Name: Erica

Year: Senior

Major/Minor: Psychology/Legal Studies

CFS Concentration: Field Studies in Public Health

The internship search process was made especially easy with the help of CFS staff. They connected me with a former CFS student who was pursuing a career in my area of interest. Through this connection I received an interview and was offered an internship at an outpatient physical therapy facility. I was concerned about the limitations as an intern in a health-related facility, however, after speaking with my future supervisor I decided the experience at this outpatient facility would be fitting for the experience and exposure I desired. From this internship, I have learned to (1) better interact with patients of various ages and exercise experiences and (2) become more comfortable understanding PT research concerning injuries and the effectiveness of treatments. Also, I gained exposure to various administrative components of an outpatient clinic, especially insurance and the challenges and limitations it offers.

I enrolled in the public health concentration and specifically the course focusing on gender and sexuality in the workplace. I chose this course over the public health course without a gender and sexuality focus because it was held at a time that best fit my schedule. Now having almost completed the course, I am glad that I chose this course. With topics such as reproduction, LGBTQ health and sex and gender-based violence I was not sure how this course would relate to the experience and exposure I was gaining at the physical therapy facility, however, this course has forced me to evaluate my experiences from a perspective that I would have not considered otherwise. Overall, I am happy with my internship choice in conjunction with the classroom experience.