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During the final weeks of our spring semester, I had the opportunity to attend the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) Policy Forum in Washington DC. The meeting was extremely informative and provided me with an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse into how our government operates and the large impact our government's decisions can have, especially on industries like ours.
After returning from the forum, I felt responsible for bringing this message back to my classmates to see if we could add to the efforts of those working on these legislative issues. While these issues impact us greatly (please contact your representatives), as students we also have to remember where our immediate priorities lie.
My immediate priority, of course, is passing all of my classes and graduating with the best grade point average possible. Keeping this a priority during the summer is especially hard when I am wishing I could be out enjoying freedom and doing anything but studying. But alas, here I am.
After finishing my final exams, I received a much-needed, albeit short, weeklong break, and then it was back to school. This would have been a great opportunity to relax and enjoy my freedom though I think I spent the majority of my time working. I always look forward to these vacations and then end up working right through them. It's almost madness.
After my "week off" and my return to school for summer session, I quickly realized just how much time I would be spending in the classroom and lab environments. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I had Spinal Orthotics from 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. During my Tuesday Clinical Rotation Practicum, guest lecturers spoke to us about their experiences in the field and about different techniques or products. Finally, on Thursdays from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. I learned about materials used in the world of O&P in my Material Science course. In all, I spent at least 27 hours in class each week, minus a 30–60-minute lunch break each day.
Spinal Orthotics, which was the most challenging class of the semester for me, particularly sparked my interest. For lack of a better way to describe it, "It's so cool!" The spine is such an important part of the body, and to think that we can help individuals with debilitating pain or instability is empowering. This fact alone encouraged me to pay extra attention to the course's subject matter.
The lab portion of the Spinal Orthotics course highlighted the benefits of using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) rather than the traditional plaster-bandage technique. Although we were taught about its many business and reimbursement-related benefits, I think the largest benefit may very well be not having to lift a 100-plus-pound plaster mold. In my opinion, this alone is worth switching over to CAD/CAM.
The summer session wrapped up in early July, at which point my clinical rotations began at my assigned site. My classmates and I are shadowing practitioners full time for three weeks, unlike the fall and spring semesters, during which we go to a facility once a week. The summer session's clinical rotations are designed to give students a more realistic feel for working in an O&P facility full time, which is quickly approaching reality.
Although the summer schedule has been pretty intensive, I'm enjoying the life of a "junior-plus" as Professor Thomas Chmielewski, CPO, calls me and my classmates.
Although I found the summer semester's subject matter interesting, I was still looking forward to having some time off from school and visiting Ireland, my "homeland," to see some family. I love going to Ireland and hanging out with friends and family. It's so great to have a couple weeks a year of true family time.
Given that it is my last summer of college, I really hope that this isn't my last opportunity to go to Ireland with my family. I hope that after graduating, I'm able to continue spending quality family time with my favorite people in the world and that I get to continue to return to Ireland. Time will tell.
Michael Carroll is a junior at St. Petersburg College (SPC), Florida. He will be sharing his experiences with The O&P EDGE as he completes his bachelor's degree in orthotics and prosthetics.
