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Orthotics & Prosthetics
She was one of the first faculty members hired when the Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) department was established, and now she is its leader. Julie Quinlan, PhD ‘26, MPO, MS, CPO, ATC, FAAOP, has been named program and residency director of the department effective Aug. 1, 2026.
"There’s renewed energy within our program,” said Dr. Quinlan. “Our team is coming together around a shared vision, and we’re answering important questions about how we want to shape the future of Drexel O&P.”
As part of Drexel University’s Academic Transformation, the O&P program, based on the Elkins Park campus, is now administratively aligned with Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences in the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP). The alignment creates new opportunities for collaboration across the rehabilitation professions while allowing O&P to build on the expertise and resources available throughout Drexel.
“This is a natural alignment,” Dr. Quinlan said. “It gives us the opportunity to learn from the experience and expertise of Dr. Margaret Finley and our colleagues in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences. Healthcare doesn’t happen in silos, and healthcare education shouldn’t either.”
O&P and Physical Therapy naturally intersect around mobility, neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, aging and independence, areas Dr. Quinlan believes will become increasingly important as the population ages.
“Bringing our disciplines closer together creates tremendous opportunities for interprofessional education, collaborative research and preparation for clinical practice,” she said. “Ultimately, we share the goal of helping people maintain mobility, independence and quality of life across the lifespan.”
The program’s newest cohort includes 17 students who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to Drexel. “They’re an energetic group who bring a lot of different backgrounds and experiences to the program,” Dr. Quinlan said. “O&P is changing quickly, especially with advances in technology, and we want our students to be comfortable adapting to those changes and thinking creatively as clinicians. I’m excited to watch them grow throughout the program and become strong future CPOs.”
