News Archives: Celebrating the Return of top-notch Physiotherapist
Saturday, October 21st, 2023
Katie Gaucher, Young Entrepreneur Award recipient.
NWP's Young Entrepreneur Award is intended to recognize an outstanding professional, 30 years of age or younger, for their achievements and/or service contributions to the community and region. Fittingly, outstanding is a place that this year's recipient, Katie Gaucher (nee Boisvert), has come to know very well.
Katie was born and raised in Grande Prairie, and is one of those fortunate people who land on their chosen career early in life. A 'take a student to work day' in Grade 9 gave her the opportunity to shadow family friend Nelson Cuff as he treated his physiotherapy patients at the city's Lifemark clinic. From that day on, Katie set her sights on becoming a physiotherapist herself - likely not realizing, however, just how full circle her journey would be.
There are multiple routes one can take into physiotherapy, all of which require an undergraduate degree in a related discipline. Katie opted to start with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, of which she completed her first two years at GPRC. "I am very grateful for my time at GPRC," she shares. "Knowing now that university classes can be upwards of 300 people, I think that would have been a very hard transition straight out of high school. By starting my education at the college, I was able to get to know my professors and felt seen as an individual, not just a number."
Thanks to this solid foundation, Katie was able to confidently weather the move to the University of Alberta. 'Weather' might not be the right word as it was more of an ace-with-flying-colours situation. When she graduated in 2019 with her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with Distinction, she was also awarded the Governor General's Medal for achieving one of the top three highest averages among the 40,000 graduating students at the University for that year.
Not one to slow down, Katie moved straight on to her Master of Science in Physical Therapy, of which she completed the majority of her final year online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "I'm a bit of a home body so online learning suited me just fine," she remembers. She thought she might be able to relax a bit, given that she was now solidly on the path to physiotherapy, but "as it turns out, that's not exactly my style," she says with a laugh. Apparently not, as she once again graduated at the top of her physiotherapy program and was recognized with the Dean's Medal in Rehabilitation Medicine and the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Student Award for her outstanding academic achievement.
With the required national competency exam behind her, and her inclusion on Alberta's General Register confirmed, Katie and her soon-to-be husband returned to Grande Prairie. Not only were they back home, but Katie found herself back in the Lifemark clinic, this time as a practicing physiotherapist. "We are thrilled to be back in this community. Thanks to our families still being here, and having come back every summer, we've managed to stay really connected to it. Our roots here are deep and there is a lot of satisfaction in working with and treating people who I've known, and who have known me, my whole life."
After more than seven straight years of post-secondary schooling, Katie is ready to settle into her professional practice, their new home, and the busy life that comes with having a new puppy. When asked what she might say to a young student interested in pursuing physiotherapy, she is encouraging. "Physio is a tough program to get accepted into, but it's not as impossible as some make it sound. Earning a degree in Kinesiology opens so many doors, and if they decide to continue towards physiotherapy, they should know that the evaluators look at the whole candidate, not just their marks."
NWP is proud of have played a part in Katie's outstanding achievement and as a community, we are proud that a professional with her abilities and potential has chosen to come back here to start her career. If you need a physiotherapist, we happen to have one we'd recommend…
Watch Katie talk about her connection to NWP.
