Internship Chronicles, Chapter 3: Morgan Woycitzky

One spring day, a Student Prince decided to go on a summer adventure. “It won’t be long before I have a career,” the Prince said, “so I’d better start preparing now.” So with some ’Berg education under their hat, and some connections in their back pocket, the Student Prince began forging their way through an internship.

We continue our web series, Internship Chronicles.

Chapter 3: “The Heidelberg Advantage”

Morgan Moycitzky is a rising second-year Health Science major from Lewis Center, Ohio. This summer, she is interning with Athletic Advantage Physical Therapy, a local private practice that has been in operation since 1990. Athletic Advantage Physical Therapy specializes in orthopedic manual therapy and myofascial release services. Morgan plays on Heidelberg’s softball team and is part of the leadership team for CRU. Morgan plans to enroll in a doctoral physical therapy program after graduation.

How did you find your internship, or how did the internship find you?

Athletic Advantage Physical Therapy is a local private practice that has been operating since 1990. They recently moved locations, and since it is right down the road from my house, I took notice of the business. I did some online research about Athletic Advantage when looking for an internship site and was interested in their approach to treatment. I then reached out to the owner, Mark Read, to express my interest in interning with him. Mark actually graduated from Heidelberg in 1983 and was very eager to help a student from his alma mater.

What did you expect from your internship initially?

Traditionally, when you think of physical therapy, you often imagine a patient being instructed on exercises to improve their strength and mobility. I guess this is what I initially expected to see at my internship. Although this does occur at Athletic Advantage, there is a huge emphasis on myofascial release and improving body asymmetries.

What really happens in your day-to-day work?

Oftentimes, fascial adhesions and misalignments in one area of the body can cause pain in another. At Athletic Advantage, physical therapy is an investigative profession that revolves around discovering the root of a patient's pain. In a conversation I once had with Mark, he discussed how his practice mimics the culture seen at Heidelberg. He distinguishes each patient from one another, builds meaningful connections, and does everything he can to help his patients see success. This is what I have seen in my day-to-day work at Athletic Advantage

What connections have you made?

Interning at Athletic Advantage has been such an amazing opportunity because it has allowed me to make many connections with both the employees and the patients. I have had the pleasure of working with all the physical therapists at Athletic Advantage, and it has been great to get to know each of them while learning about their experiences with physical therapy and their education. I have also been able to get to know many of the patients. Each person has their own amazing life story, and it has been so eye-opening and inspiring to learn about their lives as I make connections with the patients.

What is the most valuable thing you’ll bring back to the classroom after this experience?
Working with Athletic Advantage has helped me gain a deeper understanding of many concepts. One of the most valuable lessons that I have been able to learn and see is how interconnected the body is. In many instances, I have seen that pain in one area of the body can be caused by an abnormality in a different area of the body. I think this is a very important concept that will help me in the classroom next year as I continue to learn about the function and structure of the human body.