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June 2008 • Vol. 4, No. 3
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Advancing Orthotic and Prosthetic
Care Through Knowledge
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Interactive Programming Engages Students
More than 60 high school students from the Orlando, Florida, area had the opportunity to attend the 34th Academy Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium for its Awareness Day programming on February 29. The high school students interacted with students currently enrolled in O&P practitioner programs and, among other activities, viewed the Academy's career video and toured the Exhibit Hall.
With the help of O&P students from programs at Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), and St. Petersburg College, high school students also rolled up their sleeves and pant legs and tried their hands at O&P-related practice activities. They experienced hand scanning, "making" a prosthetic leg from various components, donning a variety of orthoses, picking up items with a myoelectric arm, and walking on prosthetic feet.
Rebecca Spragg of Georgia Tech helped spearhead these efforts. "Whenever students come to our campus, the hands-on activities seem to have the most impact. We wanted to create this on a larger scale for the high school students coming to the Academy meeting," she said.
This interactive programming engaged the students for more than an hour before they toured the Exhibit Hall. They all left with a new appreciation for the profession and the technology that helps so many to regain their lives. Special thanks to Allard, Aspen, College Park, Fillauer, Ohio Willow Wood, Orthomerica, Ossur, Otto Bock, SPS, Texas Assistive Devices, Townsend Design, and TruStep for their loaner devices that helped make this program possible.
Finding the Right Fit
The room was buzzing at the Academy's first Residency Networking Session held February 28. Each station or "pod" was led by representatives from the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics (ABC), the National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic Education (NCOPE), the Academy's Research Education Committee, residency directors from various settings, as well as current residents. While our volunteers manned each station, the O&P students flowed in small groups from station to station for seven to ten minutes each. During that time, station leaders shared their particular area of expertise and answered questions for the students.
ABC was able to address the certification process—what you actually do once you complete your residency and the steps involved in attaining certification. NCOPE was able to explain how students apply for a residency and the related requirements. The Academy's Research Education Committee, the group responsible for selecting the "Best of " Residency series, reviewed how the directed studies are evaluated and the mechanisms used to select the "best."
The residency directors provided insight on their particular setting. Students were able to get a feel for what they might experience in a hospital setting versus a university setting. They could get a feel for whether they would have a more positive experience working in a small or large facility. This allowed the students to gain insight on what type of residency they might want to look for if they see one particular setting being a better match for themselves personally.
Finally the residents shared some current-day, real-life examples of their own residency. They could easily relate to the students, and it allowed time for some really tough questions like, "Will I have to get a part-time job? How do you manage your time?"
All of the students had the opportunity to rotate into each station. While the timing was tight leading into the College Park Student Social, no one wanted to leave the room before they had a chance to visit each pod.
Cathy Carter and Steve Fletcher, representing ABC, said, "This was a wonderful chance for the students to have some one-on-one time and get their burning questions answered. It's good for us to hear what they want and need to know."
Academy Award Winner Don Shurr, PT, CPO, commented, "This is fantastic! These kids are on the ball, and getting them the information they need now is the best thing we can do for them as they are starting their careers."
Academy Wins Awards from Association TRENDS
The Academy's "Sky's the Limit" career video was a Gold award winner in the Informational CD/video category of the Association TRENDS 2007 All-Media Contest. Association TRENDS is the national newspaper for association executives and suppliers for the latest news, information, and trends in association management. It is geared to the professional staff of international, national, state, regional, and local voluntary organizations. The career website, www.opcareers.org, whose average monthly hits have increased more than 250 percent since it was launched, won a Bronze award.
The Academy's public service announcements (PSAs) were recognized with a Silver award. These PSAs are excellent tools for promoting the profession in your local area. Be sure to download "Tips for Working with the Media" from the Career Information website at www.opcareers.org. This handout offers helpful hints on how to approach the local media to get announcements on the air or information posted to the community calendar. It also provides some suggested points of contact for networking with your local schools and hospitals.
Understanding Evidence-Based Practice and Justifying Patient Care
With funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Academy produced Evidence Report Guidelines, which define a consistent method for systematically reviewing available literature and research on a particular topic in O&P and evaluating the current evidence on that topic. On March 1, Brian Hafner, PhD, gave Academy Annual Meeting attendees an overview of the structured literature review process leading to the development of an Evidence Report. Stefania Fatone, PhD, discussed the guidelines outlined by Hafner in reference to the evidence report she co-authored with Michael Dillon, PhD, for the eighth State-of-the-Science Conference on the Biomechanics of Ambulation after Partial Foot Amputations. Edward Neumann,
PhD, PE, CP, concluded the presentation by showing how information from an Evidence Report may be applied in a clinical setting.
Later that afternoon, Mark Geil, PhD, Brian Hafner, PhD, and Phil Stevens, CPO, MEd, FAAOP, presented the course, "Evidence-Based Practice: Justifying Patient Care." This program's primary objective is to assist practitioners in understanding and evaluating the available evidence relative to their individual practices and patients.
For the latest grant information, visit the Academy website at www.oandp.org/grants
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