Vol. 8, No.8

October 2003

Academy, FL Chapter Begin Talks to Support Opening O&P School at St Petersburg College

Dr. Carl Kuttler, president of St. Petersburg College, announced at the Florida Chapter meeting in September that the college will offer a bachelor's degree program in Orthotics and Prosthetics, certificate programs in Orthotics and Prosthetics, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree for Orthotic and Prosthetic technicians as early as 2005. The programs will meet Florida's current O&P licensing requirements and assist in filling the ever-increasing need for professionals.

Since 1995, the Florida Chapter in conjunction with the Florida Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists (FAOP) has been aggressively pursuing the establishment of a baccalaureate program in O&P in Florida ever since Florida International University closed in the early 1990s leaving Florida and the entire southeast without a school. Since the licensure law was enacted in Florida it has become a more urgent issue. After years of negotiations with FIU and the University of South Florida in Tampa, the Chapter leadership arranged a meeting with Dr. Carl Kuttler presenting the need for an O&P degree program in the southeast.

Dr. Kuttler has committed close to $4 million in resources for the establishment of an O&P program on the health campus of St. Petersburg College. He is very enthusiastic about the project, and wants to see it become a world-class education center. The college is a leader in distance education, and has a multi-million-dollar infrastructure of equipment for video/satellite/internet conferencing and distance education already in use. The college has 75 years of experience in allied health education, currently offering 11 programs.

The Academy became involved when the college's Board recognized that partnering with a national organization of professionals whose primary focus is education could be a mutually beneficial relationship. Academy President Donald Katz, CO, FAAOP, and Vice President Paul Prusakowski, CPO, met with the St. Petersburg College leadership, Ron Gingras, CPO and Chester Littlefield, CPO, who represented the Florida Chapter of the Academy and the FAOP respectively. The meeting discussed ways the Academy could serve as a resource for the start of a new O&P education program at the college, and the possibility of using a portion of the new facilities as an Academy Learning Center within the O&P school. The concept and ultimate objective of establishing a freestanding, Academy Learning Center is to create a physical location that could enhance the Academy's ability to offer didactic and laboratory-based education to orthotists and prosthetists. It would provide lab and classroom venues for state-of-the-art national and international coursework in O&P and to promote related web-based, hands-on training workshops, seminars, and conferences. It could also serve as another venue for the Academy's on-going efforts to convene Clinical Standards of Practice (CSOP) consensus conferences.

The Academy will also assist in identifying current educators who would be interested in partnering with St. Petersburg in curriculum development. They intend to recruit approximately three interested parties for a focused time period (with travel and stipend) to achieve this goal. Curriculum development will follow NCOPE guidelines. As the program takes shape, the college is also very interested in the potential of collaborative educational possibilities with the already existing O&P programs through the utilization of current technology.

Academy Opens Doors to ABC Fitters

Following unanimous approval by the Board of Directors the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists announced effective immediately it was opening its membership to ABC Registered Fitters. Fitters will be admitted as Associate Members, a category that is also open to ABC Registered Technicians.

"We're very pleased to extend Academy membership to this important part of the O&P team," offered President-Elect David F. Moretto, CP, FAAOP. "The Academy is already developing continuing education programs to meet the needs of orthotic fitters, mastectomy fitters, and orthotic - mastectomy fitters."

Associate Membership dues are $75 (plus a one-time $15 application fee) and include a personal subscription of the JPO, the Academician newsletter, and other publications such as the Best of the Thranhardt Lecture Series and Best of the Resident Research Series plus access to the exclusive Members Only section of the website that contains other special publications and services. Associate Members enjoy a special registration rate to attend the Academy's Annual Meeting. Fitters are encouraged to join online, download a membership application form from the Academy website (www.oandp.org) or call Adam Seery at (703) 836-0788, ext 204.

Donor Profile: Carlson Joined O&P Ranks for Fulfillment, Now Gives Back

J. Martin "Marty" Carlson, CP, FAAOP started his career more than 30 years ago as a research and development engineer. It was good work, but he felt something was missing. He wanted to find work that was more fundamentally useful and had a direct impact on people. Once he discovered the world of orthotics and prosthetics he never looked back. After 16 years in the O&P department at Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, Carlson started his own practice, Tamarack Habilitation Technologies Inc.. In 1995, Tamarack began to develop and manufacture products for the orthotics industry/profession. The client services part of Tamarack became part of Fairview Health Services in 2000.

As a long-time member of the Academy, Carlson read about Project Quantum Leap and participated as part of the faculty of the Academy's inaugural consensus conference on Orthotic Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis and Scheuermann's Kyphosis (look for the findings to be published as a supplement to the next issue of the JPO). The more he learned about PQL, the more he was convinced of its need to confront the challenges that face the profession not only from a technological or economic standpoint, but also in the political and legislative arena.

"We truly need for our profession to take significant steps in setting standards, encouraging applied research in O&P, and especially increasing the number of qualified practitioners entering the field. I feel privileged to have had a career that I've enjoyed and drawn so much from personally and professionally. I wanted to do my part," explained Carlson.

Carlson makes a difference through his generosity to the PQL initiative as the newest member of our PQL President's Council. For more information on PQL and the "Giving Back" program, please contact Julie Hayes at 703-836-0788, ext. 203 or email: jhayes@oandp.org. Online donations can be accepted at www.oandporg/pql.

Scholarship Winners

The Academy recently congratulated two O&P students as recipients of the Dan McKeever Scholarship. A check for $1,000 was presented to Thad R. Neilson, University of Washington, and Jennifer A. Klein, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. The scholarship is awarded annually to selected rising seniors in baccalaureate programs and is based on financial need, leadership qualities, a letter of reference, and a GPA of at least 3.0. Deadline for next year's applicants is July 16, 2004. Details may be found on the OPcareers website (www.opcareers.org).

Florida Chapter's Combined Meeting Sets Attendance Record

The Florida Chapter of the Academy and the Florida Association of Orthotist and Prosthetist held a combined meeting September 11-13 in St. Augustine. According to Chapter President Chester Littlefield, CPO, attendance at the meeting set a new record with over 250 registered participants. More than 60 vendors participated and displayed their products and services. Attendees earned up to 23.5 PCEs with another 7 for the technical program and 7.5 for an added shoe program. In addition to the scientific session, all mandatory classes for Florida license renewal were offered.

Highlighting the meeting was an announcement by Dr. Carl Kuttler, president of St. Petersburg College that the College is establishing an Orthotics and Prosthetics program. The chapter's 2004 plans include expanded education courses, continuation of the residency assistance program and matching funds for the new O&P program at St. Petersburg College.

2004 Annual Meeting Comes 3 Weeks Earlier

Incentives to register and make travel plans early will save $$$

Beginning on the day after Mardi Gras ends - a time when New Orleans is "clean as a whistle" - the Academy will hold its Annual Meeting at the New Orleans Hyatt Hotel. The four-day meeting occurs about three weeks earlier than previous year's meetings, February 25-28, due to facility availability. Academy President Donald E. Katz, CO, FAAOP congratulated the Clinical Content Committee for the 2004 Annual Meeting for putting together a superlative clinical program. "This is one of the best and most comprehensive clinical programs I have seen," he said after a recent update by the committee. The program will feature six instructional courses and six symposia.

New to the meeting are Clinical Techniques sessions, modeled after sessions offered at international meetings, which provide tangible knowledge that attendees can immediately implement in their practices. Participation in these specialized two-day, two-hour programs will be limited to ensure each participant receives the appropriate attention.

Core elements return for the 2004 meeting including case presentations, certificate programming, professional development sessions, technical workshops, Thranhardt Lecture Series, Product Display Showcases, the Technician/Fabrication Sciences Program, and a new Fitter Education Program. Details about the meeting will be mailed by the Academy and should arrive by the first week of November. Details are also available on the Academy's website (www.oandp.org).

ATS 3 Focuses on Lower-Limb Biomechanics

The Advance Training Series continues to earn raves for Academy education. These packed and focused two or three-day programs provide participating practitioners with knowledge that can be set into action and put to immediate use. Class size is limited to 30 participants to ensure individualized attention from the instructors and ample opportunity for open discussion. One attendee described their experience at an ATS series as "without a doubt the most valuable and objective training I have experienced in my twenty years of practice."

The Lower Limb Biomechanics for Prosthetists and Orthotists will be held November 6-8, in Chicago offering 24 PCE credits. Taught by well-respected faculty members this program will focus on the practical application of biomechanical principles to the prescription, design, fabrication, and fitting of custom-made lower-limb orthoses.

The overall emphasis will be on making scientifically-based, clinically-driven decisions based on objective data about each patient's individual physical condition and functional deficits. Programming details may be found on the Academy website at www.oandp.org or by requesting a brochure by calling Bethany Oxer at (703) 836-0788, ext 206.

Inside the Academy

ACADEMY TO SELL 'THE ATLAS' - The Academy will soon sell the Atlas of Orthotics (published by Elseveir, formerly Mosby) and the Atlas of Amputations and Limb Deficiencies, formerly known as the Atlas of Prosthetics (published by American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). Orders are being taken now for The Atlas of Amputations and Limb Deficiencies which will be printed next summer. The Atlas of Orthotics is available now. The Academy will offer them individually or as a package. Details on the Academy website (www.oandp.org).

ONLINE BOOKSTORE AT ASSEMBLY - Members won't have to lug home heavy books purchased at the Academy Bookstore during the Annual Meeting or AOPA's Assembly. Hard copy samples of each publication will be available for perusing, and purchases will be shipped directly to the customer.

ATS 2 IS ANOTHER SUCCESS - Stance Control Orthoses: Scientific Principles and Clinical Practice was a successful inaugural offering of a new concept: a series of talks provided by Academicians who simultaneously represented various manufacturers and discussed emerging and rapidly evolving technology. Many participants said this was the best side-by-side comparison of competing technical designs they had ever experienced. 96 percent of the attendees recommended that this course be offered again; one person did not.

CAREER INFO REQUESTS INCREASING - Based on the number of requests being received by the Academy the word is out that career materials are available. A pre- and post-survey will be provided to practitioner volunteers to help gauge students' improved understanding of the profession. ABC will give Category II PCE credits to practitioners who give career presentations with appropriate documentation.

PARTIAL SUCCESS WITH BUREAU OF LABOR - O&P will be featured in the fall issue of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Online Occupational Outlook "Grab Bag". BLS does not carry info or data on O&P since it's such a small profession, but this article is one way of getting the word out and directing readers to the OPcareers website (www.opcareers.org).

Leave a Legacy

Consider leaving a legacy by remembering the O&P Educational And Development Fund in your will. Details on the Academy website (www.oandp.org/pql ) or call Julie Hayes at (703) 836-0788.