ASSOCIATION NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ROSEY VILLARREAL
On Friday, August 6, 2010 during the Annual Business Meeting in Houston, TX, ASOPA members elected Rosey Villarreal, OPA-C as the 2010 - 2012 Member at Large. We welcome Rosey to the Executive Board and hope that you take advantage and contact him for any questions or concerns you may have. Remember that he and Georgana Bradley (Member at Large) are your liaisons to the board.

ASOPA's 34th ANNUAL MEETING - AUGUST 4 - 7, 2010
If you were able to attend, Thank you! We had a fantastic meeting in Houston!

Click here or on the ASOPA/NAOT Meeting logo for more information on ASOPA's 34th Annual Meeting in Houston, TX.

EHLEN SELECTED AS BENTON SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

Eugene Ehlen of Burlington, WI was chosen as 2010 winner of the Michael Bradley Benton Memorial Educational Scholarship. Eugene, who is the stepson of ASOPA member John Gabaldo, OPA-C, recently graduated from high school with a 3.72 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and will attend the University of Wisconsin - Madison this Fall. Eugene has been accepted into the College of Engineering and plans to pursue a Chemical Engineering degree. He will receive $2,000 during the upcoming academic year from the Scholarship Committee to help him attain that goal.

Throughout his high school career, Eugene was active in athletics as a member of the track and field team, as well as captain of the football team. Also a Boy Scout member, he was a Senior Patrol Leader and recently inducted in to the Order of the Arrow. He also volunteered with several local community service projects.

“We were particularly impressed with Eugene’s interest in Chemical Engineering and its practical application to reducing the effects of burning oil and fossil fuels on the environment,” stated Kent Lindeman, Director of the Benton Scholarship Fund.

“The current crisis in the Gulf underscores that we need to develop highly trained professionals to be able to quickly respond and help mitigate future disasters in the best way possible.”

The Michael Bradley Benton Memorial Educational Scholarship Fund was created to assist students in completing their college education.  The program is directed specifically to full members of the American Society of Orthopaedic Physician’s Assistants (ASOPA), their spouses, children, or grandchildren.

TECHNIQUE TIP: SPRING 2010
Total Hip Arthroplasty via Direct Anterior Approach
By George J. Cloud, Jr, OPA-C and Daniel T. Weber, MD

Total hip arthroplasty is one of the most successful surgical procedures in orthopedics if not in surgery in general. It has very predictable outcomes which give long lasting pain relief. At the same time, the complication rates from these surgeries are very low. So why change or alter an already successful procedure? Traditional total hip arthroplasty, performed through a posterior or anterolateral approach, means that in order to get to the hip joint, muscles and tendons may need to be detached, split, and or cut from the bone. Also because these structures are removed or cut from the backside of the hip joint, it destabilizes the joint, meaning there is minimal support in the back of the joint until those tissues heal, which may take up to 6-8 weeks. Also with the anterolateral approach the patient may also develop a limp post-operatively. With a posterior or MIS posterior procedure, the patient may need to adhere to specific hip precautions to prevent dislocation of the new hip joint. [click here to continue]

NBCOPA EXAM UPDATES
NOW AVAILABLE - NBCOPA Online Practice Test
The NBCOPA Online Practice Test is now available! The practice test will allow you to experience taking a computerized exam, review content included in the certification exam for OPAs and to learn more about question format, style and level of difficulty.
Click here to see more information regarding the new Online Practice Test, as well as the updates for taking the certification exam.