From an early age, Mackenzie dreamed of being a doctor. She wanted to help people lead healthy lives. Still unsure of the exact path to pursue, she majored in biomedical engineering at the University of Akron in Ohio, hoping to find a medical career that would also allow her to use her strong math skills. 

After shadowing at a POP clinic in Akron, during her sophomore year, Mackenzie fell in love with everything POP offered. She was immediately drawn to the fast-paced, creative and collaborative environment. The experience inspired Mackenzie to pursue a career in POP, because she could use her biomedical engineering background and work directly with patients every day. 

Now a current graduate student at University of Pittsburgh’s Prosthetics and Orthotics program, Mackenzie is excited to find shadowing and hands-on opportunities at clinics to aid her learning in the classroom. In the future, she hopes to travel abroad and help connect underserved populations with prosthetic care.