Azusa Pacific University has a deep desire to see students succeed in their prospective career fields. Part of college students’ success is having the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the field through jobs and internships. In the Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) program, students are placed in three internship rotations throughout their three years in the program.
In the spring, Rajan Jobanputra ’25 worked as an intern for Sacramento Republic FC, a professional soccer team. During his shifts, Jobanputra would set up equipment, treat injuries, help players with their stretching routines, assist with field drills, and be available for players that got injured on the field during games and practices.
Jobanputra went into the internship wanting to work in sports therapy, and his experience
solidified his goal while allowing him to build upon the skills he learned in class.
“In the PT program, we learn about everything from special tests to manual treatments
and sports injuries,” he said.
Working with the team exposed Jobanputra to injuries specific to a high level of athletics.
He also learned about the importance of not just physically healing from an injury,
but helping athletes become mentally confident in the healing process as well.
A unique highlight of the Sacramento Republic FC internship is that the team’s director of sports performance, Katy Norton, DPT, is an APU alumna. “Working with someone who had been through the program and understood the content and structure of the curriculum made it more comfortable to ask about things that I may not have known,” Jobanputra said. “I was able to be open about what I thought I was doing well and what I needed help with.”
A few hundred miles south, Ryan Sato ’25 worked at the Concentra Clinic internship rotation in Orange County. Concentra is a worker’s compensation clinic that works with people injured in physical labour jobs. During his shifts, Sato conducted objective and subjective exams, patient education, and treatment of patients.
The DPT program has a rigorous curriculum that offers a variety of courses and opportunities to learn about physical therapy in many settings, but Sato’s hands-on experience in the worker’s compensation clinic influenced his career goals. “I went into PT school wanting to work with athletes, but I enjoyed working with worker’s compensation patients,” he said. “I could see myself doing this in the future. The internship broadened my horizons of what jobs I can pursue.”
Both Jobanputra and Sato said that the DPT program has taught them much about their future career fields through the extensive curriculum and supportive faculty. Their internship rotations have provided further opportunities for mentorship, practicing skills, and gaining knowledge. Combined, the classroom knowledge of the courses and the hands-on experience of the internships positively impact DPT students and influence the trajectory of their careers.