To hear the episode, visit radiidevices.substack.com, or continue below for a transcript.
Please can you tell us a bit about your career in O&P?
My career in prosthetics started after I was involved in a motor vehicle accident, and became a person with amputation. The first time I stood and attempted to walk with prosthetic devices, I became interested in how they could be improved, that’s how I became interested in the field–as a designer and as an engineer.
As I finished my undergraduate degree, I looked for graduate schools that conducted research with prosthetic devices. I found Northwestern because a lot of research on prosthetic devices was done there. And I thought “Amazing, I’m going to be able to give back to my community” so I applied and was accepted to graduate school.
Graduate work, as anyone who has done it will tell you, is not what you think it is. When you start, you have an idea that you’re going to change the world. Then you realize – you need to learn how to change the world. You need to learn the processes and the techniques to make an impact in the world as a trained professional.
I completed my graduate degrees in engineering, and then I enrolled in a clinical certificate programme. After I earned a clinical certificate in prosthetics, I started my residency and began teaching. I completed my residency, became a certified prosthetist, continued teaching in an O&P programme. I also started to conduct grant research at the Long Beach, CA Veteran’s Hospital. The VA provided access to a lab, inpatients, subjects, and volunteers. As an assistant professor, clinician, researcher, and user of prosthetic devices, I felt I prepared myself for a career in O&P.
After working in the field for some time, I became overwhelmed. Wearing all of the hats, I felt like I could not escape prosthetics. I realized, I could not step away from the use of prosthetics, but I could step away from the field of prosthetics and apply my skillsets in an adjacent field. I accepted a position at a start-up company developing adjustable over-the-shelf foot orthotics. I also started teaching in an undergraduate mechanical engineering programme. I was recruited and accepted a position researching the fit and function of wearable devices in the tech industry. Currently, Now I conduct research on running mechanics at a shoe company!
That’s such an interesting journey! How have you found your various types of experience impacted your teaching of students?
We learn from everything we do, and if you’re paying attention, those learnings develop you into who you are. Unfortunately, I see a lot of people not paying attention anymore. In my younger days, I tried to paid attention and reflect on the positive and negative methods of how I was taught, what I learned and my growth as a student, as an assistant researcher, then as a professional. I look back on the influence of the impact of each mentor and how it changed my career path.
As an assistant professor, I tried to combine the positive experiences into how I taught others. It’s a journey. You learn. You try to do your best. I felt it was incredibly important to make sure that my clinical students had a good foundation so they could inspire their patients because they are going to care for someone who went through a trauma similar to my accident. I strived to make sure that they had the skill sets and understanding to provide the best experience for their patients. I put everything I learned into my teaching and students.
Definitely. It sounds like your own experience with amputation really shaped your journey in O&P?
The clinical care that I received as a person with traumatic amputations had a big influence on me. My prosthetic care journey made me realize the importance of listening to patients. I understand the care journey from the patient and clinician perspectives process, which instilled a greater level of trust between clinician and patient.
As a researcher in the field, I had the opportunity to walk with a larger number of feet and knees. Not many persons with amputation are able to walk on a vast amount of components, which gave me incredible insights into how categories of feet function differently, and how different components can help individuals with varying levels of amputation. However, I also fully realise that my amputations are my personal experience, and the devices that work for me may not work for somebody else. I fully appreciate that concept; however, if I can apply what I’ve learned from each of those experiences of walking on different components, I may be able to develop improved functional devices. Also, these experiences help with component selection for patients. Not all patients need the fanciest foot or knee, but providing the best option for that individual is important for their prosthetic journey.
I suppose I have tried to combine my personal experiences as a user and my experiences as a researcher to the best care for our patients.
Thanks to Brian for his time!
We hope that through following Clinicians Insights, you feel part of an ongoing conversation that furthers understanding of digital technology and research, supporting O&P practitioners who provide our patients with the best comfort, fit and socket fitting experience. If you’ve got thoughts, opinions, or insight to share we’d like to hear from you; please feel welcome to get in touch at jenny@radiidevices.com
We’re excited to continue the series next month with both Jenn and Brian. Watch this space!
