An Interview with Ann Yamane, CO/LO

In her role as Division Head for the University of Washington's Division of Prosthetics & Orthotics, Ann Yamane is working to transition the proram to a Master's level program by 2011.

Why are we working to transition our baccalaureate program to the master’s degree level?

At the 2005 Orthotics and Prosthetics Education Summit, sponsored by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP), the attendees (i.e. recognized national leaders in prostheticsorthotics education, clinical care, and research) recommended raising the entry-level education to the master’s level.

Their decision was largely based on the increasing responsibilities of the practitioner, advances in technology and material science, and the need to integrate evidence-based practice into the educational process to form a foundation for effective clinical practice.

Based on this recommendation from the Education Summit, NCOPE, the accrediting body for prosthetics and orthotics education, moved to require that all existing entry-level education programs be at the master’s level by 2012. In order to be in compliance with this requirement and to maintain accreditation from NCOPE, the Prosthetics and Orthotics Curriculum, within the UW Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, will transition from the current bachelor’s level to the required master’s level prior to NCOPE’s 2012 deadline.

When do you hope to be accepting applications for the first Master’s level class?

Our goal is to accept students for Autumn 2011.

How will the application process change for students applying to the UW P&O Master’s program?

Students applying to the master’s program will be required to have a baccalaureate degree and complete prerequisite coursework similar to the Bachelor of Science prerequisite requirements in place now. They will then complete 7 academic quarters in our program.

After graduation, students must complete a 1-year NCOPE approved residency in each discipline prior to applying to take the national certification boards administered by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics. We are working on the new curriculum and will submit the proposal to the Graduate School early 2009 for their review and approval.

Do you hope to increase the number of students you accept?

Compared to programs like RIC and Kessler, we are integrated into acute care hospitals at each of our four training sites. Compared to Mayo, we have a regionalal level 1 trauma system, so we see a lot of trauma patients. Compared to Baylor, well, we're located in Seattle.

What steps are being taken to make this the best possible residency program?

Our plan is to keep the number of students stable. We currently have a total of 24 students with 12 students in each class.

Follow the link to learn more about the University of Washington Division of Prosthetics & Orthotics curriculum.

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