Internship Ugh

[saved1986]

Hello all, Is anyone else doing an internship right now? I sincerely hate mine by now and its only the second week. Four and a half left to go. I'm interning at a chiropractic office. There are two doctors there who work basically on what insurance will pay and therefore rarely recomend massage and when their patients ask about it (several have) They remind them it's not paid for and it comes out of their pocket. On top of that they charge 35$ for an hour massage! My "job" while I'm there is to take patients into a treatment room and do 4 minutes ultrasound 10 minutes massage and 1 minute oscillator. The room they use for an hour massage is the x-ray room and barely big enough plus the table they have is probably 15 years old. It's a major pain to set up. I've done 1 hour massage so far. I miss doing massage everyday I can't wait till this working for free stupid internship is over so I can get back to what I love and actually do massage!

 

[Brittani]

I take it that the internship is required by your MT school?

 

[Fran]

Yes its part of the requirements for graduation. At my school they offer a certification program and an associate degree program. The difference is that in the degree program they teach Traditional Chinese Medicine and Business Mastery plus work in the student clinic, internship and two short prep sessions for the national exam. I opted to get a degree and the extra training. Most of the students went that route. I suppose I shouldn't complain for something I subjected myself to and it is experience but it's still not very much massage for a massage intern site and that is why I wish I had gone somewhere else and didn't have to work for free. I would be less annoyed at working for free if I was doing something I loved like MASSAGE.

 

[Augustus]

If you are that miserable with the set-up, would it do you any good to bring it to the attention of your school's adiministration? When I was in school, we did unpaid bodywork at sites that were contractually arranged by our school - oversight by the site, etc - we provided massage/bodywork appropriate for the setting under supervision, using SOAPs, etc. Anything that wasn't the way it was suppose to be by the contractural obligation already in existence with the school was to be reviewed to the school so that it could be addressed and all parties satisifed with the results.

Just a thought.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Its awful and mind numbing to have to spend time in a place where you don't feel the best use of your time is being utilized. But just say to yourself "I can do anything for xxx # of days. For what we pay for education we should get the most and best from it. It could be more hassel then its worth to try and change things mid-stream though but only you can decide that. However at the very least I would make your concerns loud and clear at your exit interview. Maybe you can spare someone else from the same fate. But if you really feel its delaying your learning then go rattle some cages. I feel for ya. Best of luck

 

[Sakura]

Well if you want more one hour massages, then I think you're going to have to "work the room" as we used to call it when I went to school.
Don't wait for the doctor's to sing your praises... start tooting your own horn.
It's good practice for when you have to start marketing yourself.

Start chatting up the clients in the waiting area... asking if they've ever had a massage before. Hand them a brochure or card about why massage might be beneficial for them and ask them if they'd like to try a half hour or hour massage before their next appointment.

Info4people.com has a cool brochure about chiropractic and massage which has won me over a couple chiropractors over the years.
http://www.info4people.com/Brochures/B_chiro.html

You can call info4people.com and ask for their sample packet of brochures anyway... and mention that you are specifically interested in that one.

Anyway, hope that helps DianaMarie. Light a fire under these chiros, be the best intern they Ever had. :wink:

 

[Roscait]

SeattleSunshine I think you said it exactly right. I have come to the conclusion that it would be more trouble than it's worth to change the situation and I will take your suggestion on the exit interview. I was under a false impression about the clinic before I got there. I had known others who went and liked it and looking back they are the same ones that didn't want to work in class that much. I figured they were good resources because even though they don't like to work they are really good at it. I had heard great things about working with Chiros and I was disappointed to get to this one and get a "just a massage therapist" vibe. It is only a month and I have met some nice people and they aren't dumb, they ask me a million questions about their muscles because they know that is where the pain usually is, not from anything being out. I'll just suck up and tough it out