NCOPE awarded its first-ever diversity travel award to Gabrielle “Gabby” Richardson.
Richardson completed her prosthetic residency at Thompson’s Custom Orthotics and Prosthetics, Spokane, Washington, where she is now working on her orthotic residency. She received her master’s degree in O&P from the University of Washington and her bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Christopher Newport University. She has been working on a research project with colleagues from the University of Washington that involves developing a digital handbook that includes images and descriptions of various skin problems seen in O&P as they appear on darker skin tones.
“Winning this award is so important to me, and it validates that the work I have been doing is meaningful and supported. Diversity and inclusion is very important and I am excited to see where this project takes me,” Richardson said. “In school, I noticed how much of what we are taught is all based on white skin tones, and I think providing an educational resource that increases our awareness on what these issues look like on darker skin will help eliminate the white bias that exists in healthcare and improve equity in patient care.”
Richardson said she plans to use her award to travel to Guatemala and volunteer with Range Of Motion Project in spring 2023.
