Education Services

It’s no surprise that Orthotics and Prosthetics clinics across the country are changing their day-to-day operations while COVID-19 continues to affect the world. As a result, many educational programs are having to change the way students perform their clinical hours. Companies have reduced work force hours which has made it difficult for not only Orthotics and Prosthetics students, but Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, and Dental Hygiene students when it comes to getting their required hours. IIOP’s twelve O&P Certificate students were in their second semester in the Spring when the pandemic forced them to switch to online learning. They adapted gracefully and finished their semester without missing a beat. Their challenge however, escalated when many of the O&P Clinics were not accepting students over the Summer. IIOP found a solution to their problem, working with one of the largest and busiest clinics nearby and one motivated Orlando native to fulfill the requirements for the entire class. IIOP asked Stan Patterson, CP and Founder of Prosthetics & Orthotics Associates (POA) to allow Orlando native Francesca Cicchetti to shadow his practitioners, speak to his patients, and ask questions, all the while Zoom video conferencing with her classmates and professors. Not two weeks later news got out to other schools that IIOP’s students were still getting their clinical exposure, and O&P programs from Alabama State University, Eastern Michigan University and Loma Linda University joined the call, bringing students together from across the country. Just like the O&P clinics must adapt to uncertain times, the schools must do their best to keep students on track. According to Francesca “- I know I can speak on behalf of my classmates when I say this – in the four short weeks at POA, the experiences we have had both in the clinic and in the lab have been invaluable and we are forever grateful for this opportunity.”

What’s in a Name?

The Prosthetics and Orthotics industry is no stranger to multi-generational practices, with the descendants of practitioners taking part in the family business. Many Florida clinicians are familiar with Mid-Florida Prosthetics and Orthotics and the Bustamante name, or the Fredricks and their O&P operation named Rehab Engineering LLC. in South Georgia and North Florida. Our neighbors to the North have probably heard of the Millers of Ohio and West Virginia, and their innovative work with 3D printed sockets for their three-legged dog, Keating.
The International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics is proud to have members of all three of these O&P families enrolled in the Masters of Prosthetics and Orthotics (MPO) program. Alex Miller, James Fredrick, and Victor Bustamante have been exposed to the Orthotics and Prosthetics world from a very young age and are expected to graduate in 2021 with the rest of their talented cohort. We asked them what their plans are after graduation, as well as how they chose what O&P program to attend.
It is refreshing to hear the goals of these three students. When asked what they hoped to do after graduation they all has similar aspirations of working for, and potentially taking a leadership role in their family’s company. But is it enough to share a name with a successful Prosthetist or Orthotist to seamlessly fall into succession? Hand skills aren’t given at birth, but rather carefully learned and practiced. The intangible elements that make a great clinician, however, cannot always be taught but instead are a result of our upbringing. The curriculum at IIOP will provide plenty of opportunity to hone the hand skills of the next generation of practitioners, but it also emphasizes the essential functions that help a clinician build a strong relationship with the patient.
When making the decision of what school to attend, there are a lot of factors to consider. Alex Miller admitted “I toured another school, and this place, the facility, just blows everything out of the water that I’ve ever seen,” before adding “it’s going to kind of spoil us, I think.” IIOP is proud of it’s 40,000 square foot facility equipped with a 3D-printer, three-axis carver, and several 3D white-light scanners, but can assure its students will learn all the basics before being exposed to time-saving methods. The students all agreed that a large factor in their decision was the Institute’s devotion to Prosthetics and Orthotics, how everything is focused solely on O&P education, and it’s clear that it’s the main goal of IIOP.

IIOP O&P Student of the Quarter Wadad Lahoud

Wadad Lahoud was born and raised in Houston, Texas, but her family is originally from Beirut, Lebanon. She graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston. During her undergrad she had the opportunity to work with a nonprofit organization called eNABLE that 3D printed mechanical transradial arms for children with upper limb amputations. She later went on to work on two different 3D printed myoelectric arms, one of which won first place in a poster competition at A&M university. She is a huge advocate of Camp No Limits, a camp for children with limb differences and their families. She’s been volunteering with Camp No Limits since 2017 and plans to do so throughout her career as a student and a professional. She enjoys playing recreational sports like basketball, volleyball and ultimate frisbee. Wadad also enjoys photography, videography, and traveling in her free time. She particularly enjoyed visiting Jordan last year and exploring Petra and the Dead Sea.