Educating the Public
Crownover, Keith
Description
Collection
Title:
Educating the Public
Creator:
Crownover, Keith
Date:
1/15/2008
Text:
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/>
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
Crownover, Keith, “Educating the Public,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/228896.
