Mary Burk, Intern at Action Prosthetics, will soon leave us to head off to O & P school to further her education to become a licensed Orthotist/Prosthetist, just like her Dad (Our Prosthetist/Owner of Action Prosthetics)!
We recently sat down with Mary to ask about her internship with us:
- Why did you decide to follow in your Dad’s footsteps?
I have always thought highly of his job and found it interesting, but it really didn’t hit me until later-on that this would be something I could see myself doing. Watching how happy and fulfilled this career makes my dad has certainly played a big part in my decision to follow in his footsteps. Another experience that pushed me to go into the field was interviewing Molly – a bilateral amputee, for a paper during my senior year of high school. Molly works at Action Prosthetics as a Patient Liaison. Hearing her tell the story of how she suffered such a traumatic event, the loss of her legs, and how her prosthetic legs gave her back her independence and sense of self – really inspired me. I instantly knew that I wanted to be part of that process, and play a role in helping people reclaim their freedom.
2. What have you enjoyed the most during your internship at A.P.?
Having the opportunity to interact with patients has been my favorite thing about the internship at Action Prosthetics. Interacting with people day to day and hearing about their unique experiences with limb loss, has been something I’ve really enjoyed. I have learned so much about amputees, such as, what kind of problems they encounter, what products work for them, how they stack their socks/liners on their limbs, etc. – through my conversations with them. I love to observe, and listen to their experiences. Since I myself am not an amputee – I rely on learning from their experiences to develop a deeper understanding of what it must be like to be one. I am constantly learning new things from them, and truly appreciate them for allowing me to sit in and observe their appointments.
3. What do you think you have gained from your internship at A.P. this summer that will help you most as you head off to O&P school?
Aside from all the observational experience I’ve gained from sitting in on appointments, which has truly taught me so much, I would say that fabrication and craftsmanship skills are things I’ve learned that I anticipate will help me a lot in the future. Before starting this internship, I had never picked up a power tool in my life. Now, you can find me back in the lab using cast saws, grinding machines, power drills, etc. And I love it. Going into this experience, I figured that lab work would be one of my least favorite parts of the job, but it has actually turned out to be one of my favorite parts. Being back in the lab with my dad and getting to see and experience the “behind the scenes” process of building prosthetics has taught me a lot. I feel a lot more confident and prepared going into graduate school than I did six months ago.
4. What is something you had not anticipated or challenged you during your internship at A.P.?
One thing that I did not anticipate about this internship was how much problem solving and creativity is involved in the process of making/fixing prosthetics. This field requires you to be a lot more innovative than one might think. There is no notebook on how to build the perfect prosthetic leg. Watching my dad design one of a kind legs, using techniques and components he created, has been very eye-opening. It has taught me to rely on my creativity when approaching this job, and to think outside the box when problems arise. At first, I struggled with this concept; I am used to memorizing a method and acting it out the same way over and over again. That’s what I assumed building prosthetic legs would be like, but it is quite different. Each patient is different, and therefore we have to build and adjust the product according to their needs.
5. Where will you be attending O&P school? How long is the program?
I will be attending O&P school at the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics – which is located in Tampa, Florida. The program is 18 months long, and is followed by a two-year residency period, where I will work under the supervision of a certified orthotist/prosthetist.
6. Where do you think you’ll be in 5 years?
In 5 years, I see myself working at an O&P facility that specializes in both – orthotics and prosthetics. Since my dad only works on prosthetics, I need to get some experience with orthotics before I can come back to work for Action Prosthetics. My goal is to add some orthotic devices to the list of services that are offered here.
We have been so thrilled to have Mary join us at both of our offices. We wish her the best as she heads off to O & P school!
(Mary is pictured in the collage with Pam Aukerman, Our Office Manager, her Dad, Karl Burk and as she was working in the lab learning how to fabricate prosthetics.)
