Vol.10, No.4

March 2005

ACADEMY'S ONLINE LEARNING CENTER OPENS AT ANNUAL MEETING

A year's worth of PCE credit opportunities awaits the first users of the Paul E. Leimkuehler Online Learning Center located on the Academy's website. In ceremonies at the Annual Meeting, Academy President David F. Moretto, CP, FAAOP officially opened the Center and encouraged members and nonmembers to give it a try. About two dozen initial offerings will provide opportunities for practitioners to obtain PCE credits from online sessions on a variety of topics. Among the initial offerings are sessions produced by the Academy based on the literature reviewed for the first two Clinical Standards of Practice consensus conferences on scoliosis (16 PCE credits) and post-operative amputation care (10 PCE credits), JPO articles and case studies. Manufacturer courses and sessions developed by other sources will soon follow. Ossur, Otto Bock, and Ohio Willow Wood have committed to "channels" providing manufacturer courses online. Members can expect some sessions to include video of the presenter or video clips included in the PowerPoint presentations. Other sessions may combine audio with PowerPoint; and still others may be simply text. In all instances, successful completion of a short quiz will earn the individual PCE credits. A certificate attesting to the number of credits earned may be printed upon completion and ABC will automatically receive reports of successfully completed sessions. Prices vary according to the length of the course or session and the complexity of the format, however special introductory pricing will encourage individuals to try the variety of sessions. The Center was named in honor of Paul E. Leimkuehler, CP, a strong proponent of continuous lifelong learning and an early member of the Academy. He was also responsible for the introduction of outrigger skis in the U.S. which opened the sport to thousands of amputees and other skiers with disabilities. A short bio is included on the website.

ACADEMY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH O&P EDGE

A new quarterly publication begins this week. Academy TODAY is being published with Western Media LLC, parent company of the monthly magazine and online publication O&P EDGE. The 16-page sponsored insert will combine case studies with stories about Academy events, Board actions, and issues affecting practitioners on a professional level. Each case study will include a quiz worth PCE credits located in the Academy's Online Learning Center. Academy TODAY will also be placed on the website. The concept of a quarterly publication has been in the works since 2001 when it was first proposed at a Strategic Planning meeting. O&P EDGE was selected as a publishing partner due to its existing strong online presence and 11,000-plus circulation.

MEMBERS TO RECEIVE FINDINGS FROM CONSENSUS CONF #4

The findings from the Clinical Standards of Practice Consensus Conference on "Orthotic and Pedorthic Management of the Neuropathic Foot," chaired by Nancy Elftman, CO will be published as a supplement to the April issue of the JPO. The conference was held in August 2004, with participants representing the entire treatment team including practitioners, physicians, CPeds, RNs, and DPMs. This is the fourth in a series of consensus conferences held to document standards. Previous topics include scoliosis, post-operative treatment of amputees, and plagiocephaly. The Academy will now conduct state-of-the-science conferences beginning with Prosthetic Foot Ankle Mechanisms April 14-16, co-chaired by Donald R. Cummings, CP and Susan L. Kapp, CPO.

PROJECT QUANTUM LEAP REACHES ORLANDO HIGH SCHOOL

More than 100 students at Olympia High School in Orlando will participate this week in the Academy's awareness program which combines information on careers and schooling in O&P, disability awareness, and demonstrations of high-end O&P technology. Teacher Jason Reblin's promotional flier about the program caught students’ attention including members of the pre-med club, robotics club, and others. O&P college students from GA Tech, UT Southwestern Medical Center, University of Washington, and Century College will act as volunteers for the program and work with students in small discussion groups. Kevin Carroll, CP, FAAOP will team with Paralympians Dennis Oehler and Todd Schaffhauser for the presentations. Oehler and Schaffhauser were recently featured in a CNN story on the rehabilitation of military amputees and a similar story in the Washington Post.