Save the date for our Virtual 20th Year Celebration of the Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program

May 27, 2021 | 4pm EST

RHB Alums Help Start AT Professional Program

by Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

CHS Alum Breaks New Ground Studying the Psychology of Injury

5 Questions with … Shelby Baez, PhD, ATC
by Ryan Clark
CHS Director of Communications

Shelby Baez knew she wanted a career in athletic training when she was in high school.

Shelby Baez, PhD, a UK College of Health Sciences alumna who received her Master’s in Athletic Training in 2016 and her PhD in Rehabilitation Sciences in 2019, was awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Award from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) for her outstanding contributions to injury rehabilitation research. 

This article is the first in an ongoing series to highlight UK College of Health Sciences faculty efforts to combat the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Researchers were not immune to COVID-19’s impact as the virus forced labs to rethink and reinvent operations nationwide. UK College of Health Sciences (CHS) faculty pivoted quickly to sustain their current opportunities and joined with investigators around the world to provide solutions in their areas of expertise to fight the pandemic’s effects.

Patellofemoral pain, also known as “runner’s knee,” is one of the most common injuries a female runner can experience. Due to this condition, runners encounter pain around the knee joint, as well as quadriceps and hip weakness, preventing high workload training and impacting day-to-day activities.

About the Program

The mission of the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences PhD Program is to fulfill a leadership role in addressing the rehabilitation and health needs of individuals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond through research, education and service.

Susan Effgen, PT, PhD, has spent more than 45 years consulting, researching, and publishing on issues related to children with disabilities in the United States and abroad. After a storied career and 20 years serving the College of Health Sciences as a professor in the physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences doctoral program, Effgen retired from academia in January.  

Josh Van Wyngaarden grew up in a military family, traveling all over the world during his father’s 22 years in the Air Force.

“It’s really all I ever knew,” he said. “And I knew I wanted to serve in that way, too.” 

Josh Van Wyngaarden, PT, DPT, has always been interested in the mechanisms behind pain. As a member of the U.S. Air Force, he’s well-acquainted with chronic pain and the devastating effect it can have on his fellow Airmens’ lives.