What Does a Health Science Internship look like at JWU?

Author Ava Zajczenko '27 is a Nonprofit Management major with a focus on food insecurity and works as a student assistant at JWU, contributing to JWU News.

Meet Kerra Edwards '27 and Sofia Mangino '27, two current JWU students interning at Pappas OPT Physical Therapy.

Both are working on their degrees to become occupational therapists (OTs), a healthcare professional who helps people of a variety of ages perform daily tasks needed to live, such as dressing, preparing meals or bathing.

OTs help people maintain and develop the skills needed to do everyday tasks, especially when recovering from an injury or illness or learning how to adapt to a developmental challenge.

Someone may need an occupational therapist when experiencing physical, cognitive or mental health conditions that make it difficult for someone to do daily activities such as getting dressed or cooking.

Not only are they gaining hands-on experience in the medical field they both want to go into, but they're also understanding what it means to transition from college to the workforce.

Edwards' Role in the Clinic

Edwards' current role at Pappas OPT is a rehabilitation aid. This role consists of both occupational and physical therapy work, by "preparing treatment areas, setting up equipment and working under the direction of the therapists to help guide patients through exercise."

She also helps ensure the facility is clean, organized and stocked with anything staff may need throughout the day. This includes creating a "welcoming environment by greeting patients, answering phone calls and assisting with the scheduling of appointments."

Overall, a typical day includes preparing treatment areas before patients arrive, assisting therapists throughout various sessions and guiding patients through prescribed exercises.

A Health Science major, Edwards chose JWU due to the "emphasis placed on hands-on experimental learning, the smaller class sizes and the positive recommendations from family and friends who have attended."

JWU's Health Science and pre-OTD pathway was also a big factor for Edwards when choosing JWU. OTD, which stands for Occupational Therapy Doctorate, is the professional doctoral degree that focuses on leadership, research and advanced clinical practices.

Edwards also expresses how her professors are "approachable, knowledgeable, supportive and genuinely invested in student success. They encourage questions, provide real-world insights and create an interactive learning environment that makes the course material more meaningful."

Mangino's Role in the Clinic

Mangino's current role at Pappas OPT is a physical therapist tech. A typical day at her internship consists of the physical therapists enlisting Mangino to help guide clients through different exercises (focusing on mobility, strength and function) or show how to perform a specific movement, which she does for most of her shift. This helps her gain hands-on experience that prepares her for her life as an occupational therapist.

Like Edwards, Mangino "assists the physical therapists and their assistants with different client programs to help lighten their workload." This could include providing clients with hot and cold ice packs, keeping the clinic clean by washing towels and pillowcases, and wiping down equipment clients use.

Mangino is studying Health Science with a minor in Psychology and expresses that it has been a "very enjoyable experience; all of the College of Health & Wellness faculty are amazing."

Her professors are supportive, and while the workload can be a lot to handle with her major, Mangino voices how her professors understand this, and in turn are always trying to help whenever possible to make things easier for their students.

Where Edwards' Major Meets Real-World Practice

How Edwards' Health Science major ties into her work at Pappas OPT: "It directly supports my work by providing me with a strong understanding of anatomy, physiology and patient care."

The knowledge that she is learning in her classes at JWU helps her better understand the purpose behind each exercise and task at the clinic when it comes to the patient's treatment plan. This connection between her major and internship allows her to "be more effective in my role and has helped to reinforce my interest in further pursuing occupational therapy."

This is rewarding for her, as being able to build relationships with patients and seeing their progress over time is the best part of the internship for her. She elaborates, "It is incredibly fulfilling to watch someone regain strength, mobility and confidence."

In her work at Pappas OPT, Edwards appreciates "being part of this journey, even in a supporting role; it has reinforced my passion for occupational therapy."

"One of the most challenging aspects of my internship has been learning how to balance responsibilities in the fast-paced clinical environment," reveals Edwards.

Managing multiple responsibilities, including managing patients' needs, therapist requests and administrative tasks keeps Edwards on her toes during her shifts. Yet, this challenge has only helped Edwards improve her time management, communication and adaptability over time, which is setting her up to be an even better occupational therapist.

Where Mangino's Major Meets Real-World Practice

Mangino's major ties to her internship as "many of the concepts and terminology I learn in class are similar to what the physical therapists use at my internship."

The concepts and material that she is learning directly tie into her internship, making it simple for her to understand what needs to be done so she can better communicate with the physical therapists.

Mangino's most rewarding part of interning at Pappas is watching the client's progress. "Progress is never linear, so seeing someone struggle with an exercise at first and then, a few months later, perform it with ease is really rewarding to me," she shares.

While it is challenging to remember the exercises and terminology the physical therapists use to describe said exercises, Mangino appreciates the supportive environment at Pappas OPT: "The physical therapists are always patient and willing to remind or reteach me when I get stuck on something."

While it can be challenging from time to time, being able to intern and have support from the physical therapists at Pappas OPT is helping her grow her skills hugely.

What's Next After Graduation?

Edwards has big plans after graduation, having recently been accepted into JWU's new 3+3 Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, which she will be starting in June 2026.

After completing this program, she hopes to become a licensed occupational therapist: "It's my passion to work in a field that will allow me to help others regain their fullest potential and independence, while making impactful improvements in their overall quality of life."

Mangino has also been accepted into the 3+3 Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and will start her graduate classes in June.

After she obtains her OTD degree, she sees herself becoming a traveling occupational therapist. She hopes to work with adults in either New York or California.

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