ePortfolioVictoria Rainaud

Greetings!  Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Victoria Rainaud.  I am a fourth-year Clinical Heath Studies/Physical Therapy and Exercise Science student at Ithaca College.  Prior to coming to Ithaca, I worked as a lifeguard at Meridian Fitness and Wellness Center, www.meridianfitnessandwellness.com/.  The wellness center's affiliation with Meridian Hospital provided the means by which patients could gain a temporary membership in order to rehabilitate.  There, I experienced the fulfilling aspects of this particular medical profession for the first time.  I had the privilege of working shifts during aquatic physical therapy sessions.  Over the course of my sophomore and junior years of high school, I saw many of the same patients week-after-week.  At times, watching people with severe physical impairments performing strength and ROM exercises in four feet of water was extremely nerve-wracking, but it proved to be a life-changing experience in the long run.  I observed as patients made incredible improvements with not only mobility, but their quality of life.  Noticing a highly prevalent reciprocation of gratitude between the patients and physical therapists, I decided I was dedicated to pursuing a career in physical therapy.