WVU Division of Physical Therapy holds white coat ceremony, celebrates students’ transition to patient care

The West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Division of Physical Therapy hosted a white coat ceremony for 32 students on May 4 at the Okey Patteson Auditorium in Morgantown.

The white coat ceremony is a pivotal moment for the Doctor of Physical Therapy students, marking their transition from classroom learning to clinical practice.

“Over the past two years, students completed the coursework needed to acquire the knowledge and skills to care for their patients,” said Ivan Mulligan, PT, DSc, ATC, CSCS chairperson of the Division of Physical Therapy. “The Pathways Ceremony and receiving a white coat recognize this milestone and demonstrate that students are ready to begin the clinical education portion of the curriculum. Our faculty is proud of our students and their strides to become the next generation of physical therapists and serve their patients.”

During the ceremony, Dr. Stephen Young received the Mary Lou Barnes Distinguished Professional Service Award, which recognizes a WVU Physical Therapy graduate who has made a significant contribution to the physical therapy profession through excellence in teaching, research or service. Mary Lou Barnes was the founder and first chair of the WVU Physical Therapy program.

Young, a 2000 graduate of the WVU Physical Therapy program, is the founder of Mountaineer Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. He also acts as a clinical instructor, imparting his knowledge and experience to the next generation of clinicians. 

Meet the students

Kinder DeWoolfson of Warrenton, Virginia, will begin her clinical rotations in rural acute care at Preston Memorial Hospital in Kingwood, West Virginia. Next, she will move to PRO Motion Physical Therapy in Winchester, Virginia, focusing on outpatient orthopedics. DeWoolfson, who has a background as a competitive ice skater and now acts as a coach, hopes to work with the athletic population in the future. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sport Management from WVU.

“I am very excited to get out of the classroom and into a clinic where I will be interacting with patients daily,” DeWoolfson said. “I have waited so long to be knowledgeable enough to go into clinical rotations to help people, and getting the chance to start my clinical experiences with two rotations that are so broad is very exciting.”

Ian Fairley from Fairmont, West Virginia, will begin his clinical rotations in Morgantown at WVU’s academic medical center, WVU Medicine’s J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital. He will then move to Teays Physical Therapy Center in Hurricane, West Virginia. Fairley hopes to one day apply the knowledge he’s gained at WVU to work in a sports/performance environment. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology from WVU.

“I love the hands-on aspect of PT and feel that we are able to create very meaningful connections with patients while making a positive impact on their rehab journey,” Fairley said. “Receiving a white coat is a huge accomplishment as it marks the end of six semesters of hard work in the classroom. I’m looking forward to applying the knowledge I’ve learned over the last two years in my upcoming clinical rotations. I’m going to see a very diverse mix of patients at various stages of the rehab process, which will be a great learning experience.”

John Thomas of Bridgeport, West Virginia, will begin his clinical rotations at Preston Memorial Physical Therapy in Bruceton Mills and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Morgantown. After graduation, he hopes to obtain his Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) certification and practice in West Virginia. He credits the WVU Physical Therapy program with preparing him to work in diverse practice areas such as orthopedics, neurorehabilitation, cardiopulmonary and pediatrics. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology from WVU.

“I am looking forward to learning hands-on from experienced clinicians to better my skills,” Thomas said. “Having a diverse faculty with all different areas of expertise has allowed me to see how PT plays a role in a plethora of areas and has provided me with the skillset needed to be a well-rounded PT and feel comfortable working in numerous settings.”

For more information about the Physical Therapy program at WVU, visit medicine.wvu.edu/pt/.