DPT faculty, Karlyn Green, is proud to work for Campbell and strives to learn with and from students

“I love being a part of the students’ lives. Whether that is having them stop by my office to discuss and better understand concepts, teaching them in the classroom, or catching up on their weekend activities in the hallway, I value our time together and feel privileged to be a part of their education.”

Name: Karlyn Green

Titles: Assistant Professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Campbell University
Senior II Physical Therapist, Adult Inpatient Division, Duke University Hospital

Certifications/Licenses Held

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy

Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy

Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Residency at Duke University Hospital

Orthopedic Residency with Kaiser Permanente/HealthCare Partners

APTA Certified Clinical Instructor

I was elected to serve on the national Nominating Committee for the Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy within the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). My three-year term began in January 2023.

Please summarize your personal, career, and academic journey: I am a full-time assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Campbell University. I continue to work at Duke University Hospital, where I’ve spent the past 10 years as a physical therapist on a cardiopulmonary team. I am an APTA board certified specialist in cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapy and orthopedic physical therapy.

I attained a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science with a minor in psychology from University of California, Davis in 2005. I attained my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles in 2008. I completed an orthopedic residency with HealthCare Partners/Kaiser Permanente in Los Angeles as well which led to me obtaining my APTA Board Certified Specialty in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. After residency and working in outpatient orthopedics in Los Angeles, I shifted to travel physical therapy. I worked across several states and multiple settings, honing my skills, determining my next professional steps, and traveling the country. In September of 2013, I began my cardiopulmonary residency with Duke University Hospital system which led to my APTA Board Certified Specialty in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy.

At Duke, I was a senior II physical therapist working primarily on the cardiothoracic unit. In addition to my daily lead PT duties (e.g. triage, evaluating patients, providing interventions), I assisted with the restructuring of our lung transplant program and provided competency education for the PT/OT department on left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). I also provided the impetus for the transition from traditional sternal precautions to modified sternal precautions. This system-wide change required presentation of current evidence to the CT surgeons and the eventual education of all CT surgery staff regarding consequent adjustments to protocol. I was an APTA certified clinical instructor for several clinical students and participated in the Duke STEPs program.

While working at Duke, I taught the cardiopulmonary physical therapy course in several DPT programs including Campbell, UNC, Methodist University, and PCOM Georgia. I assisted at Duke DPT in multiple courses over the 10 years I was at Duke University Hospital.

I have served nationally for the APTA Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy as a membership committee member, education committee member, and now have a position on the nominating committee for this Academy.

At Campbell, I teach hospital-based practice, cardiopulmonary physical therapy, and pathophysiology. I assist with other courses including clinical reasoning, tests and measures, and special populations. I am the faculty advisor for the DPT Pro Bono Clinic and enjoy volunteering with this initiative year-round.

“Having taught in several other institutions, the collaboration and drive for providing excellent education to our students is, in my experience, unmatched.”

What influenced your decision to pursue your career field and/or your current position at CPHS? I have always taught in parallel to holding my full-time positions. Starting in physical therapy school, where I taught anatomy, through online physiology, to teaching at multiple programs in North Carolina and Georgia. When I came back to Campbell to teach Hospital Based Practice, it felt appropriate and exciting to transition to full-time faculty. The program mission, vision, goals, and direction of growth closely aligned with my personal goals and core values. The faculty were and continue to be supportive and collaborative in a way that propels our students forward into the profession. I am proud to be a part of our faculty and staff in the DPT program.

What is your day to day like in your current position and what do you enjoy most about what you do? I love being a part of the students’ lives. Whether that is having them stop by my office to discuss and better understand concepts, teaching them in the classroom, or catching up on their weekend activities in the hallway, I value our time together and feel privileged to be a part of their education. I also love collaborating with my fellow faculty and staff. We are constantly finding unique ways to introduce information, learning teaching strategies from each other, and sharing ideas; there is no shortage of laughter on the third floor of Smith Hall.

Please describe any research endeavors you are currently participating or previously participating in? I am currently reading deeply into the concept of resiliency in the heart failure population. With multiple projects on this topic, I am aiming to identify ways to assess which patients with heart failure return to baseline physical, cognitive, and psychological function versus those who surpass their baseline function after a physical stressor of heart transplantation or left ventricular assist device implantation. Previous publications include initial COVID rehabilitation protocols and a chapter in a physical therapy textbook on restrictive lung disease.

Please summarize any additional accomplishments you would like to highlight or talk more personally about what you are passionate about! I am someone who values self-assessment and growth, and I approach the field of physical therapy in that manner. Identifying, understanding and addressing my weaknesses has remained a constant throughout my professional career, working in multiple settings and several states, specializing in areas of interest, and remaining a perpetual student of my curiosity. My self-assessment often leads me to evaluate opportunities for growth, such as research and publication, leadership roles, and process improvement initiatives. I also try to be an example of the education I provide, staying active and taking steps in health. My participation in Campbell’s Fit Fest was a highlight for me.

At Campbell we believe in purposeful lives and meaningful service. What legacy are you leaving in your life, in your chosen field? I currently serve as the faculty pro bono advisor for our student run pro bono clinic. This act of service to a community of people is a refreshing change from the limits of patient care in the current health system. Providing service to those who do not have access to or cannot afford the healthcare they require is an honor and a true fulfillment of the oath I took when I became a physical therapist. I hope to expand this service to those in the community who would benefit from my cardiopulmonary experience.

Reasons Why prospective students should choose Campbell over other Graduate and Professional Schools: Our faculty and staff embody a culture that is unique to Campbell DPT. Having taught in several other institutions, the collaboration and drive for providing excellent education to our students is, in my experience, unmatched. This is evidenced by our willingness to collaborate with our students and learn not just from them but with them.