Re: Educating the Public
Beattie
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Educating the Public
Creator:
Beattie
Date:
1/16/2008
Text:
Dear Keith,
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your posting and let you know
that it is not as dire as you think. I have replied to all to reach
others who are unaware of the work being done in this area.
You have some wonderful ideas, and, I am happy to report, many of them have
already been started. You may not be aware, but the American Academy of
Orthotists and Prosthetists started on a campaign to increase awareness of
our illustrious profession 6 years ago. We were able to dramatically
increase these efforts after procuring a series of grants from the
Department of Education. Towards this end, the Academy has done the
following:
1. We have created an interactive website. www.opcareers.org contains a
wealth of information for people interested in the field. There are links
to all of the schools (including Oklahoma State University, Okmulgee),
profiles of practitioners and what attracted them to O & P, discussion of
how to enter the field, scholarship opportunities, and a map of the U.S.
with links to practitioners willing to talk to interested individuals about
our field. As a result of this listing, I have had at least a dozen people
contact me over the last couple of years, many of whom have spent an
afternoon observing in my office. I welcome you to join the list of
practitioners volunteering to help with this effort.
2. We have created literature packets describing the field. These packets
were sent to every guidance counselor in the country. Included in these
packets is a power point presentation designed to answer frequently asked
questions and bring our field to life.
3. The Academy has had a video produced, The Sky's the Limit, which we
hope creates even more interest in our profession and explains to the public
what we do. In addition to being able to access the video either on the
Academy website www.oandp.org and www.opcareers.org, the video is also
available via YouTube: <URL Redacted>.
4. The Academy has packets of literature available to assist residents in
their NCOPE required Community Service Project.
5. The Academy has released a series of Public Service Announcements, which
can be found on our website, www.oandp.org. These have been played across
the country, both on television and radio. We particularly targeted the
areas where there are O and P schools. We have received numerous calls from
interested high school and college students who have heard or seen these
PSAs.
6. In the next month, the Academy will be mailing over 13,000 media kits to
our members, to the media and to all members of Congress.
Perhaps, one area of publicity where we have not done enough is informing
the profession. All of these projects and products are available to anyone,
whether or not they are an Academy member. Most can be downloaded from our
website. Please take a look at what is available and let me know if you
have suggestions for making this even more comprehensive and successful.
Thank you for your continuing commitment to our profession.
Yours truly,
Wendy Beattie, CPO, FAAOP
President
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
----- Original Message -----
From: Crownover, Keith < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 7:03 PM
Subject: [OANDP-L] Educating the Public
After serving now for some time, on an every day basis, on the
Educational side of the O/P field (I use the word serving due to salary
differences between the practice and educational career field); I must
ask myself whether my esteemed colleagues truly care. I mean, as a
whole do we really care about the future of this field? Not our
independent financial futures and whether we ourselves will be
financially healthy or secure. Not to say that is not an important
thing but isn't there something more? Something missing?? It's not
really about independent financial independence, wealth or even just
survival alone, is it? As part of my duties here at Oklahoma State
University- Okmulgee I do some travel and recruiting of possible
candidates for our programs and am constantly amazed at the very
miniscule segment of society whom has any clue as to who we (O/P
Practitioners, Professionals) are, what we do or how we got there!
Look, I realize we are a comparatively very small field and truly young
as far as organizationally. But how is it that so few possess any
amount of knowledge about our field? Why aren't our National
Professional entities inundating the public with information about O/P?
We really don't need another article about how patient so and so
received a prosthesis at XYZ Prosthetics, Inc. and now look at him run
the 40, swim the Atlantic, play 36 holes of golf, etc. You get the
idea. While these accomplishments are wonderful acknowledgements of the
few and many are very inspirational, these stories do not inform the
public of how that person was provided a prosthesis and how was the
Prosthetist able to know how to provide the wonderful outcome; and how
did that Prosthetist get into this field; and how and where did the
Prosthetist become educated and trained. Is it that difficult to get
this information into the news media? Or what about ads describing the
field and the pathway to entrance that lists all the available O/P
Educational programs? We must do something about this alarming rate of
increasing need and our ever growing future inability to properly meet
these needs.
Maybe Residency programs should require some component of field service
that includes a presentation at a local Career Tech or High School.
Maybe a portion of our MCE requirements should include an annual
presentation at a local High School. I am certain that we as a field
must do something. I refuse to believe that my valued colleagues don't
care about the future of this field and the public which depends upon
us. That isn't just my idealism shining through again, is it? I
honestly hope I have not offended anyone beyond the point of positive
action, for that most assuredly is not my aim. I hope to awake a
formidable force into action. I am sure that individuals of much
greater intellect than I are able to conceive much better ideas in
solving this looming, somewhat ignored issue. So lets get started and
tackle this undeniably important obstacle. It all begins at home, as
they say. Each can make an impact. Give it a try-Present a short
program describing our field, the public need and educational
opportunities at a local career fair, Senior day or Career Tech; Send
out a flier describing an O/P educational program to a Career Counselor;
submit an article to your local newspaper and include information about
some of the educational programs in O/P. Or enter a labor of love and
make a complete career shift into education and apply at one of our
outstanding O/P Educational Institutions. My institution, Oklahoma
State University, for one example, announced the addition of faculty to
its Orthotic and Prosthetic Technically based multi skill set program
(Includes comprehensive technical education, Orthotic fitter education,
and Pedorthic education). Here is a perfect example of an opportunity to
become an O/P professional educator and ensure that your talents and
gifts benefit the next generation. Oklahoma State University as well as
several other programs, I have noticed lately, are seeking faculty
persons. My point is simple; we must all do our part if this field is
to continue and become poised to meet the demands of the next few years
and following generations. May we all become part of the solution and
endeavor to do our part and exercise our ethical and professional
responsibility to the O/P profession today and tomorrow. Thank you for
listening.
Keith Crownover, CPO
Director, O/P Programs
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee
Health and Environmental Technologies
1801 E. 4th St.
Okmulgee, Ok 74447
918.293.5320
OSU-Okmulgee O/P website
< <URL Redacted>
s_and_prosthetics/>
Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your posting and let you know
that it is not as dire as you think. I have replied to all to reach
others who are unaware of the work being done in this area.
You have some wonderful ideas, and, I am happy to report, many of them have
already been started. You may not be aware, but the American Academy of
Orthotists and Prosthetists started on a campaign to increase awareness of
our illustrious profession 6 years ago. We were able to dramatically
increase these efforts after procuring a series of grants from the
Department of Education. Towards this end, the Academy has done the
following:
1. We have created an interactive website. www.opcareers.org contains a
wealth of information for people interested in the field. There are links
to all of the schools (including Oklahoma State University, Okmulgee),
profiles of practitioners and what attracted them to O & P, discussion of
how to enter the field, scholarship opportunities, and a map of the U.S.
with links to practitioners willing to talk to interested individuals about
our field. As a result of this listing, I have had at least a dozen people
contact me over the last couple of years, many of whom have spent an
afternoon observing in my office. I welcome you to join the list of
practitioners volunteering to help with this effort.
2. We have created literature packets describing the field. These packets
were sent to every guidance counselor in the country. Included in these
packets is a power point presentation designed to answer frequently asked
questions and bring our field to life.
3. The Academy has had a video produced, The Sky's the Limit, which we
hope creates even more interest in our profession and explains to the public
what we do. In addition to being able to access the video either on the
Academy website www.oandp.org and www.opcareers.org, the video is also
available via YouTube: <URL Redacted>.
4. The Academy has packets of literature available to assist residents in
their NCOPE required Community Service Project.
5. The Academy has released a series of Public Service Announcements, which
can be found on our website, www.oandp.org. These have been played across
the country, both on television and radio. We particularly targeted the
areas where there are O and P schools. We have received numerous calls from
interested high school and college students who have heard or seen these
PSAs.
6. In the next month, the Academy will be mailing over 13,000 media kits to
our members, to the media and to all members of Congress.
Perhaps, one area of publicity where we have not done enough is informing
the profession. All of these projects and products are available to anyone,
whether or not they are an Academy member. Most can be downloaded from our
website. Please take a look at what is available and let me know if you
have suggestions for making this even more comprehensive and successful.
Thank you for your continuing commitment to our profession.
Yours truly,
Wendy Beattie, CPO, FAAOP
President
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
----- Original Message -----
From: Crownover, Keith < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 7:03 PM
Subject: [OANDP-L] Educating the Public
After serving now for some time, on an every day basis, on the
Educational side of the O/P field (I use the word serving due to salary
differences between the practice and educational career field); I must
ask myself whether my esteemed colleagues truly care. I mean, as a
whole do we really care about the future of this field? Not our
independent financial futures and whether we ourselves will be
financially healthy or secure. Not to say that is not an important
thing but isn't there something more? Something missing?? It's not
really about independent financial independence, wealth or even just
survival alone, is it? As part of my duties here at Oklahoma State
University- Okmulgee I do some travel and recruiting of possible
candidates for our programs and am constantly amazed at the very
miniscule segment of society whom has any clue as to who we (O/P
Practitioners, Professionals) are, what we do or how we got there!
Look, I realize we are a comparatively very small field and truly young
as far as organizationally. But how is it that so few possess any
amount of knowledge about our field? Why aren't our National
Professional entities inundating the public with information about O/P?
We really don't need another article about how patient so and so
received a prosthesis at XYZ Prosthetics, Inc. and now look at him run
the 40, swim the Atlantic, play 36 holes of golf, etc. You get the
idea. While these accomplishments are wonderful acknowledgements of the
few and many are very inspirational, these stories do not inform the
public of how that person was provided a prosthesis and how was the
Prosthetist able to know how to provide the wonderful outcome; and how
did that Prosthetist get into this field; and how and where did the
Prosthetist become educated and trained. Is it that difficult to get
this information into the news media? Or what about ads describing the
field and the pathway to entrance that lists all the available O/P
Educational programs? We must do something about this alarming rate of
increasing need and our ever growing future inability to properly meet
these needs.
Maybe Residency programs should require some component of field service
that includes a presentation at a local Career Tech or High School.
Maybe a portion of our MCE requirements should include an annual
presentation at a local High School. I am certain that we as a field
must do something. I refuse to believe that my valued colleagues don't
care about the future of this field and the public which depends upon
us. That isn't just my idealism shining through again, is it? I
honestly hope I have not offended anyone beyond the point of positive
action, for that most assuredly is not my aim. I hope to awake a
formidable force into action. I am sure that individuals of much
greater intellect than I are able to conceive much better ideas in
solving this looming, somewhat ignored issue. So lets get started and
tackle this undeniably important obstacle. It all begins at home, as
they say. Each can make an impact. Give it a try-Present a short
program describing our field, the public need and educational
opportunities at a local career fair, Senior day or Career Tech; Send
out a flier describing an O/P educational program to a Career Counselor;
submit an article to your local newspaper and include information about
some of the educational programs in O/P. Or enter a labor of love and
make a complete career shift into education and apply at one of our
outstanding O/P Educational Institutions. My institution, Oklahoma
State University, for one example, announced the addition of faculty to
its Orthotic and Prosthetic Technically based multi skill set program
(Includes comprehensive technical education, Orthotic fitter education,
and Pedorthic education). Here is a perfect example of an opportunity to
become an O/P professional educator and ensure that your talents and
gifts benefit the next generation. Oklahoma State University as well as
several other programs, I have noticed lately, are seeking faculty
persons. My point is simple; we must all do our part if this field is
to continue and become poised to meet the demands of the next few years
and following generations. May we all become part of the solution and
endeavor to do our part and exercise our ethical and professional
responsibility to the O/P profession today and tomorrow. Thank you for
listening.
Keith Crownover, CPO
Director, O/P Programs
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee
Health and Environmental Technologies
1801 E. 4th St.
Okmulgee, Ok 74447
918.293.5320
OSU-Okmulgee O/P website
< <URL Redacted>
s_and_prosthetics/>
Citation
Beattie, “Re: Educating the Public,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/228893.
