COVER STORY
Alyssa Haus Alyssa Haus, 23, is a first-year student at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center master of prosthetics-orthotics (MPO) program in Dallas. Determined to work in the health-care profession, she had originally thought physical therapy (PT) was her calling. But after shadowing the PT profession during her undergraduate career, “I knew something was missing. It didn’t feel like a full fit,” she says. “I had a family friend who worked the front desk at an O&P clinic, and I decided to shadow the practice. From that experience, I knew that I wanted to work with patients, and working with my hands was an ideal fit for me. O&P was not something that they talked about in college as a career possibility.” Haus, who is set to graduate in December of 2018, is currently taking a lower-limb course, biomechanics, a research course, and an interprofessional course that encourages students to interact and engage with various health-care specialties apart from their own, including PTs, physician assistants, clinical nutritionists, etc. All O&P courses have a lab component, and students are readily fabricating the devices they learn about in class. Haus also is taking a 30-hour elective lab skills course this semester, where she is able to witness her professors as practitioners in the UT Southwestern on-site facility; there she also is learning tips of the trade from technicians. She cites this easy access as a definite benefit of the program. “It’s great to actually learn from professors who are currently in the field and are up to date on their skills and active in practicing and evolving methods of patient care.” A typical day for Haus begins with a class, lab, or clinical lab hours from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Following a brief respite, she attends another lecture or lab, or has clinical hours from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. When most professionals are calling it quitting time, the day is far from over for Haus and her class
Alyssa Haus
of 11 students. There is much studying to be done, group article reviews to complete—not to mention the interminable assignments in lab. Along with completing all of their coursework, O&P students must maintain a C or higher grade average in each course, have a GPA of 2.7 or higher, and demonstrate clinical competence and professional etiquette in order to receive their master’s degree. O&P-specific courses have two to three exams per semester, which can take the format of
written, oral, and practical exams. All final exams bear these three components to familiarize and prepare students for the style of the clinical board exams postresidency. “I’m hoping to learn more problem solving skills. It’s one thing to possess the book knowledge and hand skills, but I want to be able to problem solve for those unique patient situations. It’s also important for an O&P program to prepare me to readily work with and access other health-care professionals,” says Haus. Although Haus has a predilection toward pursuing pediatrics during her residency, she understands that keeping a general and broad focus would allow her to see and gain hands-on experience with the vast array of the O&P population. She plans to start applying for residency programs this summer and encourages future students, who have not yet applied to a graduate program in O&P, to shadow O&P facilities and gain experience. “There are many great schools, but the right fit is incredibly important to find,” she says. With her numerous clinical lab hours and hands-on experience, it’s safe to understand why Haus is keen on finding the perfect fit.
Student meeting at the AOPA 2018 Policy Forum
O&P News | April 2018
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