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899 Central Street
Millinocket, Maine 04462

Phone: 207-723-5288

Fax: 207-723-7435

Email: jdanforth@mrhme.org

Student clinical rotations in MRH Rehab department are good for the community

The Rehab Department at Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) prides itself on having a strong educational program for students seeking careers in Rehab disciplines. Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) students come to MRH to do their clinical rotations to obtain hands-on experience with patients.  The students apply what they have been taught in school to ‘live’ situations with patients.

Occupational Therapy is a form of therapy for those recovering from physical or mental illness. OT practitioners encourage rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life. Physical Therapy is the treatment of disease, injury, or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than by drugs or surgery. Successful OT and PT can help people maintain their independence and stay at home longer.

The patients the students get to work with range from people with orthopedic problems to people with neurological deficits that may be stemming from a stroke. The students may get to work with pediatric patients, geriatric patients, patients with neurological problems, orthopedic problems, or patients with multiple medical issues.  Being exposed to as many different types of patients as possible helps the students decide what type of medical issues they would like to focus on after completion of school.

Students come to us for their first clinical experience, during which they are just starting out with the first steps of care that can be provided.  They may also come to us for the fourth and final clinical rotation, during which they will perform full ‘hands on’ care for the patients which includes evaluating, assessing, developing plans of care, treating, re-evaluating and discharging.

The students spend 3-12 weeks at our facility so they can be exposed to as many different patient types as deemed appropriate for the student’s level of education.  Having students at MRH allows us to share our knowledge with people who want a career in our field.

When the students do their clinical rotations at MRH it can also be a learning experience for our therapists who supervise the students, because they also may get to learn new skills that might not have been taught when they were in school.

We update information from the school to the clinic and back to the school in a team effort to make sure the people graduating are suited for work in the Rehabilitation field. Strong communication between the school and MRH ensures that quality PTs, OTs and PTAs will be available to care for patients in our communities here in the Katahdin and Lincoln Lakes region.

It is the goal of both the clinical facility and the educational institution that by the time the students complete their final clinical experience, they are ready to be hired as a licensed therapist.

After the clinical rotations are completed, the students will finish their schooling, sit for their licensing exam, and then be hired at a facility. We have had students who did their clinical rotation with us come back and become valuable employees at MRH.