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Orthotics & Prosthetics
Students in the Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) program, Salus at Drexel University learned recently they can help underserved populations in other countries without actually having to travel on international trips to those countries. Instead, they can do it right from the University’s Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus.
Students in the O&P Class of 2026 and Class of 2027 were able to participate in “Disassembly Day,” where they took used prosthetic components donated from clinical facilities around the greater Philadelphia area, disassembled, cleaned, sorted and boxed them to be shipped to a warehouse in Denver. From there, volunteers from the Range of Motion Project (ROMP), determine which components are shipped to clinics in Ecuador and Guatemala, depending on the patient populations of each country.
And, they’ve already seen the benefits of their efforts. The students have received photographs of two patients in Guatemala wearing the prosthetic components prepared here.
“It was a really cool experience,” said Caitlin Steele ‘26O&P, who along with classmate Mary-Kate Dennis ‘26O&P, traveled to Ecuador this summer on a service trip, about Disassembly Day. “These components were donated by clinics from all around the area, so the entire community played a part in this. It was rewarding to see these components are going to be repurposed and help people walk again.”
Approximately 25 students from the two classes participated in the voluntary event. Students in the Class of 2026 had already had instruction on prosthetic components, while those in the Class of 2027 had not yet reached that part of the curriculum. Disassembly Day, in which the classes were divided into small groups, took three to four hours to complete.
Virginia Muthard, CPO/L, FAAOP, an assistant professor in the O&P program, said Disassembly Day provided the perfect opportunity for students to practice identification and classification of prosthetic components.
“In preparation for component cataloging, Caitie created spreadsheets into which the students would enter the component information. The groups then worked together as a team to fill in their respective spreadsheets as they disassembled the prostheses and researched each component and its features,” said Muthard. “It served as a great refresher for our second-year students, a great intro to prosthetic components for our first-year students, and a great way for both cohorts to work together.”
ROMP is a non-profit based in Denver that provides high-quality prosthetic care to those in need. The organization’s officials believe access to mobility is a human right regardless of financial well-being, race, gender, orientation, or any other common barrier to care. And, it believes in equal access to prosthetic services that facilitate independence through mobility.
Steele has been part of four international trips sponsored by ROMP and is currently a member of the Junior Board of Directors and an ambassador for the organization. She would also like to continue to fundraise, raise awareness, and facilitate in ROMP projects as her educational and subsequent professional journey moves forward.
“There were several students (at Disassembly Day) who really liked the idea that they could make a difference and make a contribution while still remain stateside because for different reasons, they haven’t yet been able to travel internationally,” said Steele, who also expressed appreciation to the clinicians and practitioners who collected and donated the components for the students to disassemble. “There is definitely interest among the students in continuing the work started here.”
