Rebekah James, SPT, University of St Augustine, Spring 2024

My name is Rebekah James, and I’m a FLEX DPT student from the University of St. Augustine. I had the pleasure of completing my first 12 week rotation in the Rebound Rehabilitation St. Augustine location. From the beginning of my clinical rotation, the friendly and welcoming environment was apparent. I had multiple staff come up and introduce themselves, and they were all more than willing to answer any questions that I had. While it may seem cliche, they all work together as a team. 

While I was on my rotation, my chronic SI issues flared. I was able to trial the laser treatment that they offered, and it did provide some temporary relief. It was remarkable to get off the treatment table and no longer have pain with every step! However, I know the revised home exercise plan is vital for my continued health and wellness. 

One thing that I enjoyed from my clinical rotation was learning from all the other staff – not just my clinical instructor. For instance, the PTA was certified in Graston Techniques and was able to teach me about IASTM and how it could benefit my patients. I had several clients who had immediate relief after receiving an IASTM treatment. One of the other PTs in this clinic had been treating BPPV patients more frequently, so we were able to have several productive conversations about that condition. 

Rebound Rehabilitation prides itself in high quality patient care. Patients are typically treated by the same therapist, and if they are not, there is consistent consultation and discussion about what should be the goals of that day’s treatment session. In general, it is a more family focused environment where the staff truly get to understand the patient’s interests and goals. This was evident especially during discharges as patients would be saying their final goodbyes, getting their t-shirt, getting their photos taken, and often getting a hug goodbye. 

My clinical rotation at Rebound Rehabilitation helped me to further my educational goals. It allowed me to progress my independence while being exposed to a variety of patient conditions. My CI was a great facilitator in my learning and helped to push me to accomplish more than I thought that I could do at the time. Doing so helped me to develop a growth mindset and reach new levels of knowledge and professionalism. I will be forever grateful for this learning opportunity, and I highly encourage any student to pursue this location as part of their clinical experience. 

Thank you.