The West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Division of Physical Therapy celebrated a turning point in the academic careers of 34 Doctor of Physical Therapy students during the traditional white coat ceremony.
The May 9 ceremony at the Okey Patteson Auditorium in the WVU Health Sciences Center in Morgantown signified that students have successfully completed two years of academic work and will now transition to patient care settings to complete clinical rotations.
“This ceremony represents a very special milestone in the career path of our students,” said Justin Payette, PT, DPT, CSCS, assistant professor and faculty advisor for the Class of 2027. “It represents countless hours of study, dedication and perseverance that have led to their didactic success and have earned them the privilege of applying that knowledge to practice in the supervised delivery of their craft through clinical education.
“It is with great joy and pride that we get to see and be a part of this transition in their learning journey to become the healthcare professionals they aspire to be."
In addition to receiving their white coats, students signed the American Physical Therapy Association Code of Ethics.
The keynote speaker for the event was Megan Sions, PT, DPT, PhD, a 2004 graduate of the WVU Physical Therapy program. She is currently an associate professor within the University of Delaware’s Department of Physical Therapy, director of the University’s interdisciplinary limb loss clinic and principal investigator of the Delaware Limb Loss Studies research lab, which is dedicated to improving patient health outcomes after amputation and training future clinician-scientists.
Meet the students
Makenna Douthitt of Fort Ashby, West Virginia, will begin her clinical rotations at Care Partners Home Health in Morgantown. In the fall, she will complete her acute care rotation at Encompass Health in Morgantown. With the knowledge she gained at WVU, she plans to return to her hometown and provide care to the rural community. She earned her associates degree from WVU Potomac State College, where she played basketball for two years, and then graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology, with an emphasis in aquatic therapy.
“WVU has an excellent DPT program that really focuses on patient-centered care and viewing the movement system as a whole,” Douthitt said. “I always knew WVU was where I wanted to go because of its strong reputation and respected program. I truly feel it's where I belong, given the faculty’s dedication and ongoing support of our clinical development. Our program is fortunate to have educators of many different specialties, including oncology, neurorehabilitation, orthopedics, wound care and geriatrics. I'm grateful for the opportunity to learn from experts in all areas of the profession before heading out into the field.”
Adam Murray of Wheeling, West Virginia, will begin his clinical rotations at Trinity Health System in the Acute Care Unit in Steubenville, Ohio. In the fall, he will be at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital in the Skilled Nursing Facility/Transitional Care Unit. Next spring, he hopes to train in an outpatient orthopedics/sports medicine setting. With the knowledge he gained at WVU, he would like to work in an outpatient orthopedics/sports medicine setting while also becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Eventually, his goal is to achieve designation as a Sports Certified Clinical Specialist and open an outpatient sports clinic in his hometown to provide high quality care to local residents and athletes. He earned his undergraduate degree in pre-allied health/pre-physical therapy with a double minor in sports medicine and biology from Baldwin Wallace University.
“The WVU Physical Therapy program has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Murray said. “I am extremely grateful for the faculty who have been very supportive and genuinely invested in helping me grow both professionally and personally. The curriculum is challenging, but in a way that has pushed me to grow in my clinical reasoning, communication skills and confidence as a future physical therapist. The faculty have always been supportive, approachable and always willing to take time to teach, mentor and help us succeed. I’ve also been extremely thankful for being a part of such a close-knit cohort in which we’ve supported each other through a demanding program. The rigorous coursework, early clinical exposure and having a collaborative learning environment has helped prepare me to step into clinical rotations with a strong foundation and a genuine excitement for what is to come in my career as a physical therapist.”
Erin Dolan of Manassas, Virginia, will begin her clinical rotations in acute care hospitals and outpatient clinics in Preston County, West Virginia. With the knowledge she gained at WVU, she plans to work in an outpatient clinic in rural West Virginia, treating patients of all ages and conditions. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education with a major in kinesiology from the University of Virginia.
“As a West Virginia AHEC Rural Community Health Scholar, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from rural healthcare leaders in the region and hope to apply that knowledge throughout my future career,” Dolan said. “As an out-of-state student in the WVU Physical Therapy program, I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to learn about physical therapy while gaining a deeper understanding of the healthcare needs in West Virginia. As I continue to fall in love with ‘Almost Heaven,’ I also admire the faculty members’ dedication to the program and the state. I am grateful to be mentored by individuals who are leading the way in the physical therapy profession.”
To learn more about Physical Therapy at the WVU School of Medicine, visit medicine.wvu.edu/pt or explore associated career pathways at go.health.wvu.edu/pre-health.