Alexa Darracq-Vainerere was an intern for the Graduate Student Clinician For Speech-Language Pathology during Fall 2024.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
During my internship at Utah Valley Hospital, I worked with various patients on the neuro rehabilitation unit. Under the supervision of a licensed speech-language pathologist, I assessed and treated patients with disorders in the following areas: cognition, swallowing, speech, and language. It was amazing to witness the progress of the patients as they worked hard during our therapy sessions.
What did you learn in your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
I learned to slow down my pace a bit to match the rhythm of the patients- encouraging breaks when needed, etc.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
I am now interested in being a medical speech-language pathologist!
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
Through my internship at Utah Valleys Hospital, I was inspired as I planned treatment sessions to know how to make the therapy functional for the patient as an individual. I also was inspired to pursue becoming certified as a bilingual speech-language pathologist.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
Yes! Helpful staff and wonderful opportunities for growth as a clinician.
Is there anything else you would like to say regarding your internship?
Utah Valley Hospital is an excellent internship site!
