This spring, WSPT was fortunate to have a dedicated team of student interns working in our office. Our goal was to provide them with real-world experience, and we asked them to work on various projects surrounding our annual Arthritis Walk. We sought to educate them on the disease, on the treatments, and on the ways WSPT works to help patients with arthritis in and out of our office.
Omwattie Sukhraj, 17, was surprised to learn about the scope of arthritis. “While working on the project, I learned that absolutely anybody can be affected with arthritis,” she said. “The most surprising piece of information I found out was that many young adults and infants are diagnosed with the disease.”
Omwattie currently attends the High School of Medical Science and hopes to one day be a pediatrician. Her experience at WSPT has taught her a lot about “the joints, the human body and the way healthy lifestyles are made.”
Another intern, Babita Buddy, 16, also felt her internship help
ed her gain experience in a professional atmosphere and in the medical field. “My plan for the future is to work in the medical field helping patients in the hospital. My experience at WSPT influenced my plans even more because it exposed to an environment similar to a hospital, where there are patients,” she said.
Sonia Seeteram worked with Babita and Omwattie, and tried to make the most of her time here. “Working in the office gave me insight into both the business world and the medical world as well,” Sonia explained. “This project taught me how to work with other students, how to be a leader, and gain support from my community.”
For more information on becoming a WSPT intern...
WSPT is proud to announce this year’s indoor Arthritis Walk-a-Thon will be from January 10th through the 15th. We bring the Walk-a-Thon indoors so our patients can participate in the event while getting out of the cold, and some of them can even incorporate it into their therapy regimen.
We will have a dedicated treadmill in our gym for Walk-a-Thon use, although other treadmills will be made available if necessary. We are also allowing our patients who use the underwater treadmill in our HydroWorx Pool to donate those steps towards the fundraiser.
The Arthritis Foundation is the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, funding more than $380 million in research grants since 1948. The foundation helps people take control of arthritis by providing public health education; pursuing public policy and legislation; and conducting evidence-based programs to improve the quality of life for those living with arthritis. WSPT has been working with the Arthritis Foundation since 2008.
WSPT also sponsors an outdoor Walk-a-Thon in April, but because we witness the daily pains and struggles of many of our patients suffering from arthritis, we were compelled to do more. And the indoor Walk-a-Thon is always very popular among our older patients who have trouble getting around on their own, but still want to contribute to curing arthritis … one step at a time!
For further details
call (718) 409-9444 to speak with Sharon