HARRISBURG, PA – Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) is pleased to welcome Dr. Caitlin (“Cait”) McGee, MS, PT, DPT. She’s one of the latest team members to join the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program currently in development* at HU. Dr. McGee brings an inquisitive nature, incredible academic experiences, and an impressive entrepreneurial mindset to HU. We can’t wait to see the positive impact she makes on our students and the physical therapy community!
Can you tell us about your academic background?
“I graduated from Ursinus College with a Bachelor of Science, where I was a dual major in Neuroscience and Exercise & Sport Science. Afterwards, I completed my DPT at the University of Delaware, where I also earned a Master of Science in Anatomy and Clinical Health Sciences.”
What is your title, and what courses do you teach at HU?
“I’m an assistant professor within the brand-new Doctor of Physical Therapy program at HU. I teach a number of neurology- and technology-focused courses in the program, including Neuroscience Fundamentals in Physical Therapy; Neurologic Rehabilitation; Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Assistive Technology in Healthcare; and an advanced-topics course on esports medicine.”
Have you earned any special awards or certifications we should know about?
“I have my CSPO, which stands for Certified Scrum Project Owner. Scrum is a product management methodology popular in tech fields. It’s not something I ever thought I’d pick up, but thanks to my experiences in esports, I’ve found it genuinely valuable to take bits and pieces of industry methodologies and use them in physical therapy as well. My CSPO has been really helpful when planning and executing research projects, and it’s something I would recommend to professionals and researchers across a range of disciplines.”
Where did you teach or work before arriving at HU?
“This is my first university-level teaching role! Previously, I worked as a clinician in a variety of settings, including acute care (hospital) settings (at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere); outpatient orthopedics clinics; and traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury long-term recovery units.
“I also co-founded 1HP (1 Health Point), a multidisciplinary health and performance company specializing in esports medicine, where I worked with professional gaming teams. I later co-founded the Esports Health and Performance Institute (EHPI) as a continuing education arm to give other rehab professionals the evidence-based tools they need to work with the gaming population. I can proudly say we produced the first-ever accredited continuing-education course on esports medicine and the role of physical therapists in gaming.”
What are your main areas of interest for conducting research?
“I’m really interested in the intersection of my neuroscience and esports backgrounds, including evaluating EMG (electromyography) data for muscle use with different types of controllers, designing return-to-play protocols for gaming injuries, and exploring the gamification of education. I’m also very interested in researching novel treatment methodologies for traumatic brain injuries.”
What do you think makes HU stand out as a university for our students and faculty?
“Perhaps unsurprisingly, I’m a big fan of HU’s fantastic esports team, The Storm, and its Esports Management degree program, both academically and competitively.
“But even more than that, I am truly excited about the opportunities that a hybrid model of education affords both faculty and students. The fact that our learners can continue to support themselves, while earning their degree from anywhere, is a huge advantage. It also means many of our graduates go on to practice medicine or conduct research right at their place of origin. Rural health can be a challenge, with hundreds of counties in the US identified as health professional shortage areas. To answer the call, we’re helping underserved areas of the country build up their skill pipelines and helping communities retain their critical talent.”
What do you get up to in your spare time?
“I’m an avid runner and weightlifter, and I’m currently working on running a marathon in every state (I just crossed #10, West Virginia, off the list!). The Greenbrier River Trail is now in my ultimate pantheon of most beautiful places I’ve visited.
“I’m also a gamer – both board games and video games. My other hobbies include leatherworking, sewing, and jewelry making. I have two cats who make frequent appearances on my video calls: Ardeth and Khutulun. They’re both very dog-like cats who like to play fetch, oddly enough.”
Please join us in giving Dr. McGee a warm welcome! Our students are lucky to have you – and we can’t wait to see what you do with your time here at HU!
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics. For additional information about the University’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
*Graduation from a physical therapist education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone; 703-706-3245; accreditation@apta.org is necessary for eligibility to sit for the licensure examination, which is required in all states. Candidacy is considered to be an accredited status, as such the credits and degree earned from a program with Candidacy status are considered, by CAPTE, to be from an accredited program. Therefore, students in the charter (first) class should be eligible to take the licensure exam even if CAPTE withholds accreditation at the end of the candidacy period. That said, it is up to each state licensing agency, not CAPTE, to determine who is eligible for licensure. Information on licensing requirements should be directed to the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT; www.fsbpt.org) or specific state boards (a list of state boards and contact information is available on FSBPT’s website. Harrisburg University is seeking accreditation of a new physical therapist 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 May 1, 2025. 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 professional phase of the program; therefore, no students may be enrolled in professional 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. CAPTE accreditation site visit Summer 2028; inaugural cohort graduation December 2028; first licensure examination date available to graduates January 2029; and CAPTE accreditation decision expected in Fall 2028.