University of Minnesota Athletics
Kate Ohm Accepted into Prestigious Mayo PT Program
2/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
The Mayo Clinic is one of the most respected hospitals in the world. Located in Rochester, Minnesota, the Mayo employs 1,900 doctors and scientists and sees over 350,000 patients a year. The hospital does not only treat patients and research diseases, it is also an educational institution. For those hoping to earn a doctoral degree in physical therapy, the Mayo School of Health Sciences’ three-year program boasts a 100 percent job placement rate for its graduates. The program is, however, very selective. Only 28 students are accepted every year.
One of those students is the University of Minnesota’s own Katie Ohm.
Katie Ohm came to the University of Minnesota in 2005 after an illustrious basketball career at Elgin-Millville High School, but her collegiate career didn’t get off to a good start. She was forced to redshirt her freshman year due to a stress fracture in her left foot. Fortunately, Katie’s foot did recover, and she is now in the middle of her senior season.
In her fifth year at Minnesota, Katie was named a team captain, and she is currently ranked third on the list of career three-pointers made by a Golden Gopher women’s basketball player.
Ohm graduated with a kinesiology degree in May of 2009, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in applied kinesiology. She will start her training at the Mayo next fall. Katie’s dream of a career in physical therapy was inspired by her sister as well as by some of Ohm’s personal experiences.
“[Physical therapy] is a rewarding career,” Ohm said. “My sister is an occupational therapist, and I’ve heard about her experiences and how rewarding it is for her. As an athlete I’ve had my share of injuries and just having that relationship with my trainer and knowing how important it was to me to get back on the court made me want to pursue the field because it had such a positive affect on me.”
Katie applied to six different physical therapy schools, but the Mayo was her first choice.
“It’s a great school, and it’s really competitive to get into, so I feel pretty good about it,” she said. “Mayo is the only school [that I applied to] that does interviews. I had an interview on December 11, and I found out that next Thursday, so I found out within six days.”
Ohm learned that she had been accepted via email.
“I was actually with my boyfriend, and right when I saw it I knew who it was from. It was a pretty good feeling, and I was really excited, but I couldn’t be overly loud or anything because we were in a public place, but I think both of us were really excited,” she said.
As a new chapter in her life is rapidly approaching, Katie is making the best of the time that she has left at Minnesota. She knows that her experience as a Golden Gopher is one she’ll never forget.
“I’m going to look back, and I’m going to be so happy that I did it, and I think it was such a great experience,” Katie said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself and about how the world works.”
She has made lifelong friends as well. Katie has said that while she has bonded with all of her teammates, she is closest to fellow seniors Ashley Ellis-Milan, Zoe Harper, and Brittany McCoy, as well as current roommate Kristen Dockery.
“I’ve always been close with Ash and Zoe because I’ve been here with Ash five years and with Zoe four years,” Katie said. “They’ve meant a lot to me. Also Brittany McCoy, because she’s been here four years and over the last two years I feel like we’ve really bonded and had a good time together. I feel like Ash and I have been through a lot, especially during our freshman year when we had a lot of people leave, and we kind of had to rebuild the program.”
Ohm has matured as a basketball player and as a person at the U of M. She has gained knowledge not only in the classroom, but also on the basketball court.
“When I was a freshman I didn’t know how to handle the mental aspects of the game or the physical aspects. I think the wisdom that I’ve gained over the past four years has helped me perform better and become a better player.”
As the 2009-10 women’s basketball season comes to a close, Katie knows that end of her time as a Gopher will be bittersweet.
“I’m excited for a new chapter and doing something different with my life, but in the end I think I’m going to miss it. Next year I’m going to be really sad when I can’t hang out with my teammates or be in Minneapolis. I’m definitely going to miss it, but I’m ready to move on and go to school and start my career.”
Gopher basketball fans should be grateful to Katie Ohm for being all that a student-athlete should be. She has excelled on the court and in the classroom, and the Mayo will be lucky to have her.
Article by Alli Johnson
