Weekly Reflection 1

This week at Boston Mass. General Sports Medicine Clinic opened my eyes to new experiences and knowledge. I went to Boston on my first day thinking that I would be seeing a lot of athletic training practice. However, it is primarily a physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic. I have always thought that I only want to be an athletic trainer but after a week of seeing what a P.T does I realized I could be just as happy as a P.T as well. I like everything that goes on in the clinic. Everybody is so friendly and professional, and fun and enthusiastic as well. Although it may not look like it, I really do enjoy observing an ultra-sound, or a round of stim. on somebody’s quad. It it helpful seeing the exercises for an ACL tear over and over again because that is how it really sticks in my mind. I have also really loved chatting with the athletic trainers that are around about their every day life as an athletic trainer. It seems as though many athletic trainer’s start as just athletic trainers but eventually incorporate another job that has to do with P.T in their life. I have been told that it is very smart to take as many P.T courses while studying to be an athletic trainer because it will help me get a better job, and easier. I am not allowed to physically do much while I am in the clinic. I was not expecting to be able to because of liability reasons and I am simply just not certified to. Besides it being primarily P.T, everything is pretty much what I expected it to be. My sponsor, J.R, is so cooperative about me shadowing him. I feel annoying sometimes just following him but he is always teaching me new things and I am so grateful to be able to shadow him. Some highlights of the week were definitely meeting and talking with Marco Strum from the Bruins. If anything this week was surprising, it would be how nonchalant it is to have a professional athlete in the room. Before my experience at the clinic I thought I would get butterflies and be very nervous/ excited to be around a professional but when it actually happened it was just as normal as an ordinary patient. I will benefit from this week by having more of an understanding to the every day life of a physical therapist. I now know more of the daily routine and do not feel as new as I did the first couple days. I am excited to learn more this week and continue to expand my knowledge on athletic training and physical therapy to help me in my career. I am very happy with my senior project choice and would not wish to do anything else.