Are We Doing Enough to Meet Future Needs?
By Keith Crownover, CPO After serving for some time on the educational side of
the O&P profession, I must ask myself whether my
esteemed colleagues truly care. I mean, as a whole do we really
care about the future of this profession? Not our independent
financial futures and whether we ourselves will be financially
healthy or secure. Not to say that is not important, but isn't
there something more?
It's not really about financial independence, wealth, or even
just survival alone, is it? As part of my duties here at Oklahoma
State University-Okmulgee, I travel and recruit possible candidates
for our programs and am constantly amazed at the miniscule segment
of society that has any clue as to who we (O&P practitioners
and professionals) are, what we do, or how we got there!
I realize we are a comparatively small field and young
organizationally. But how is it that so few possess any amount of
knowledge about our profession? Why aren't our national
professional entities inundating the public with information about
O&P? We really don't need another article about how patient
so-and-so received a prosthesis at XYZ Prosthetics Inc., and now
look at him run the 40-yard dash, swim the Atlantic, play 36 holes
of golf, etc.
While these accomplishments are wonderful and inspirational,
these stories do not inform the public about how that person was
provided a prosthesis, how the prosthetist knew to provide the
wonderful outcome, how that prosthetist got into this field, and
how and where the prosthetist was educated and trained. Is it that
difficult to get this information into the media? What about ads
that describe the profession and the pathways to entrance,
including a list of all the available O&P educational programs?
We must do something about this increasing need and our alarming
inability to properly meet these needs.
I am certain that we as a profession must do something. I refuse
to believe that my valued colleagues don't care about the future of
this profession and the public that depends on us. That isn't just
my idealism shining through again, is it?
I honestly hope I have not offended anyone beyond the point of
positive action, for that is not my aim. I hope to inspire a
formidable force into action. I am sure that individuals of much
greater intellect than I are able to conceive much better ideas in
solving this looming issue. So let's get started. Each of us can
make an impact. Maybe a portion of our MCE requirements should
include an annual presentation at a local high school. Present a
short program describing our field, the public need, and
educational opportunities at a local career fair, senior day, or
career tech; send out a flier describing an O&P educational
program to a career counselor; submit an article to your local
newspaper and include information about some of the educational
programs in O&P; or make a complete career shift into education
and apply at one of our outstanding O&P educational
institutions.
We must all do our part if this profession is to continue and
become poised to meet the demands of the next few years and
following generations.
End Note
Since posting the above on the OANDP-L listserv, I have received
several comments that pointed out that I did not give proper
recognition to our organizations concerning ongoing efforts to
inform the public about our field. I apologize for neglecting to
mention these efforts. I am familiar with the efforts of the
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (the Academy) and
the National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic Education
(NCOPE) residency requirements.
My intent was to encourage individual and organizational efforts
in disseminating O&P profession information to the public at
large and prod teachers (you know who you are) to become O&P
educators. My intention was that each of us ask ourselves, "Are we
doing enough to meet the needs of the future?" Are the current
initiatives making an identifiable difference? How do we know? Do
we need to know?
My personal experiences in recruitment and education tell me we
should know but we don't. It seems as though we need some type of
outcome measure in order to validate efforts or to redirect
energies. I recognize the difficulty in a proposal of this kind.
However, without assessment measures, how are we sure those efforts
are fruitful and our intended goal(s) are being met?
I think our profession and the public need for our profession
requires that we find out. Then we will be able to acknowledge that
we are doing all that is needed or understand where we are lacking
and adjust accordingly. Of course this is only my opinion.
Thank you to all of those who are already involved in these
efforts. I have recently been informed that the Academy has
employed outcome measures in order to assess current efforts. I
look forward to the results.
Keith Crownover, CPO, is the director of O&P programs at
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee. 
Table Of Contents - March 2008
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