Waconia Patriot: Students learn about health careers at new facility

Reprinted with permission from the Waconia Patriot

By Al Lohman

Students from the Waconia High School health careers course visited Twin Cities Orthopedics new facility recently to learn more about physical therapy, sports performance, personal and team training, and hand therapy.

Students also got to check out TCO’s state-of-the art technology, including its anti-gravity treadmill and therapy pool.

The TCO team spoke on several topics, including physical therapy as a profession, the certified athletic trainer profession, hand therapy, aqua therapy, throwing mechanics, and more. TCO is the official sports medicine and performance provider for WHS.

“It’s been amazing to witness first-hand how TCO Waconia Therapy & Sports Performance has deepened our ties to the Waconia community,” said TCO West Metro Therapy Manager Brandon Schomberg. “To be able to showcase our facility last week to some very engaged, enthusiastic students, was incredible. A big thanks to the team who made it such a success. Waconia High School is a valued partner, and after hosting these students, I can say with confidence, the future of healthcare is bright.”

The WHS health careers class is for juniors and seniors interested in a health care profession, explains instructor Audra Lehrke. The class exposes students to a wide range of health-related occupations, utilizing guest speakers, field trips, and research- based information as building blocks to a career in health- related services.

At TCO, students were able to experience physical therapy and athletic training first-hand. Students volunteered to try the underwater treadmill while the class was able to watch their running form. The class was also able to see demonstrations of proper throwing mechanics, the anti-gravity treadmill, dry needling, cupping and other techniques.

“Our students are fortunate to have Ridgeview and TCO right here in the community,” Lehrke said. “The health care professionals in Waconia have been an amazing asset and provide amazing opportunities to our students. Without the generosity of their time, our students would not hear first-hand knowledge and experience about these various professions.”

Along with hearing from health professionals, students have the opportunity to volunteer in their field of choice, she adds.

In her class, Lehrke has about 25-30 health care professionals speak to students. Here’s a sampling of speakers and topics: veterinarian medicine, nursing, physical therapy, athletic training, strength and conditioning, occupational therapy, speech pathology, public health nursing, OBGYN, pharmacy, oncology, nurse anesthetist, paramedics, neurology, orthopedic surgery, orthodontics, dental hygienist, lab technician, imaging, psychology, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, dietician, chiropractic care and dentistry.

Speakers either attend class or students go to visit their place of work.

In addition to TCO, this trimester the class is scheduled to go to the imaging department at Ridgeview Hospital to see MRIs, CT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds, the ambulance garage to see equipment and hear about EMTs and paramedics, Neubauer Chiropractic, and possibly a psychologist or psychiatrist.