Are we professionals in the medical field or product vendors?

Are we professionals in the medical field or product vendors?

Carol Aselage C.O.

The real issue is that all respected professionals in the medical field
have a formal education experience followed by practice under the supervision of
an experienced practitioner in their respective fields. Experience is
extremely important but without the educational foundation you are missing the
anatomy, biomechanics, pathomechanics, material science, physics etc. Orthotists
and Prosthetists will not be respected or accepted as medical professionals
until we as a whole follow the medical model of, education, supervised experience
and formal testing. ABC previously followed this model but now apparently are
allowing an experience only pathway into the profession. The professionals
that we interact with on a daily basis such as Doctors, therapists, nurses,
social workers do not allow such pathways into their fields. Ask any of them if
they felt their educational experience has relevance to the patient care they
provide. Are we professionals in the medical field or tradesmen, product
vendors & order takers? The problem is that the field now has some of all and
the patients and professionals we deal with on a daily basis are not always sure
which they are dealing with.especially, now with the recent decision by ABC.
  Respectfully, Carol Aselage P. T., C.O., L. O.