Wabash Valley College welcomes Lisa Hoipkemier, PT, DPT, NCS, as the director of WVC’s fledgling physical therapy assistant program.

Dr. Hoipkemier brings with her a wealth of experience in a wide variety of settings. She holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Indiana University and is a clinical specialist in neurological physical therapy.

“I started my career in an acute inpatient rehabilitation setting at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes,” said Dr. Hoipkemier. “After two and a half years, I moved to Fort Wayne to work at an independent rehabilitation hospital. After a few years there, I came back to the area to work in the outpatient setting. At each of these areas, I worked part-time with pediatrics in First Steps, the early intervention program in Indiana.”

Dr. Hoipkemier stated that she is excited to be part of a new program that will give students the opportunity to be part of the rehabilitation process in healthcare.

“The greatest reward is working with individuals and giving them back their independent mobility. I want the students to experience the reward of helping a patient restore their function and independence,” said Dr. Hoipkemier.

Dr. Hoipkemier will be teaching Structural Kinesiology, Prevention/Treatment of Athletic Injury and in the Health Careers program this fall. Structural Kinesiology (SPM 2204) explores musculoskeletal anatomy as it relates to human movement. Prevention/Treatment of Athletic Injury (EDU 2104) covers principles and techniques of preventing, recognizing, treating and rehabilitating common athletic injuries. 

Graduation from a physical therapist assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states. Wabash Valley College is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist assistant education program from CAPTE. 

The program is planning to submit an application for candidacy-which is the formal application required in the pre-accreditation stage-on March 1, 2022. Submission of this document does not assure that the program will be granted “candidate for accreditation” status. 

Achievement of candidate for accreditation status is required prior to implementation of the technical phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in technical courses until candidate for accreditation status has been achieved. Further, though achievement of candidate for accreditation status signifies satisfactory progress toward accreditation, it does not assure that the program will be granted accreditation.

For more information, please call 618-262-8641.