Re: ABC VS BOC BASHING
Baxter, Steve
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: ABC VS BOC BASHING
Creator:
Baxter, Steve
Date:
12/18/2002
Text:
This issue of BOC or ABC has been going on for as long as I can remember,
and you know what it will continue long after we are no longer practicing.
Looking back I believe it is experience, where and who is teaching you that
experience that is important. I remember Dennis Clark almost ten years ago
at a Ohio Chapter meeting advocating a merge of ABC and BOC, it's a shame no
one listened. There is good and bad on both sides. If you were a bad
practitioner and passed either exam on any given day, what has changed. I
was told many years ago that over time you become alittle bit of everyone
you encounter, learn from, and share knowledge with. I didn't believe it
then, but I do now. It is our responibility to teach, share and help each
other to improve all of us regardless of what letters are after your name.
Are you a better practitioner if you are a Fellow of the Academy, or does
that indicate you have completed CEU modules?? Now no nasty notes on this.
Wow what a speech.
When you get tired of this issue take up the issue of should the
national meetings be combined......I already had to giggle from what I read
in the latest Almanac. De ja vue. Hey Craig, tell Don Merry Xmas.
Steve Baxter, CO, LO
Shriners Hospital in Houston
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig Svader [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 1:20 AM
> To: <Email Address Redacted>
> Subject: Re: [OANDP-L] ABC VS BOC BASHING
>
> 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 < <Email Address Redacted> >
> To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
> 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!!
> >
> >
and you know what it will continue long after we are no longer practicing.
Looking back I believe it is experience, where and who is teaching you that
experience that is important. I remember Dennis Clark almost ten years ago
at a Ohio Chapter meeting advocating a merge of ABC and BOC, it's a shame no
one listened. There is good and bad on both sides. If you were a bad
practitioner and passed either exam on any given day, what has changed. I
was told many years ago that over time you become alittle bit of everyone
you encounter, learn from, and share knowledge with. I didn't believe it
then, but I do now. It is our responibility to teach, share and help each
other to improve all of us regardless of what letters are after your name.
Are you a better practitioner if you are a Fellow of the Academy, or does
that indicate you have completed CEU modules?? Now no nasty notes on this.
Wow what a speech.
When you get tired of this issue take up the issue of should the
national meetings be combined......I already had to giggle from what I read
in the latest Almanac. De ja vue. Hey Craig, tell Don Merry Xmas.
Steve Baxter, CO, LO
Shriners Hospital in Houston
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig Svader [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 1:20 AM
> To: <Email Address Redacted>
> Subject: Re: [OANDP-L] ABC VS BOC BASHING
>
> 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 < <Email Address Redacted> >
> To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
> 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!!
> >
> >
Citation
Baxter, Steve, “Re: ABC VS BOC BASHING,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/220100.
