David C. Wilkie, EBS,
BFA, ATP
Born: March 2, 1949 - Eau
Claire, WI
-
Entry into the AT field:
1977 as a student in orthotics and prosthetics
-
How I got into the
field
In the 70's I was working in my
own business as a jeweler and sculptor when I became allergic to the materials
I was working with. One of my friends was working at a vocational school and
convinced me to have lunch with him with the idea of taking some classes that
would get me out of the jewelry, sculpture field. The vocational school had an
orthotics and prosthetics program, and I was immediately attracted to
prosthetics - seemed to fit well with my degrees in design and sculpture. After
completing the course work in prosthetics I was sent to the VA to complete my
clinical work. After completing my orthotic program I was sent to Gillette
Children's Hospital to complete my clinical work in orthotics. At Gillette I
realized there were many, many needs I thought were not being met very well -
especially in the area of what was called Adaptive Equipment. My background in
design and sculpture made me naturally gravitate to Adaptive Equipment where I
could use my creativity much more freely than I could in orthotics and
prosthetics.
-
Important event(s) that influenced
my early decision to get into the assistive technology field
Gillette had done custom molded plastic seating
systems as early as 1974, but it was apparent to me that more needed to be
done. I plunged headfirst into custom-contoured seating, moving from wood and
foam flat-firm backs and firm seats to custom-contoured and custom-molded
plastic seating systems.
In 1980,
Gillette's AT service delivery was hospital-centered. As I worked with seating
patients coming from great distances (4 to 5 hours one-way to get custom
seating), I realized we needed to somehow reach out to our patients in greater
Minnesota. With the support of the Department Director, I began to develop an
assistive technology mobile clinic, and in 1984 we held our first mobile clinic
in Southwest Minnesota providing seating and orthotic services. In 2007, the
number of clinics had grown to more than 190 a year, provided 2800 services in
orthotics, seating and mobility, AugCom, computer access, physical medicine,
nursing, rehab engineering consultations and a variety of other AT
services.
-
Why I chose the AT
field
I choose to be in the AT field
because it gives me an opportunity to use my background in fine arts to create
and design products and services that help people with disabilities.
-
My inspiration and
mentor
Many people have inspired me
over the years - too many to mention by name. However, the physicians,
therapists, nurses and assistive technology staff at Gillette have influenced
me tremendously. Patients and their families taught me a great deal about what
happens in the real world and what could be done to help their situations
day-to-day. Of course, my son, who has cerebral palsy, was a huge influence. I
got plenty of ideas for custom devices, equipment modification and orthotics as
he grew from a child to a young man - together we figured out some pretty
unique ways to deal with his mobility and school issues.
-
Why the field is important to me
and the central focus of my work
People with disabilities are generally much more
vulnerable than I, and it gives me great satisfaction to be able to use my
creativity to assist them. I'm proud of the work I have done with Gillette's
Mobile Outreach Clinic, which along with custom seating has been the major
focus of my work at Gillette Children's these past 29 years. The Mobile Clinic
brings AT services to people with disabilities in rural Minnesota - many of the
individuals served are poor, and in areas with very few AT services. It has
been a pleasure and a rewarding experience to work with people with
disabilities, their families, and with the AT professionals I have met these
past 30 years.
-
My memorable successes and
greatest contributions to the field
I'm most proud of my early work in seating and
mobility and my role in the development of our mobile outreach clinics.
-
My most memorable
failures
I think my biggest failure
in the field was my inability to have much influence on funding assistive
technology - it is too hard to do service delivery and fight with the
Department of Human Services. I chose to concentrate my efforts on service
delivery.
-
Significant changes and advances
in the field since I first entered it
Working in a specialized hospital, as I do,
probably has had a unique influence on what I think have been the most
significant changes in our field. The advances in surgical techniques and new
drugs have had a profound influence on the kinds of assistive technology we
provide and how quickly we can provide it. Advances in spinal management and
spinal fusions has made seating and bracing less difficult, advances in
wheelchair design has had a positive influence on mobility, seating and
communication. Availability of commercial components has increased access to a
wide range of AT, not only in the areas of seating and mobility, but also
communication mounting systems, orthotics, prosthetics etc.
-
On the future of rehabilitation
engineering and assistive technology
I see a mixed future for rehabilitation
engineering and assistive technology. Of course the need is going to be there
(and will no doubt increase), but funding in this area has always been a
problem; unfortunately I don't see it getting much better. Technology will
allow us to do more, but there will be more people needing services and I fear
the financial resources won't keep pace with the growing need or the costs
associated with providing higher quality assistive technology.
-
My role within RESNA and what it
gave back to me
RESNA has played a
huge role in the development of my career. In the early years it was "the
conference" to go to network with others that were attempting to solve some of
the same problems I was trying to solve at Gillette Children's. By attending
workshops and lectures I was able to increase my knowledge base in the area of
AT. Presenting at the conference always made me think about what I was doing
and forced me to do the research to ensure I was doing the "right thing." Of
course, along the way I made a lot of great RESNA friends with whom I continue
to network to this day.
-
On the future of RESNA
RESNA has to travel a difficult road in the
future. RESNA has a core membership that doesn't seem to increase much year to
year and the members, like me, are aging. RESNA will have to attract new young
members to take our places. RESNA's conference, while being an excellent
conference, isn't the only game in town. We will have to make the conference
more attractive to attendees so we can continue to use it as a revenue source -
all of this at a time when it is getting more and more difficult for
individuals to get their organizations to cover the cost of a conference. The
credential will become more and more important. Not only as a way for members
to show competence in assistive technology, but also as a major revenue stream
to help RESNA continue to be "THE" assistive technology
organization.
-
My suggestions for those just
entering the field
I would tell
anyone that was entering the field of assistive technology to become a RESNA
member ASAP and to attend the conference. I'd encourage them to network with
others, join a few SIGs and get involved.
|