Kaitlyn Blackmon was an athlete from an early age. As a competitive swimmer in Redmond, Washington, she was no stranger to the physical demands of the sport and began seeing a physical therapist in middle school. It was her physical therapist, along with support from her mother, who first inspired Blackmon to pursue the career herself.
She came one step closer to her dream job in June 2026 when she completed her degree in Health Studies at the University of Washington Bothell.
As she prepares to apply to graduate programs, Blackmon is already gaining real-world experience in the field working as a rehab aide at a physical therapy office. She credits one class in particular — and a nudge from her instructor— for helping her get the position.
Small classes, close connections
Blackmon’s higher education journey began at Eastern Illinois University. She joined the swim team there and began a program in kinesiology as a pathway to becoming a physical therapist. Two years in, an injury left her unable to continue competitive swimming.
She decided to return to Redmond and picked up her education just 10 miles north of her home.
“UW Bothell was the perfect choice for me because it is a smaller campus and a great school that is close to home,” she said. “I love the fact that I can walk from class to class or to the dining hall or corner store between classes. The small class sizes really benefited my learning because I was able to have closer relationships with my professors and collaborate with the other students in my classes.”
These kinds of close connections are also what led to her current job, she added.
Blackmon’s academic adviser Kaitlin Wolf suggested she take a class on pre-health professional pathways — not just to support her goal of becoming a physical therapist but also to expose her to a variety of healthcare opportunities. The course was taught by Kristen Labrecque, health professions & natural science pathways manager at UW Bothell’s Career Services.
Courage to career contact
In one session, Labrecque invited a panel of speakers from different healthcare professions to talk to the class, among them a local physical therapist, Dr. Cole Graves. Labrecque was aware of Blackmon’s ambitions and encouraged her to speak with Graves after the panel.
“I’m a relatively shy person, so I was very nervous to speak to him,” Blackmon said. “But the panel was also very encouraging because the speakers talked about their own setbacks and struggles.”
Blackmon especially enjoyed hearing Graves share his experience, she said. “He talked about how he went back to repeat some classes after he graduated college because he wanted to get better grades. That’s, personally, something I plan to do, and so it really resonated with me and helped ease my mind.”
After the panel, she worked up the courage to introduce herself using an elevator pitch she developed with Labrecque’s guidance. Graves then invited her to come to his clinic in person for an unofficial interview. She landed the job two weeks later.
“When Kaitlyn started at UW Bothell, she overcame her shyness and introduced herself to me,” said Labrecque. “When she took my class, I was proud to see her continued growth, using the elevator speech to introduce herself to potential mentors such as Cole. I feel so privileged to have been a part of her journey and to see how far she’s come — and how far she’ll go as she continues to advocate for herself.”
“I’ve taken what I’ve learned and applied it to treating each patient as an individual—and not as a group.”
Kaitlyn Blackmon, Health Studies ’26
Real-world applications
As a rehab aide at Lake Washington Physical Therapy in Woodinville, Washington, Blackmon works at the front desk, scheduling appointments and learning how to process insurance claims. She also shadows the physical therapists during slower times.
The themes and topics she learned about in school have taken on real-world meaning for her, she said. “Many of my Health Studies core courses were about health disparities and how not everyone is in the same financial situation or the same health situation. I’ve taken what I’ve learned and applied it to treating each patient as an individual — and not as a group.”
She works a second job as a caregiver, where these same concepts apply. She also continues to stay connected to her passion for swimming by coaching for the Wave Aquatics swim team in Redmond where she was a member at 8 years old.
Blackmon said she plans to continue working in these roles until she can begin her graduate education. Her job at LWPT has affirmed her interest in the field, and she wants someday to have her own private practice that’s as warm and inviting as the clinic.
“The clinic is so lively. Everybody is so nice and welcoming, and the people are my favorite part of the job,” she said. “I’ve asked a million questions, and I never felt like I was bothering somebody.”
Put yourself out there
Looking back at her experience, Blackmon is grateful to her adviser Wolf and Labrecque for pushing her to take chances. Her own advice for other students is to do the same and go after what they want.
“Put yourself out there,” she said. “Walk into a clinic and ask about the opportunities they have. Or, if you see a job posting online but don’t quite meet the requirements, apply anyway. The worst thing they can say is ‘no.’ But as long as you keep putting yourself out there and just being confident in yourself, you’ll definitely land something somewhere.
“And never be afraid to ask for help or advice. Asking for help is probably one of the biggest tools you can have, and it’s helped me immensely not only in school — but in every part of my life.”
