OK, now I have to throw my two cents in as I have been biting my tongue long
enough. I have been in the field of prosthetics and orthotics for 12 years.
I started as a tech and worked hard to learn as much as I can from piers
(both ABC and BOC) to become a skilled and very qualified practitioner. I
did take many continuing education courses and read every piece of material
I could find relative to our field. I was doing fine working for good
companies with both uncertified and certified practitioners. I can speak
from experience that having letters after your name ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY
does not make you a better practitioner than someone who doesn’t. Does
having a C.P. or B.O.C. after your name warrant more money? It probably does
but honestly why should it? I think (in most cases) it only will get you
more money in salary if you are INTERVIEWING for a job not if you have one
already (the proof is in the pudding). I will say having a certification
has some benefits like getting insurance contracts and things like that but
the “bashing” going on here stems from a practitioner feeling more superior
than another based on his accreditation NOT HIS SKILLS. Let’s face it
people, there are good practitioners and there are poor ones it don’t matter
who’s certified in what. I think we should ask ourselves this one important
question that should stop the ABC-BOC bashing all together. That question is
this: after receiving your test results that you’ve passed your exam did
you feel that you were a better more knowledgeable practitioner or do you
feel experience is what will make you better in this field. I know I
personally didn’t feel any different and nobody looked at me any different,
my patients certainly didn’t notice anything. Say what you want but one of
my best referral source comes from an ABC practitioner here in town (who by
the way employs both ABC and BOC people). So by now your probably wandering
why did I take the test and become certified by BOC anyway? The state of
OHIO is now governed by licenser. If I wanted to continue my career in the
field I needed to be certified to become licensed. It was fun getting
unhappy people from other facilities and improving there quality of life
when I was uncertified. I love what I do and I’m good at it so let the
comments come and I’ll take it on the chin as I’m sure certain people on
this site have no life and will take my little story here apart to try and
discredit most of what I’ve said but the rest of you will probably enjoy it.
Thank You,
Craig Svader BOCP LP
—– Original Message —–
From: “Lynette Duncan”
To:
Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2002 5:28 PM
Subject: [OANDP-L] ABC VS BOC BASHING
> Okay, I’ve heard enough bashing without putting in my 2 cents. I just
> recently took my ABC CP exam (and hope I passed!) I also plan to take
> the BOC Orthotics exam. Why BOC? Because like so many people, I do not
> have another year to spend in school. If the O and P schools were as
> numerous and conveniently located like other allied health fields (ie.
> nursing and PT), Then I would be there in a minute, But ABC’s current
> requirements include uprooting your family and moving. Many people just
> are not able to do so, even though they would love to have the
> education– and the recognition that education gives them.
>
> I am a single mother of two middle-school age daughters. The only way
> was able to get my education while being a full-time mom and a full-time
> student was to live on Welfare while still working part-time. (thank you
> to all the tax payers that allowed me to get the education I needed!)
> By the way, I purposely did not choose Northwestern Univ. as I refuse to
> live on Welfare in Chicago. Government housing in Minnesota was living
> as dangerously as I would allow.
>
> There are many caring hard-working talented O & P professionals who for
> many different reasons cannot uproot. Thus they choose BOC.
>
> I did not study Orthotics because with Welfare reform, I did not have
> another year to put aside. Actually I was only able to finish
> Prosthetics as a fluke. Once you have a Bachelors degree, Welfare reform
> will not let you continue your education.–but that’s another topic for
> another forum.
>
> I am now a very happy taxpayer who refuses to go back to living on
> Welfare. I will also be paying back student loans for many more years.
> There really is no way for me to study orthotics formally.
>
> Further, there are many ABC credentialed professionals who also didn’t
> study O& P formally. There were many people who were grand fathered in
> or who were already certified when the lofty educational standards were
> adopted. (I am certainly not putting down education, I really value mine
> and wish that everyone in the field could be educated–but as I stated
> before, it isn’t very convenient or possible for many people.) Just
> because someone has ABC certification doesn’t necessarily mean they are
> any better of a practitioner than someone with a BOC credential. There
> are good and bad practitioners in both ABC and BOC.
>
> I might add that the very first day of my residency I was introduced at
> a clinic as a CPO and ordered to lie about my experience. I left his
> facility after 3 months and found a much better residency (where I might
> add, I did more Orthotics than Prosthetics.) My first residency was at
> an ABC certified facility with a CPO, FAAOP–and though I will keep him
> nameless for this forum–He also is a AOPA President for a local state
> chapter!
>
> My point is that I value my education, I’m grateful for it, but I’m not
> naive enough to believe everyone with ABC credentials has the same
> education and values as ABC likes to believe. We are all human and there
> are many paths to this career. I would love to put CPO behind my name,
> but logically I cannot see how I can do that at this point in my life.
> Let’s try to be kinder and judge people for there own individual values,
> compassion and talent.
>
> Lynette Duncan
> soon to be CP –hopefully!!
>
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