The internship consisted of 180 hours split between 3 different facility locations, with most of the time spent at the Seneca location. During the internship the intern observed various therapists, interacted with patients, assisted as a clinical aide, and had opportunities to participate in initial patient evaluations, dry needling training, and learn from a graduate student. The internship confirmed the intern's interest in pursuing physical therapy and provided valuable experiential learning.

1. Excel Rehab and Sports
PhysicalTherapy
Internship
Lindsay Burton

2. Introduction
 During the summer between my
junior and senior year at Clemson
University, I was fortunate
enough to complete an internship
of 180 hours at Excel Rehab and
Sports.This internship provided
the opportunity to obtain many
hours of observation, a chance to
interact and learn from the
therapists and patients, and
confirmation that this is the field
that I wish to pursue.

3. Excel Facilities
 Excel Rehab and Sports has 3 locations in the area. Each of the
facilities seem to draw a different population
 Seneca
 Patients mainly consisting of an older population
 Easley
 Majority of the patients are of the working class or high school students
 Clemson
 Patient base includes a large amount of college students/athletes and
university faculty
 I had the opportunity to intern at the newest of the three facilities
located in Seneca
 This outpatient clinic consists of physical, occupational, and hand
therapy

4. Site location
Located in Seneca, SC
Off of Highway 123 on North Radio Station Rd

5. Mission Statement
“Patients and their families know
quality care when they experience it.
It’s a result of great people and skills,
and Excel has both…There is a
difference.”

6. Goals of Excel
 Provide quality care to patients in order to reach both the
goals of the therapists and the patient
 Educate patients so they are able to complete their home
exercise program in order to continue their progress
 To be flexible and accommodating to help as many people as
possible
 Keep up with their continued education to ensure the best
treatment for their patients
 Create a professional and enjoyable environment

7. Roles and Duties
• Observing and absorbing as much knowledge as possible
• Interacting with patients
• Assisting with PT aide responsibilities

8. Observation and Interaction
 Although there are legal issues prohibiting students from
taking patients through exercises, it was vital to still learn
everything I could from observing the work of the therapists
 Asking about initial diagnosis of the patient
 Following up with the plan of care to address the condition
 Inquiring about the purpose of exercises
 Interaction with patients
 Talking with patients about their history, injuries, and goals
provided a perspective that can not be taught otherwise
 Learning what cues patients respond to and different
mechanisms of explanation

9. Clinical Aide Duties
 Bringing back patients and getting them started on warm-up
equipment
 Includes: NuStep, SciFit, treadmill, elliptical, and stationary bike.
This machine, the NuStep,
provides a warm-up for patients
that focuses on extension.
The SciFit bike allows the patient to
complete their warm-up while
emphasizing leg flexion.

10. Clinical Aide Duties
• Wiping down equipment
and tables after use
• Retrieving and setting up
ice packs and heat packs
for patients
• Ice packs are mainly used after
the completion of the exercises in
order to reduce inflammation
• Heat is often used either before
or after visits in order to relax and
reduce tension in the injured area

11. Clinical Aide Duties
 Setting up exercises according to the guidelines of the
therapists
 Setting up: ankle weights, resistance bands and cords,
stretches, balancing exercises, leg press shuttle

12. Additional Opportunities
• Patient Initial Evaluations
• Dry Needling
• Graduate Student Perspective
• InterestingCases

13. Patient Initial Evaluations
 Having the opportunity to sit in on initial
evaluations of new patients was a
rewarding experience
 Receive patient medical history
 Ability to follow the patient’s
progression from day 1
 Developed a stronger connection with
patients due to knowing what individual
goals they are striving for
 See the variety of notes and
measurements taken initially to
determine the treatment plan of action
 Introduction to S.O.A.P notes
Goniometers are
used during initial
evaluations and
following visits in
order to measure
and track progress
of range of motion

14. Dry Needling
 Dry needling is a new alternative method of treatment that
releases tension in muscles and promotes natural healing by
creating lesions in your muscles
 I was fortunate to be a part of a clinic where two of the
physical therapists were certified in this upcoming treatment
 While I was there, I observed needling in the neck, back, legs,
shoulders and face to treat a variety of issues

15. PT Graduate Student Perspective
 During the last few weeks of my internship I was fortunate
enough to have the chance to work with a PT graduate
student from University ofTennessee at Chattanooga
 Acted as a mentor from a different stage of the pathway
 Advice on applying to PT schools, what to look for in schools,
and what to expect in the first year
 Explained anatomical information and reasoning behind the
mechanics of exercises from a students perspective

16. Interesting Cases
 The opportunity to interact with a plethora of
patients with a wide variety of conditions
 Lumbarization – a congenital abnormality in
which the S1 vertebrae acts as a L6 vertebrae
rather than being fused to the rest of the sacrum
 Type C Niemann-Pick disease-
 Fatal genetic mutation that prevents the
metabolism of cholesterol and other lipids
 Only 500 worldwide documented cases
 Compartment syndrome
 Swelling or bleeding within the compartment of
muscle, nerves and blood vessels
Compartment syndrome in shin

17. Projects:
Case Study Report
 I chose to do my case study on a patient with osteoarthritis of her lumbar
spine, and severe nerve tension of her femoral and sciatic nerve
 This patient appealed to me because her diagnosis was something out of
the ordinary from many of the patients I had seen
 Hearing her goals of wanting to be able to keep up with her family when
they traveled made her transform from a collection of conditions to a
patient I was anxious to help

18. Projects:
Public Health Determinants Paper
 This paper consists of three parts:
 Social determinants that affect the care of patients
 Healthy Places
 Employment and decent work
 Organizational Behavior and Governance
 Impact of the scheduling of one patient every 30 minutes at Excel
Rehab & Sports
 Pre-professional Concentration question
 Importance of professionalism with interaction of both patients and
one’s surrounding health care team

19. Conclusion
 I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to intern at
Excel Rehab and Sports. Based on the relationships built and
the knowledge gained, I would say the internship was
nothing less than a success. I am very eager for the future,
when I have my own patients and am able to help them treat
their conditions and get them back to the activities that
make their lives complete. Hopefully one day, I will have the
opportunity to have interns of my own who I can create a
lasting effect on.