My career aspiration is to become a biomedical engineer, specifically a prosthetist/orthotist. My goal is to help people return to what they love and improve their quality of life through custom limbs and braces. I was directly placed with Bremer Orthotics and Prosthetics as a step toward achieving this goal.
I worked closely with a prosthetist/orthotist in the office. I was able to shadow, engage with patients, retrieve items around the office, align prosthetic limbs, and learn the ins and outs of L-codes (medical codes for different types of protheses and orthoses). I was taught the importance of making the proper “recipe”, ensuring all the L-codes are correct for insurance because it is critical. I got to see the fabrication of different foot braces, knee braces and prosthetic legs. Throughout this experience, I learned how to engage with patients, how to use different tools, and that the goal is to help return the patient to their new normal because it won’t be exactly the same.
Participating in the AnnieRuth Foundation Summer Internship Program has given me a head start in my dream field. I can now confidently say I have experience in the field. Beyond the internship, the business seminars have also helped develop my career skills. Altogether, I now feel ready to transition into the workforce. I feel almost certain about my dream job and I’m looking forward to continuing my journey.