Meet the newest faculty member of PNWU’s School of Physical Therapy: Dr. Katie June, Assistant Professor.
How long have you been a Doctor of Physical Therapy?
I am in my seventh year of clinical practice as a PT, primarily in the acute care setting and ICU.
What inspired you to become a DPT?
I’ve been competing in triathlons and swimming since age eight and, as such, have sustained many overuse injuries in the last two decades.
I went to PT for the first time when I was 11 years old and immediately knew it was a career path I wanted to follow.
I initially chose to become a physical therapist because I wanted to work with athletes, but as part of my first clinical experience in my DPT program I had the opportunity to spend time in the acute care setting in the surgical unit of a Level 1 trauma center. I knew on my first day in the hospital that it was where I was meant to work!
How did you hear about PNWU and what interested you to come and teach?
After living in western Washington from 2019-2021, I wanted to move back to the Pacific Northwest as part of my five-year life plan after finishing my Ph.D. However, as my husband’s job contract in North Carolina was ending in 2023, we started exploring the possibility of moving back to Washington.
I knew that PNWU was a new program since I was previously at an institution going through the same accreditation process. I reached out to Dr. Trueblood about any future faculty needs at PNWU, and there happened to be a need for faculty to teach cardiopulmonary PT. I was on campus three weeks later, and planning a move from North Carolina to Yakima about two weeks after that.
I felt strongly about the University’s mission, getting to be involved in a new and developing program, opportunities for teaching, and service to the University and community. I felt so welcomed on campus when I traveled for my interview, and it was clear how much all of the faculty I met cared about the role of PNWU in the Yakima area. My five-year plan became a five-week plan!
What is your favorite part about teaching?
It’s difficult for students to get shadowing hours in the hospital setting before PT school, which can make inpatient PT seem pretty scary and unknown. I enjoy teaching about patient-centered care in the hospital, the nuances of acute care skills, and sharing my clinical experiences in the ICU. It is extremely rewarding to see students’ clinical reasoning develop specific to the acute care setting and take an interest in less common PT settings.
