ETSU has recently marked the start of the Orthotics and Prosthetics program, the first in Tennessee and the second in the Southeast region. This revolutionary program will go a long way in revolutionizing the education of health care in the state and other parts of the country.
“This is an exciting moment not just for ETSU, but for the entire state,” said Dr. Kyle Leister, ETSU’s orthotics and prosthetics program director. “The employment opportunities for certified orthotists and prosthetists are growing in the United States, and we are prepared to help train the next generation of practitioners.”
The occasion was the inauguration of Karl Fillauer Learning Centre in Charles Ed Allen Hall, Quillen VA Medical Center. This new structure is called Karl Fillauer and it is a part of the Fillauer Companies Inc., which focuses on prosthetics and orthotics.
The dream of meeting the growing national demand for orthotics and prosthetics practitioners has turned into a program that is unprecedented in Tennessee,” ETSU provost and senior vice president for academics, Dr. Kimberly D. McCorkle said. “Together with our community, we provide the region with well-trained professionals for the healthcare systems and healthcare education, preparing them to excel in the prosthetics and orthotics company.
Such programs are required because the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that employment of orthotists and prosthetists will increase by 15 percent between 2022 and 2032, which is much higher than the average for all occupations.
ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland spoke about the university’s strategic priorities of innovation and engagement; “Thanks to the developed cooperation with the partners such as the VA hospital and Ballad Health, ETSU Health became a national leader in implementing changes in the delivery of healthcare, especially regarding the vulnerable populations.”
ETSU has developed the Master of Science in Orthotics and Prosthetic Technology which is a two year professional program that trains students in the subject. It emphasizes the collaboration with other healthcare professions to provide the best care to the patients.
Karl Fillauer expressed his pride in the program: “Orthotics and prosthetics have been my career and to be involved in the start of this new orthotics and prosthetics program at the East Tennessee State University is a privilege.”
Michael Fillauer, chief executive officer of Fillauer Companies Inc., a world leader in the prosthetics and orthotics industry added, “Our family has had a long standing relationship with Tennessee as four generations of the Fillauer family have worked in the orthotics and prosthetics field and we are honored that ETSU has chosen to honor my father by naming the learning center after him.”
ETSU’s new program enhances the already impressive array of health sciences programs offered in the university’s five colleges of health sciences. ETSU interim College of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Lynn Williams said, “Our College has over a dozen health sciences programs, and we are excited to offer this program to students.”
The collaboration between ETSU and Fillauer Companies Inc., a premier prosthetics and orthotics company, is a milestone in healthcare learning as students will gain hands-on experience in this important field.