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 39 students on Saturday, May 10, at the Okey Patteson Auditorium in the WVU Health Sciences Center in Morgantown.
The white coat ceremony is a pivotal moment for Doctor of Physical Therapy students, symbolizing their transition from academic coursework to clinical education.
“As the name suggests, the Clinical Pathways Ceremony celebrates the journeys of our students – the roads they’ve traveled and those that lie ahead,” Ralph R. Utzman, PT, MPH, Ph.D., professor and director of clinical education for the Division of Physical Therapy, said.
“The students have completed two years of rigorous classroom and laboratory coursework and have proven their readiness to begin 36 weeks of full-time clinical practice supervised by physical therapists. The day is an important opportunity for students, alumni and faculty to take pride in the legacy of WVU Physical Therapy and our roles as experts in human movement.”
As part of the ceremony, students received their symbolic white coats and signed the profession’s code of ethics, marking their formal entry into clinical practice.
The keynote speaker for the event was Emily Priestas, DPT, OCS, PRDC, CMTPT-DN, PCES, a two-time WVU School of Medicine graduate with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology. Dr. Priestas has dual specialties in orthopedics and pelvic health and is the owner of Paradigm Pelvic Health & Wellness in Maryland.
Meet the students
Victoria Janikowski of Madison, Wisconsin, will begin her clinical rotations at an outpatient clinic in Oregon. Next, she will move to an outpatient clinic in Fairmont, West Virginia. Janikowski hopes to one day apply the knowledge she has gained at WVU to work with the neurodiverse population. She earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin.
“My neuro elective course and the practicals prepared me the most for the field,” Janikowski said. “The practicals helped by letting me practice lecture material in a safe environment. The neuroelective prepared me by providing real clinical experience. I was able to perform an initial evaluation on an actual patient, as well as run treatment sessions, all under the supervision of my professor.”
Justin Finarelli of Dallas, Pennsylvania, will begin his clinical rotations in physical therapy at CORA Physical Therapy, an outpatient clinic in Lake Worth, Florida. Next, he will transition to WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital to complete a rotation in a skilled nursing facility and transitional care setting. With the knowledge he gained from WVU, Finarelli hopes to open a hybrid physical therapy and sports performance clinic to help athletes recover and return to peak performance.
“The WVU PT program does a really nice job emphasizing patient care and communication with patients,” Finarelli said. “Patient education is encouraged through all our classes, and each practical exam we take requires efficient patient handling and care. The program utilizes evidence-based practice that works on clinical skills, manual therapy and hands-on patient treatment that can be implemented in the clinic on day one.”
Isabella Posey of Jane Lew, West Virginia, will begin her clinical rotations in physical therapy at Country Roads Physical Therapy in Buckhannon, West Virginia. Next, she will transition to First Settlement Physical Therapy in Weston, West Virginia. With the knowledge she gained from WVU, Posey hopes to pursue a physical therapy residency in the future.
“The WVU Physical Therapy program has prepared me for the field in several ways,” Posey said. “The professors in the program have shared their experiences as learning opportunities. They’ve all been great mentors. We’ve also had experiences with patients throughout the program that I believe have prepared me for my clinical rotations.”
To learn more about Physical Therapy at the WVU School of Medicine, visit medicine.wvu.edu/pt.