Though Mallory always wanted a job in healthcare, she assumed there were only two options: be a physical therapist or a doctor. Graduating in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science, Mallory saw an opportunity to reflect on her career amid the pandemic. While riding her bike one day, she had a thought: “Prosthetics are really cool, are there jobs in that field?”

Mallory researched and found an entire world of POP professionals. Once jobs began opening back up after COVID, she started as a neurological rehabilitation technician at Inova Health Systems and got to visit their O&P clinic during her onboarding. The first patient she saw, a person living with a recent amputation, told the prosthetist that he was excited to dance with his wife again. For Mallory, this was it.

She dove into orthotics as a certified fitter before applying to Northwestern University’s master’s program to focus on prosthetics. Now, Mallory looks forward to becoming a certified prosthetist orthotist (CPO), working with lower limb prostheses, and spreading awareness of the profession.