News
GVSU Traverse City faculty member finds joy in lifting others up
September 26, 2025
From a young age, I watched my mom serve as a nurse in our community, and I knew I wanted to be part of that same kind of work. One that melded care, grit and connection. That spark grew into a career that has now stretched over two decades, a journey that has taken me from athletic training to trauma care, from the frontlines of the hospital to the classroom, where I now stand teaching future physician assistants. Today, I’m a tenure-track faculty member in the Physician Assistant Studies program at Grand Valley State University’s Traverse City Regional Center. After earning my bachelor’s degree in athletic training, I worked in Alabama with an incredible football team, an experience that remains one of the most formative of my life. During that time, I had the opportunity to network with orthopedic physicians and physician assistants, and it was through their eyes that I realized what orthopedic medicine could look like. That opened a new curiosity in me, a love for the profession that ultimately led me to pursue the PA path. I went on to earn a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from Arcadia University, followed by a doctorate from the University of Lynchburg.
Along the way, I built a clinical career at Munson Medical Center, serving in trauma, acute care surgery and surgical critical care, as well as in leadership roles serving on committees. One of my proudest accomplishments was developing and chairing the Provider Wellbeing Committee at Munson, because I believe deeply in changing the culture of medicine from within. Recently, I recognized that my impact could stretch beyond the bedside. Teaching allows me to influence health care at its roots, equipping students not just with knowledge but also with resilience and tools to protect their own well-being. At GVSU, I serve on the International Education Committee and the College of Health Professions Scholarship Committee, and I am working to build wellness initiatives for PA students, similar to the ones I started at Munson. My hope is that these programs will help students navigate the intensity of training, preserve their sense of identity, and reduce burnout as they move into practice.
Outside of work, life is equally full. I am a professional long-course triathlete, competing in Ironman and Ironman 70.3 distances, and I’m also a competitive canoe racer. I’m a wife, mother and now a very proud aunt. Training at a high level while balancing my family and career is only possible because of the supportive community around me, especially my husband, who helps me keep pace with this life that is often both demanding and deeply rewarding.
At the heart of everything I do, whether in sport, medicine or teaching, is a commitment to community. No one succeeds alone. The joy and the impact come from the people beside us, the culture we create and the way we lift each other up.
By Katie Treston-Torney