6. Education Committee activities in the last quarter
Correspondence to the Education Secretary, Karen Schmidt at education@ispoint.org
With the successful launch of the main ISPO newsletter, The ISPO Education Committee newsletter will be amalgamated into the main ISPO Newsletter from now on.
A number of important evaluations and evaluation reports have been completed in recent months for Category I programmes and pathways and recommendations from these will be submitted to the ISPO Board at their next meeting. Consultations and evaluations remain confidential unless completed or there is specific agreement to promote such activities. Please look out for updates in future newsletters.
Our Call for Category I and II Evaluators to be trained, circulated in October has generated an excellent response beyond our expectations and over 20 applications are currently being assessed.
ISPO Category I consultation in the Czech Republic
Prosthetics and Orthotics Bachelor programme, University of Ostrava
ISPO consultation in the Czech Republic.
Jiri Rosicky, ING; Sandra Sexton, ISPO; & Darja Jarosova, Vice Dean, University of Ostrava
Prosthetists and orthotists have been recognised in law in the Czech Republic as a profession since 2004. The University of Ostrava took the opportunity to launch a new 3 year Bachelor programme in prosthetics and orthotics in 2006 and the faculty team had shared the curriculum for the programme with ISPO on previous occasions. This had been written in line with the ISPO Category I Information package. The University of Ostrava have continued to take new first year students onto the bachelors programme in prosthetics and orthotics. The Faculty team are, therefore, currently delivering their 3 year prosthetics and orthotics degree to programme to three parallel years of students, with the 3rd year content being delivered for the first time.
A great strength of this initiative is a dedicated team from the University of Ostrava, Proteor and ING who collaborate to form an expert team with a real passion for their subject area and who are leading educational developments in prosthetics and orthotics in the country. Dr Miroslav Janura and Ms Jarmilla Kristinova are the main Faculty team from the University teaching biomechanics and clinical assessment topics respectively.
A key Associate Faculty member is Mr Petr Krawczyk, an orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in prosthetics and orthotics. He teaches students with clinical content from a Proteor clinical service base and his teaching includes applied anatomy, applied biomechanics, applied pathology, patient assessment and principles of prosthetic and orthotic prescription. A second key Associate Faculty member is Mr Jiri Rosicky, a mechanical engineer who facilitates student learning in clinical and technical skills in prosthetics and orthotics from the ING facility and Össur Academy in Frydek-Mistek. Both Associate Faculty are contracted to the University of Ostrava on a part time basis, but are dedicated enough to work far beyond their hours for the programme.
Meeting the students
ISPO Education Committee Chairperson Sandra Sexton meets with students of the University of Ostrava
The Faculty team is keen to realise investment in the University premises clinical and technical teaching laboratories to assist them in delivering what is emerging as a well regarded course in both the field of prosthetics and orthotics and in the University system as a whole. The Czech Republic Government recently assessed the prosthetics and orthotics programme as one of the best in the country.
The consultation included discussion with the Rector of the University of Ostrava and a brief meeting with the Vice President of the Moravian-Silesian region, Mrs Věra Palková.
ISPO is delighted to see the launch and delivery of this excellent teaching initiative and looks forward to further engaging with the Faculty team and students as they approach the first graduation from the programme.
CURRENT ISPO RECOGNISED CATEGORY I & II SCHOOLS & PATHWAYS
ISPO CATEGORY I:
Bundesfachschule für Orthopädie Technik pathway, Germany; Hong Kong Polytechnic, Hong Kong; Institut Superieur Technologique Montplasir, France; Tumaini University, Tanzania; University of Strathclyde, Scotland
ISPO CATEGORY II:
Cambodian School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Cambodia; Programme de Formation Professionnelle des Ortho-Prosthesistes, Togo; International Committee of the Red Cross Modular Courses; Institut de Formationaux Carrières de Santé, Morocco; Mobility India, Single Discipline Courses; Pakistan Institute of Prosthetic and Orthotic Sciences, Pakistan; Sri Lanka School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, Sri Lanka; Tanzania Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists, Tanzania; University of Don Bosco, El Salvador; Vietnamese Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologists, Vietnam.
Please note that this list will change as the ISPO Board accept recommendations from the Education Committee for newly recognised programmes and pathways.
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