Rate My Professor Kate Gray

Kate Gray is the Clinical Coordinator in Curtin University's School of Allied Health – Physiotherapy, situated within the Faculty of Health Sciences. In this position, she manages clinical education and training components for physiotherapy students, facilitating their transition from academic learning to professional practice through structured placements and assessments. Her longstanding involvement in physiotherapy education at Curtin underscores her commitment to enhancing student outcomes in allied health disciplines. In 2013, Kate Gray held the role of Physiotherapy Coordinator of Medical and Student Services at Joondalup Health Campus, a key clinical training site affiliated with Curtin University, while completing a Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education. Furthermore, she has applied her clinical expertise as a physiotherapist in the process evaluation of a maintenance pulmonary rehabilitation trial at the Centre for Pulmonary Rehabilitation, contributing to efforts aimed at improving patient outcomes in respiratory care through sustained rehabilitation programs.

A highlight of Kate Gray's contributions is her leadership in the Avatar Simulation with AI Feedback project, featured in Curtin University's Assessment 2030 initiative within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Designed for units with under 50 students in a hybrid format emphasizing individual work, this innovative assessment introduces students to 'Michael,' an AI-powered conversational agent simulating a patient with a slightly cranky but fundamentally cooperative personality who desires quick recovery advice following an injury. Students participate in verbal role-play scenarios, practicing critical clinical communication and reasoning skills in a flexible, accessible environment that overcomes limitations of traditional simulation logistics. This approach provides cost-effective, scalable experiences that complement core teaching methods. The project is advancing toward a hybrid evaluation framework, blending AI-generated objective feedback with detailed academic supervision and peer review. Realizing this initiative demanded extensive team planning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic industry partnerships, ultimately delivering transformative learning opportunities that prepare physiotherapy students for real-world practice by seamlessly integrating advanced technology into healthcare education and delivery.