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Advice for O&P Newbies From Those Who Have Been There
By Judith Philipps Otto To new ones in the orthotics and prosthetics field,
those that have been there, done that often can provide practical
advice to help them to hang on to those high ideals while they
navigate the real world.
Justin Foster, CPO, who, when fresh
out of school, raised questions regarding, among other things, how
O&P practitioners could justify high prices and accusing them
of becoming fat cats by feeding on patient needs: Be ready for
change! It is so cliché, but I think the ability to constantly
adapt to the environment is absolutely crucial to ultimate success.
Healthcare has not and will not tolerate those who do not move
forward. Can you imagine if we were still cracking skulls to allow
evil spirits to escape? Taking the lessons of old and combining
them with new ideas and technology will allow us to advance to
ever-greater heights!
Alberto Esquenazi, MD, chair,
Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Albert
Einstein and Moss Rehab, and director, Amputee Rehabilitation
Center, Moss Rehab, Philadelphia: You need to enter this field with
a clear frame of mind. Why are you doing this? If people are
growing in the field of healthcare, they should study the rules of
the game. We are not seeing the rules change. However, you must go
in with a clear frame of mind: Im not going into healthcare because
its a moneymaker& Im not going into healthcare because Im going
to cure everyone in the world& but Im going into healthcare
because these are the goals that I hope to achieve.
Jan Stokosa, CP, Stokosa Prosthetic
Clinic, Okemos, Michigan: Be true to your heart. If you really want
to help people, then move with it, and find ways in which you can
survive life-wise. Youve got to be able to work with your hands and
not just with your brain and your fingers on a keyboard. Youve got
to know materials; youve got to be able to fabricate things
yourself because, despite all these costly component elements of
the prosthesis, we must find ways to keep costs downdo it faster,
do it more economically, so that reimbursement and the margin of
profit is still there for us to continue. Otherwise, large
organizations--some not directly related or interested--will
dominate, and the quality of care will further diminish.
Bill Guthrie, Oklahoma State University,
Okmulgee: I would suggest that [students] get a focus on healthcare
and look into DNA, bionics, and robotics. The future is what I
would look at, instead of the presentbecause it changes too
fast.
Charles Levy, MD, chief, Physical
Medicine & Rehabilitation, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans
Health System: If you are not going to move to a country with
universal healthcare, then I think it is wise to be prepared to
work in a capitalistic, business-oriented healthcare system.
Business values are not the same as humanistic values. That doesnt
mean that they are incompatible, just that one had to be mindful of
both. This often demands resourcefulness, compromise, creativity,
and sometimes personal sacrifice. If it were easy, it would be more
common.
With those cautions, I would encourage a young practitioner to hold
tight to his or her values, and to craft a life and a practice that
includes his or her vision. It can be very rewarding.
Summer Morris, another Okmulgee
O&P program student, now working at Able Brace and Limb in
Monette, Missouri: Keep a very open mind; learn as much as you can
in school. Ill tell you one important thing Ive learned in this
field: theres more than one way to skin a cat! Theres the schools
way, theres my first bosss way, and now theres my current bosss
way. I learned three different ways to do thingsand there is a LOT
to learn in this field. Soak it all in. Absorb as much as you can
and have an open mind and heart.
Michael Davidson, CPO, clinical
manager, Loma Linda University Orthopaedic & Rehabilitation
Institute, Loma Linda, California: Go to an event sponsored by the
Challenged Athletes Foundation and see just what people with
horrible disabilities are able to accomplishand that will help set
your perspective. You will definitely have a new attitude by the
end of the day.
If youre in this field for the money, youre in the wrong
profession. The rewards, although intangible, are far greater than
any paycheck.
Michael J. Allen, CPO, FAAOP, Allen
O&P Inc., Midland, Texas: My advice would be to provide the
best-quality care possible and to become active in your profession
and represent it on the local, state, and federal levels. Its going
to require professionals representing the profession. It is the
responsibility of the professionals to chart the course of the
O&P profession. 
Table Of Contents - November 2004
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