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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 3/21/23

Hi everyone! 

What a week it has been for the Sophomore cohort! We delivered our first Patellar Tendon Bearing prosthesis for a transtibial amputee on Tuesday, and it went so well! This was a huge first step for all of us as we had not yet completed a socket from start to finish, so to see how great everyone did on this project was awesome. A huge thank you goes out to our patient models for being so gracious towards us during this process, we could not have completed this project or the ones to come without them. On another note, some of the members of SGA took a trip up to Tallahassee on Wednesday to speak with state representatives and Senator Jay Collins about the field of O&P and what IIOP is all about. It was really cool to hear about the process of getting a bill passed here in the state of Florida and we are so appreciative that they took the time out of their busy schedules to talk to us and learn about what we do! That’s all for this week but check back next week to hear about our next project!

Thanks for reading, 

Sam Bousman 

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 2/23/23

Hi everyone!

That’s a wrap on our Orthotic Management of the Spine class! I can’t believe how fast this semester is going. We want to extend a big thank you to all of our guest speakers throughout this class. We have learned a ton of valuable information that we will carry with us throughout the rest of our time here at IIOP and in our future careers. This week we had guest lectures on Scoliosis and the Boston brace, as well as a HALO lecture and demonstration! We also finished our custom bivalved TLSOs, and other skill sets learned along the way. For many of us, this was our first time using the ovens to thermoform plastic, and I’m sure I’m not the first person to say that it is not easy! A few groups had to pull their plastic multiple times; however, we worked as a team and had the constant support of our instructors, so we could all pull our plastic successfully to create the brace. We have a few days off to relax and gear up for our next class of the semester, Prosthetic Management of the Lower Limb I! Check back soon, and thank you for reading!

Sam Bousman

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 2/16/23

Hi Everyone! 

We are halfway through Orthotic Management of the Spine and here are some things we’ve been up to! First, we would like to extend a HUGE thank you to Kristian from The National Scoliosis Center for coming in and talking with us about scoliosis. He gave a very informative and interactive lecture, and we had the chance to go over some case studies with him at the end of the day as well. Another thank you goes out to the American Heart Association for coming in and giving us our Basic Life Support Training! We are currently working on our custom TLSO’s, it has been so fun to cast each other, fill our plaster molds, and really see our work come to life in the lab. Our class works so well together as a team, and it is obvious that everyone is enjoying what we’re doing! At the end of the week, we will fit and deliver our TLSO’s, so check back to see how they turn out, we can’t wait! 

Thanks for reading, 

Sam Bousman 

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 2/06/23

Hi everyone!

We have been up to a lot lately here at IIOP. Last weekend was the Gasparilla parade which was so much fun! IIOP provided us with a front-row tent to the parade, and we all caught so many beads and had a wonderful time together; we can’t wait for Gasparilla 2024!

The sophomore class also finished up our second course of the semester, Clinical Evaluation Tools. This class provided us with patient interaction skills such as the patient interview and SOAP note writing, range of motion testing, and manual muscle testing. We had our final exam and practical on the last day of the course, and we were definitely nervous, but everyone did great. Next week we will begin our third class of the semester, Orthotic Management of The Spine, so check back soon to see what we’re working on!

Thanks for reading,

Sam Bousman

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 1/23/23

Hi everyone!

Reflecting on an amazing week for the Sophomore cohort! We finished up our first class of the semester with plaster casting! It was such a great experience and I loved looking around the room and seeing how excited and proud all of us were. We also received our White Coats on Friday! This is a huge step in our journey to becoming CPO’s and we could not be more thrilled to enter into this next phase and start working with patient models in a few months. This cohort is truly starting to feel like a family, and to be experiencing all of these milestones together is amazing! The ceremony was wonderful, and it was so special to have our families and friends in town to cheer us on. Next week we are moving into our Clinical Evaluation Tools class, and we have the Gasparilla parade, so check back soon for more updates. Thank you all for reading!

Sam Bousman 

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 1/17/23

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. We are back at IIOP and have officially started our lab classes! It has been so exciting getting to know the machinery and the different techniques to go along with them. We are in our Introduction to Laboratory Skills and Materials in Orthotics and Prosthetics class. This class gives us a great introduction to all the tools and machines we will be using for the rest of our time here at IIOP and in our future careers! We have also been able to interact with the senior class who recently got back from their clinical rotations! It has been great getting to know them and asking them for tips in the lab. This week, we had our back-to-school BBQ, which was given to us by Grace Prosthetics! We were so appreciative, and the food was amazing, as always. That’s all for this week but check back next week for more lab projects as well as our White Coat Ceremony!

Thanks for reading,

Sam Bousman

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 12/08/22

Hi everyone! 

We have officially completed our first semester here at IIOP. Everyone spent so much time studying and the hard work paid off. I am so proud of my classmates and cannot wait to see what is in store for us over our next 3 semesters here. After final exams, our class attended the senior symposium which took place on December 7th. It was so cool to see what each of the seniors chose to do their research projects on, and it was a great way to start brainstorming different topics that our class can research for our future symposium! The freshmen class would like to extend a huge congratulations to the graduating seniors! They have been great role models for our class, and it has been so fun talking with all of them between classes to ask for advice and any other questions that we might have about clinical, residency, and our future semesters here at IIOP. We wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavors. That’s all for this semester, check back in January to see all of us back in the lab! I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Sam Bousman 

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Congratulations to Arlene Gillis on being appointed to AOPAs Board of Directors

Alexandria, VA (December 1, 2022) – Today, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) is pleased to announce its 2023 Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee will consist of Teri Kuffel, JD who assumes the role of President. Along with, Dave McGill who moves into the role of Immediate Past President and Mitchell Dobson, CPO, FAAOP who becomes President-Elect. Joining them are Jeff Brandt, CPO who was elected to serve as Vice President, and Rick Riley who will continue to serve as Treasurer.

New to the Board of Directors: Arlene Gillis, CP, LPO, M.Ed. and Lesleigh Sisson, CFo, CFm. They join Kimberly Hanson, Elizabeth Ginzel, MHA, CPO, Mo Kenney, CPO, LPO, FAAOP, Jim Kingsley, Linda Wise, and Shane Wurdeman, PhD, CP, FAAOP(D).

“AOPA has remarkable Board members who use their expertise and energy to work tirelessly for their fellow AOPA members,” said Eve Lee, MBA, CAE, Executive Director. “We are committed to ensuring that all AOPA members get the support they need to run their business and provide quality patient care. To do this, I will work with the Board and staff to continue to execute the strategic plan we launched earlier this year.”

Elected by the membership, the AOPA Board of Directors is representative of the membership and serves as the governing body, responsible for the supervision and direction of its mission.

About the new Board members:

Arlene Gillis, CP, LPO, M.Ed.: The Institute is the brainchild of our founder, Arlene Gillis, CP, LPO, M.Ed. Mrs. Gillis is a noteworthy O&P professional with over 27 years of experience, including ten years as a practitioner, followed by 17 years as an educator and O&P Program Director at St. Petersburg College, Florida State University, and Florida International University. Mrs. Gillis has served on numerous Orthotic and Prosthetic boards and committees, as well as the National Commission for Orthotics and Prosthetic of Education (NCOPE), as Chair, along with ten years as a board member.

Collectively, these experiences led Mrs. Gillis to identify two significant voids in the O&P education, profession, and more particularly, in the treatment of members of the armed services who have lost limbs. Specifically, Mrs. Gillis observed that O&P veterans benefit significantly from a holistic approach to the treatment of their injuries but noted that the availability of such holistic care is limited. Mrs. Gillis recognized that a collaborative process between researchers, educators, and practitioners is necessary for the advancement of the treatment of O&P patients, the training and education of O&P practitioners, and research and development in the O&P profession. In recent work, she started O&P Day at the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee, raising awareness of the significance of the orthotics and prosthetics field.

Mrs. Gillis first became interested in rehabilitation when she was 12 years old after her mother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and subsequently passed away. Determined to help other families challenged with any physical impairment, Mrs. Gillis eventually pursued a career in Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy. During this time, she discovered the orthopedic and prosthetics field, and it has remained her life-long passion for helping educate others about the profession and develop competent O & P practitioners. Gillis leads an innovative team of O&P educators. They hope to impact patients, the future of this field, and our students’ lives.

Lesleigh Sisson, CFo, CFm: Lesleigh Sisson, CFo, CFm, the founder of O&P Insight and President of Prosthetic Center of Excellence, has been part of the orthotics and prosthetics profession since 1992.  She has held a variety of jobs in O&P from office administrator, Certified Fitter, Director of Administrator, and business owner.

After serving in various roles in O&P, Lesleigh, and her husband, Ed Sisson, CPO, acquired Prosthetic Center of Excellence in 2015. Lesleigh started O&P Insight in 2015 because she cares deeply about three things: helping people thrive in their professional lives, advancing the profession for patients & practitioners and leaving a legacy of lives impacted for the better. While she has always had a love of teaching and helping others, it was working in administrative and clinical support roles when Lesleigh recognized the desire to assist dedicated professionals working toward this common goal: providing excellent patient care while achieving the best possible health for the business. Lesleigh helps independent O&P practices to not only survive but also to thrive in today’s challenging and ever-changing healthcare environment with its demands for efficient workflow, revenue cycle solutions and successful compliance.

About the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA):

A trusted partner, advocating for and serving the orthotic and prosthetic community, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) fosters relationships with decision makers, provides education, supports research, and advances equality to strengthen the orthotic and prosthetic profession and improve the lives of its patients. Since 1917, AOPA has been the largest non-profit organization consisting of more than 2,000 patient care facilities and suppliers that together manufacture, distribute, design, fabricate, fit, and provide clinical care for patients using orthopedic braces) and prostheses (artificial limbs). Each and every day, AOPA and its members strive for a world where orthotic and prosthetic care transforms lives.

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 11/30/22

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We are gearing up for final exams, and everyone is studying so much. This week we completed our second journal club assignment for Pathology class. Everyone found two research articles related to O&P, and then in groups, we discussed any similarities, differences, or limitations that we found within our articles and presented them to the class. This was a helpful exercise and was good practice for finding relevant research articles for our projects in the upcoming semesters. In Neuroanatomy and Anatomy class this week, we were put into groups and assigned individual chapters/lectures to review for exams. We presented our topics to the class, which was a great refresher heading into next week. We are so excited to be just about done with our first semester here at IIOP, and we can’t wait for what’s to come. Check back next week and wish us luck on our final exams! Thanks for reading.

Sam Bousman

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Sam Bousman – Student Blog 11/21/22

So much is happening this week before we head out for Thanksgiving break. First, we had Student Government board elections; your new SGA board members are Reagan Handley (President), me (Vice President), Carolyn Ornato (Treasurer), and Katherine Lahue (Secretary). We are so excited to work together and become more involved in the IIOP community and can’t wait to bring new ideas to the table! There is a new club here at IIOP that is all about research! Shoutout to Cyd Daquila and Kristen Peterson for creating the research club where anyone at IIOP that is interested in research can come together and discuss new findings in the field of O&P and put their own group project together during their time here. Cyd and Kristen gave an excellent presentation that sparked interest in a lot of our class! This week we also gave our semester presentations for Anatomy, and everyone did great. Next week, IIOP is providing us with a Thanksgiving feast at lunch! We are so grateful and are looking forward to enjoying time with friends and loved one’s next week. Check back soon and I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Sam Bousman 

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