Re: Thoughts from another past president
Viirgil Faulkner
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Thoughts from another past president
Creator:
Viirgil Faulkner
Text:
Terry: You have worked long and hard for O/P THANK YOU. You should
remember, as you reflect back, that your giving of your time and expertise has paid
off handsomely in you being recongnized the world over as a leader in our
profession and in your bank account. I point this out because I admire your
success.
However with all of the work by all of our leaders for all of these years (I
was introduced to O/P in 1953) the profession still is not recognized as such.
I know of an indivual who has graduated from a four (4) degree program in
prosthetics and orthotics who was denied a work visa becase he was over qualified
and would take a job from some one with lessors education.
Every time our profession allows a dilution of education for sake of unity
it is sets back ten (10) in it progress towards professional recognization by
the powers that be.
The profession should listen too and apply the suggestions of people like S.
Paul and Sid Fishman. They have told us for too many years that we must have
and hold degrees and licenses if we want society to look at us as
professionals.
I have made the following suggestion many time and again state; we should
begin teaching future workers in our profession at the high school level, (most
cities today have magnet schools where medical technology is taught), then to
the university with terminal doctorial degrees that would allow the
practitioner to diagnosis and prescribe services to our patients. Then we will be
recognized as professionals. Until then we are just workers that make an above
average salary until all O/P services are taken over by large corporations like
Hanger who pay lower wages to entery level workers both technical and
practitioner.
Terry, again I thank you and all the other who have brought us together and
encouraged us to improve our educational standards. I am especially proud that
today many practitioners of our art can put LPO behind their names, this is
where we ought be putting our money.
Virgil Faulkner CPO(E) LPO
remember, as you reflect back, that your giving of your time and expertise has paid
off handsomely in you being recongnized the world over as a leader in our
profession and in your bank account. I point this out because I admire your
success.
However with all of the work by all of our leaders for all of these years (I
was introduced to O/P in 1953) the profession still is not recognized as such.
I know of an indivual who has graduated from a four (4) degree program in
prosthetics and orthotics who was denied a work visa becase he was over qualified
and would take a job from some one with lessors education.
Every time our profession allows a dilution of education for sake of unity
it is sets back ten (10) in it progress towards professional recognization by
the powers that be.
The profession should listen too and apply the suggestions of people like S.
Paul and Sid Fishman. They have told us for too many years that we must have
and hold degrees and licenses if we want society to look at us as
professionals.
I have made the following suggestion many time and again state; we should
begin teaching future workers in our profession at the high school level, (most
cities today have magnet schools where medical technology is taught), then to
the university with terminal doctorial degrees that would allow the
practitioner to diagnosis and prescribe services to our patients. Then we will be
recognized as professionals. Until then we are just workers that make an above
average salary until all O/P services are taken over by large corporations like
Hanger who pay lower wages to entery level workers both technical and
practitioner.
Terry, again I thank you and all the other who have brought us together and
encouraged us to improve our educational standards. I am especially proud that
today many practitioners of our art can put LPO behind their names, this is
where we ought be putting our money.
Virgil Faulkner CPO(E) LPO
Citation
Viirgil Faulkner, “Re: Thoughts from another past president,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 4, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/222823.
