By McKenzie Brown
For many people learning to live with limb loss or mobility challenges, every small step forward can feel monumental. Behind those steps are professionals in orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) — a field that combines health care, engineering and compassion to help people regain independence and confidence.
Orthotists and prosthetists design and build custom braces and prosthetic limbs for patients with neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disorders or those who have lost a limb. Their work restores freedom of movement and often transforms lives, helping individuals return to activities they once thought were out of reach.
Arlene Gillis, CP, LPO, M.Ed., FAAOP, founder of the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics (IIOP) in Tampa, has spent more than three decades in the profession. After selling her successful private practice, she helped establish a college of orthotics and prosthetics, leading it for seven years and securing grants that allowed the program to award master’s degrees through partnerships with Florida State University and Florida International University.
In 2015, Gillis founded IIOP as a national center dedicated to advancing education, training, research and patient care in orthotics and prosthetics. The institute offers a master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics that can be completed in just 16 months, combining classroom learning with practical, hands-on experience. Gillis said the reason she was drawn to O&P was because of “the immediate gratification when you can help someone regain their mobility.”
The demand for O&P professionals continues to grow. As the nation’s population ages and more veterans require prosthetic and orthotic care, employment opportunities in the field are expanding rapidly. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in orthotics and prosthetics are projected to increase 18 percent through 2030, far faster than the average for most occupations.
Through IIOP, Gillis aims to strengthen connections between educators, practitioners and patients to improve care and develop best practices across the profession. Her work reflects a lifelong commitment to improving lives — not only through the devices created but also the education and compassion that drive the people behind them.
This business is located at 4809 Memorial Hwy. in Tampa. For further questions, call 888-204-4447.
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