Emily was introduced to POP during middle school through a family friend with a lower limb prosthetic device. Watching her friend thrive inspired Emily to learn more about the POP profession. She accompanied her friend at a prosthetic fitting appointment and quickly learned about the day-to-day activities of a POP professional. Emily left her friend’s appointment feeling excited and motivated to pursue a future career in POP.

Emily’s shadowing opportunities continued, and she decided to apply to Northwestern University’s prosthetics and orthotics master’s program. Now, she finds mentorship through her professors and fellow students and is eager to give back. She encourages other students interested in POP to pursue shadowing experiences and follow social media accounts run by POP students so they can learn more about the various pathways to POP.