Jessica Lohnes
‘When you put your mind to something, you can achieve it no matter what': MScRR-PT grad reflects on pursuing her passion
Jessica Lohnes (Provided photo)
Convocation Q&A: Jessica Lohnes
Congratulations to all of our Dal Health Class of 2022! To celebrate Spring Convocation 2022, we chatted with students from across Dal Health.
- Name: Jessica Lohnes
- Pronouns: she/her
- Degree: Master of Science Physiotherapy & Master of Science Rehabilitation Research
- Where you’re from: Lunenburg, NS
How significant is it for you to receive this degree?
The MSc Physiotherapy and MSc Rehabilitation Research degrees allowed me to persue my passions for clinical practice, as well as for scholarly inquiry and research-based study. I truly believe that the combination of both degrees provided me with a solid foundation for being a competent evidence-based clinician who understands the biomechanics of how the human body moves, and how it repairs from injury and illness.
What were the highlights of your degree?
One of the major highlights of my degrees was travelling to Toronto, ON with my supervisor and fellow colleagues for the 2019 Osteoarthritis Research Soceity International (OARSI) World Congress.
Another highlight was finding out I was the recipient of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Award, which was awarded to the graduating student with the highest combined overall standing in academic and clinical components of the MSc Physiotherapy program.
What brought you to Dal and to your program specifically?
I was intrguied by the opportunity to pursue both MSc RR and MSc PT degrees in combination, and my research supervisor from my undergraduate program at Acadia University introduced me to Dr. Derek Rutherford and his work in the Joint Action Research Laboratory. My undergraduate research was focused on gait mechanics in athletes and its relation to knee injury and disease, which aligned seamlessly with the work that Dr. Rutherford investigates in his lab.
What will you miss about your time in the MScRR-PT program?
I will miss seeing my classmates every day and the fellow researchers in the lab. There was always someone willing to bounce ideas off each other and practice the hands-on skills.
What topics/research did you become passionate about during your education?
I became passionate about knee osteoarthritis, and the biomechanics and neuromuscular activations of the lower extremity muscles during gait that may contribute to disease progression and severtity.
What was your biggest learning experience?
My biggest learning experience was that when you focus and put your mind to something, you can achieve it no matter what. These past few years have been the most challenging time of my entire life, and there were many times where I was ready to give up. I had an incredible support team behind me and they pushed me to try my very best. I learned that with a lot of hard work and determination you can not only succeeed, but you can excel.
How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect your studies/work?
The pandemic changed the structure of both MSc PT and RR programs, where it shifted to more independent and online learning. I am student who likes to be engaged in the classroom and ask questions, which was much more challenging to do with the online model. However, one positive aspect of the change was that the physiotherapy practical labs were in much smaller groups and we had more one-on-one time with our instructors.
What’s next for you?
I am committed to contributing to both the clinical and research-based realms of physiotherapy throughout my career, and have started doing just that. I am currently working as a Physiotherapy Resident at Lifemark Physiotherapy in Bridgewater, NS as well as working towards my first publication titled “ Do individuals with knee osteoarthritis walk with distinct knee biomechanics and muscle activation characteristics? An investigation of knee osteoarthritis, hip osteoarthritis, and asymptomatic groups”. I am excited to see what the future holds!