Gavin Terrebonne, COL ’26, Galliano, LA
Going into the summer, I wanted to immerse myself in a medical setting without expectations to see if the field was truly for me. To accomplish this goal, I worked as a rehabilitation tech at Lady of the Sea Outpatient Therapy in my hometown. Through this position, I assisted physical, occupational, and speech therapists whenever needed to ensure that our patients excelled through therapy and reached the goals that they strive for with our services.
When working for the orthopedic department, much of our demographic included elders who are trying to recover from surgeries such as knee, hip, or shoulder replacements but also included more unique cases such as spinal fusion for a patient in their 20s as well as a patient who dealt with carcinoma removal in nose/eyes gaining back stability after a recent cerebral vascular accident. Thankfully, the therapists I worked with emphasized not only teaching me various treatment methods but also how to approach different cases thoughtfully and adaptively, recognizing that not all methods work equally well for every patient. By the end of the summer, I could treat multiple patients independently and confidently.
The most priceless experience gained through this summer, however, was working with the pediatric department. Unlike the orthopedic department, the demographic of our patients ranged from infants to early teens. With the same patients coming in once or twice weekly, I naturally got to build close relationships with them which brought immense joy to the experience. My interest was continually piqued as we found ways to foster improvement in patients with vastly different diagnoses, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, congenital cerebral meningocele, traumatic intracranial subdural hematoma, and tetrasomy 18p, among others. I typically left my days feeling fulfilled and grateful to be blessed with such an opportunity. This overall made my time here feel less like monotonous work and more like an exciting adventure—even if it meant occasionally changing dirty diapers.
While the therapists I worked with tried their absolute best to persuade me to change my career path to therapy, this summer experience only built up my passion for becoming a pediatrician. I learned not only how to treat patients but also how to treat them like family, making them as comfortable as possible throughout the rehabilitation process. In my small, rural hometown, I was able to build strong therapist-patient relationships, often sparked by the patient knowing my family—whether it was my grandparents, cousins, or mother—thanks to our close-knit community. Returning to my hometown to provide these services allowed me to meet incredible people, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to give back to the community that shaped me. This experience gave me a new perspective on healthcare, where I could be more hands-on and see consistent patient progression firsthand while simultaneously creating bonds with them. As a doctor, I will 1000% advocate this service for my patients, knowing how beneficial and trustworthy therapy can be.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2024 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here
