A few days ago I heard a phrase that I had never before heard and it has created a whirlwind of thoughts. A friend referred to an acquaintance as a "professional amputee" and it was not meant to be a compliment. Confused, I asked for the definition of a professional amputee. According to my friend, a professional amputee is an individual who has been drawn into the Orthotics and Prosthetics profession as a direct result of their amputation.
I was taken aback because I know so many people, including myself, who fit this definition. I never considered myself a professional amputee but, according to this definition, I am one. Unlike my friend, I don't consider the label to be negative. Why is being drawn to a profession because of a personal experience a bad thing?
My discussion with my friend led me down a bit of a rabbit hole with other friends in the profession. I was shocked to learn that there is an undercurrent of resentment within the O&P community towards amputees who enter the profession later in their career as a result of a personal experience. I am saddened to learn about this divide.
So many people in O&P entered the field after a close personal
experience. Honestly, most people don't even know about prosthetics
until they need one! In my opinion, anytime you can get people who have a
personal connection and investment in the profession to work towards a
common goal, everybody wins.
No comments:
Post a Comment