Meet John Pinette. He coached CrossFit in his free time as a first-year engineering student and found he has a passion for movement and fitness. He started helping clients with questions about injury and movement and decided to pursue a career in physical therapy. As he became more familiar with kinesiology, he began participating in research studies which ultimately led to a role conducting research himself. Working with Ph.D. student Jessica Moon and Assistant Professor Abigail Wilson he co-authored two studies and was awarded the Spring 2023 Kinesiology Outstanding Student Award. While at UCF, John was involved with the Undergraduate Physical Therapy Association, 1689 Reformed Baptist Fellowship Club, the Baseball Club, the Golf Club and intramural flag football.
Hometown: Pensacola, Florida
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
What will you be doing after graduation?
I will be attending UCF’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program starting May 2024.
What are your long-term career plans?
My long-term career plans are to graduate with my doctorate in physical therapy and begin my physical therapy career as a clinician. I am open to all different settings you can go into with physical therapy and will most likely find my passion for which setting to choose as I go through PT school.
What accomplishment from your time at UCF are you most proud of?
The two main accomplishments I am most proud of would have to be winning UCF’s Kinesiology Outstanding Student Award in Spring 2023 and also being accepted into UCF’s DPT program. Getting into physical therapy school was something I was striving to accomplish for years, and I am very proud that the hard work paid off.
What did you love the most about your time at UCF?
Throughout my time at UCF, I have loved all of the research opportunities that are available to students. I first started volunteering and participating in different research studies which eventually led to having the opportunity to be a research assistant to Jessica Moon in the EPIC Lab and to Dr. Abigail Wilson in the Musculoskeletal Lab. Over the past year, I have really enjoyed becoming a part of the different research aspects of kinesiology and physical therapy.
What was your favorite class, professor, or experience at CHPS, and why?
My favorite professor at CHPS would probably be Dr. Thomas Fisher. If anyone knows Dr. Fisher, you most certainly can agree that his personality and teaching keeps the class engaged. He can be a jokester at times and his lectures were definitely ones that I looked forward to attending.
