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Pioneer MSPO Class Looks Forward to the Future
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Pictured on a vintage locomotive—a historical reminder of the many engineering feats and contributions to the world by Georgia Tech—are the members of the first MSPO graduating class and their instructors. Front row, from left are: Benjamin Lucas; Alejandro Aviles; and Christopher Hovorka, CPO, program clinical director. Back row, from left are Robert Kistenberg, CPO, FAAOP, clinical director of prosthetics; Mark Holowka; Kristin Andrews; and David Fritz. |
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Blazing a trail in the orthotics and prosthetics
profession is the first entry-level masters program graduating
class. These five students from the Master of Science in
Prosthetics and Orthotics (MSPO) program at the Georgia Institute
of Technology, Atlanta, come from diverse backgrounds and are
excited to enter the O&P field as they begin their NCOPE
[National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic
Education]-accredited residencies. What brought them to be part of
this pioneer endeavor? What are their plans for the future?
Here are profiles from four of the students (Alejandro Aviles
wasn't able to respond by press time):
Mark Holowka
Mark Holowka points out that, although many persons thought the
class would be engineer- and research-oriented, the reality is
quite the opposite: "We're all far more interested in the clinical,
patient-care side and are very, very committed to the patients."
The program includes a "clinical practicum" in which the P&O
students learn and work alongside other healthcare professionals,
learning about their perspectives and approaches to care, he notes.
"The doctors and other healthcare professionals and medical
students explained why they followed certain treatment protocols
and how they approach various aspects of patient care." The P&O
students learned some aspects of other healthcare disciplines, such
as orthopedic, cardiovascular, and podiatric, among others.
"Georgia Tech is really trying to use the medical school model-how
to work with patients and other healthcare professionals," says
Holowka. "It was also great to work with medical students.
"It was a great educational experience for us, and also for
doctors in Atlanta," Holowka continues. "Many of them didn't know
much about P&O and were excited to find out we are the first
masters program." Although the focus of the program is more
clinical, Holowka notes the importance of research. The students
were very surprised of the lack of truly scientific research in the
field, he says. "Outcomes are huge with insurance companies-they
want numbers, data, not just patients saying they feel better."
Holowka notes there is a large need for independent research at
universities, not just manufacturers doing their own research. A
problem he points out is that "there is not much infrastructure for
independent research; universities are not getting much grant money
for O&P at this time."
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Members of the first MSPO graduating class are front row, from left: David Fritz and Mark Holowka; (back row, from left) Alejandro Aviles, Kristin Andrews, and Benjamin Lucas. |
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The five students came from a variety of
undergraduate backgrounds, Holowka notes, and so they learned from
each other as well as from instructors. The small group became
close-knit and helped one another.
What brought Holowka to the O&P field after concentrating on
biochemistry as an undergraduate? He is interested in the medical
field, wants to work with his hands as well as his mind, and wants
to help others. Pioneering in healthcare education runs in his
family: his sister graduated from the first doctorate-level (DTP)
program in physical therapy, which was begun at Creighton
University, Omaha, Nebraska.
Holowka appreciates the foundation he and his fellow students
have received at Georgia Tech. "We weren't taught to just be
concerned about pass or fail or to have letters after our name, but
rather to question things and look at the field scientifically
while being very committed to good patient care. And no one can
take away a person's education." He notes that doctors often don't
understand the credentialing in the field, but they do understand
levels required for bachelors and masters degrees. "Doctors want
the best care for their patients, but it takes time to understand
the aspects of credentialing in O&P, and they don't always have
that time."
Holowka begins his residency at University of Wisconsin Hospital
and Clinics, Madison. His
future goals include humanitarian work and teaching. He also would
like to get involved in the field's political aspects, advocating
for education, he added.
David Fritz
David Fritz had been working in big corporate settings for about
six years when he heard about the MSPO program. "Around that time I
was becoming more and more aware that my current work rarely made a
significant personal impact on anyone-it was time for a change," he
says. Fritz had earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical
engineering at Georgia Tech, "so I was already aware of the
school's high standards.
"The opportunity to get an advanced degree in healthcare was too
good to pass up," he continues. "We can only benefit by advancing
the overall status of education in the field. Cooperation and
mutual respect among our fellow healthcare provider in physical and
occupational therapy and medicine will continue to improve as
advanced degrees proliferate in P&O."
Fritz , who begins his orthotic residency at Shriners Hospital
in Tampa, Florida, in June, adds, "I think I speak for all of the
students in thanking the Atlanta-area P&O facilities for their
extraordinary contributions to our education over the past two
years."
Kristin Andrews
Kristin Andrews was introduced to the P&O profession through
a college recruiter who used a prosthesis as an example of what a
biomedical engineer might design. "While completing my biomedical
engineering degree as Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland,
I realized that I wanted both design and patient involvement," says
Andrews. "After an extensive career search, I became interested in
the field of O&P because it blends engineering problem-solving
skills with direct patient care."
Andrews spend a summer working as a technician before deciding
to pursue a postgraduate program. "I felt that a masters degree
would provide an excellent educational background for clinical
practice as well as provide a broader range of career
opportunities," she explains. Andrews plans to complete residencies
in both orthotics and prosthetics; she begins her orthotic
residency at the University of Michigan in August.
Ben Lucas
Ben Lucas earned a bachelors degree in biomedical engineering
from Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio. Although he had wanted
to go to medical school, he began work toward a masters degree in
biomedical engineering, doing ergonomic and back pain studies at
Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, he took course for
physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) students in
prosthetics and orthotics. "That's where I found out about the
P&O profession," he explains. "From there I started looking
into how to get certified, and I found out more about the
field."
He continues, "I liked the flexibility of the field-how it was
part of healthcare, yet still had a lot of hands-on applications
that could combine medical with my engineering background." In
2000, Lucas saw the posting on the OANDP-L listserve by Mark Geil,
PhD, when Geil was inquiring about interest in a masters degree
program in O&P. "In 2001, I postponed grad school and moved to
Atlanta for a year and a half before school started. I wanted to
pursue the masters degree because I had already started a graduate
degree and wanted to finish, and I also felt it would be easier to
attain higher degrees in the future, if I so desire."
Lucas begins his orthotic residency at Gillette Children's
Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota, in July. "After that, really a lot
depends on circumstances and what opportunities pop up, but I plan
on completing both my orthotic and prosthetic training.
"I also have become very interested in education and would like
to be involved in that aspect at one point in my career," Lucas
continues. "Working in rural communities or overseas is another
area that I would like to pursue. Other than that, I really just
want to get out there, and in the next couple of years, see where
things take me."
He adds, ""The masters degree, along with my more than a year of
technical training, has given me the foundation to accomplish my
goals. Now I look forward to applying everything that I have
learned and will continue to have to work hard to give the best
possible care that I can to my patients." 
Table Of Contents - June 2004
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