla Kinney

PSY 394

Professor Johnson

Summary/Reflection

During these past four months I have not only learned about Physical, Occupational &
Speech therapy, but also a generous amount about myself. This Spring 2019 semester I interned
at Unified Therapy Services in Dubuque, IA. I was a rehab assistant intern at the pediatric clinic,
whose clients consist of those that suffer from mental, physical, behavioral or speech challenges.
I volunteered at UTS two days a week (Monday & Thursday) for an average of 8 hours a week.
My responsibilities were specifically focused on maintaining the cleanliness of the clinic and
insuring that the appointments run on schedule.

Each day I worked at the clinic I first reported to my desk and checked my daily to-do
list. It typically consisted of cleaning a certain group of toys, cleaning up food school, prepping
different therapy sessions or completing handy jobs around the office. On top of these things,
every 40 minutes I had to spray and wipe down rooms to prepare for the next sessions. Although
I was responsible for a great amount of cleaning and errands around the clinic, my supervisor
always made sure to schedule me for observation hours. For a session every Monday and
Thursday I was able to observe a 40-minute occupational therapy session, interact with the child
and ask any questions that I had to the therapist. During these observation times I learned
different techniques therapists use to maintain the child’s focus while effectively addressing their
challenges. Aside from my duties and observing, I learned what it takes to keep a clinic in
business. Everyone has an important and specific goal for the clinic, even myself as an intern.
From scheduling at the front desk to reviewing insurance billing, I got to explore every aspect of
this health care field. This internship has exposed OT to me in a more holistic viewpoint. For
example, a child most likely is going to more than one type of therapy. Secondly, therapists need
to be flexible and able to change on the fly; the therapist must be able to work with whatever
mood the child is experiencing in order to effectively treat him/her. Lastly, the process of
cleaning is the most important part of a clinic; cleaning can make or break the timeliness of
appointments. Just as one client gets sick, every other child, parent or therapist becomes exposed
to that illness.

Gaining professional experience within this field was the most important part of this
process. I did not intend to create relationships or discover more about myself, but I did. I
discovered that I am hardworking, caring and driven to create better experiences for individuals.
I also learned that I am timid, quiet and take rather long to be my comfortable self (something I
need to improve). Overall, the experiences that I have learned from this internship will stay with
me forever. Now I have a better idea of what it takes to be successful in the field of Occupational
Therapy and I’m looking forward to taking it head on. The community of therapists are working
together to insure the success of every child. From a doctor’s referral to approval of insurance
and all the way down to the session itself, this process is complex. Although overwhelming at
times, this internship has confirmed my interest in my future of OT. This opportunity has been
more than expected for in the Summer of 2019 I will be accepting the full time Rehab Assistant
position.