Student Spotlight: Q&A With Leah Abraham ‘27O&P

Leah Abraham ‘27O&P is a second-year student in the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) program at Drexel University’s Elkins Park campus. In this question-and-answer session, she explains what inspired her to pursue the O&P profession, why she specifically chose the Drexel O&P program and how it is preparing her for her future career.  

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in orthotics and prosthetics? 

A: I ended up pursuing a career in orthotics and prosthetics because my older sister, as a kid, had orthotics. Also, during my sophomore year of high school, I was watching a Grey's Anatomy video, which everyone laughs when I tell this story, about a girl who got her spine replaced. And, from there I ended up doing a deep dive into what field it was. That led me to be a biomedical engineer and then I fell in love with prosthetics and orthotics.

It allows me to take my biomedical engineering undergraduate degree and my love for working with patients and put them together as one. I did not have to go to medical school for eight plus years, but am still able to work in hospitals, in clinics, or in a bunch of different settings.

Q: Why did you choose the Drexel O&P program? 

A: Because it's one of the two integrated residency programs in the country. This program aligned more with the small close-knit classwork and class size as well. As I toured campus, I had the best interactions with Dr. Chad Duncan (program director) and Julie Quinlan (faculty member). My first time ever meeting them, I ended up talking to Dr. Duncan for an extra two hours. He had meetings to attend and I think that really stuck with me that they allowed me to have that conversation and formed that connection before I even applied. 

Q: How does the program align with your long-term goals of helping others?

A: One of the key aspects of this program is that you get to do a research project into an area of your choosing, and I really am passionate about doing service trips. The school led me to doing more research into how I could possibly get involved in a research and a study abroad trip. And, then also let me and my partner Morgan Semko ‘27O&P do a research project into Western Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Q: What specific hands-on experience has been the most valuable to you and why? 

A: Working with our patient models has been super rewarding. Being able to form personal connections with patients and hearing about interactions they've had with clinicians and processes in the profession has been amazing. It’s been wonderful to hear what's worked and what they wish for in the future.

Q: How has the program helped you develop empathy and communication skills needed to work with patients? 

A: I think the program has done a great job at giving us background into what is the correct terminology to use is since the terminology has changed so much over the years. We really do a good job about learning how to ask questions correctly in a way that it doesn't impact or cause negative connotations to the patient. And, I think that's probably the best way that it's helped me. 

Q: You mentioned you have a residency coming up. How has the program, up to this point, prepared you for that residency and what do you expect to learn during your residency? 

A: The program has given me a really good overview of what to expect in the profession, orthotics and prosthetics wise, and have a good basic understanding of how to modify and how to adjust a prosthetic socket. I think, during my residency, I'll be able to fine tune those skills a lot more and I'll be able to work with a pediatric population. It is harder to work with pediatric patients when you're in school. 

Q: When you finish the program, what are your goals for your career?

A: I would love to be an in-house prosthetist at a children's hospital.