- Do you enjoy learning about human anatomy and physiology?

Or do you have a passion for helping others and making a difference in your community?

If so, then you may be a perfect fit for a career in orthopedics.

Hi, my name is Felicia Harvey, and I'm an orthopedic technician for Dayton Children's Hospital, and we're going to explore what I do every day.

As an orthopedic technician, I immobilize broken bones by setting them in casts under the direction of an orthopedic surgeon, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner.

I help run orthopedic clinics, including preparing rooms and patients for orthopedic examinations and procedures, applying casts, splints, and braces.

Also, ortho technicians remove casts once the surgeon has determined the bone has healed completely.

My typical day starts 15 minutes before our first patient arrives.

I do things like open the exam rooms, and restock supplies needed for the day.

Common tasks as an ortho tech are cast removal, applying casts, splints, braces, removing sutures, staples, dressing changes, and more.

I also spend the bulk of my day training new ortho techs.

As patients arrive, I get them checked in so we can take their x-rays or remove their cast.

If they need their cast removed, I will be the one to take their cast off before they are seen by the x-ray team, and then the ortho doctor.

My favorite part of the job is seeing long-term patients recover, and come out of their cast or braces.

The look of pure joy on their faces, and their parents' faces, makes the job worth it.

It is also very cool to look at the x-rays and see the stages of bone healing, and how different types of casts can aid in the healing process.

I work hard every day helping people, but I like to have fun too.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, dancing, going to the gym, and traveling, and my job as an ortho tech allows me to do all these things I enjoy.

At first, I didn't know this was an option, so I started my career journey as a nursing assistant in an orthopedics unit.

I quickly learned I wanted to be an ortho tech, so I got the schooling I needed to do just that.

And if you're interested in this field, my advice to you is to take many science classes, such as physiology, biology, anatomy, and chemistry.

Take a medical terminology course pertaining to orthopedics, and check out job shadowing opportunities in your community.

As you can see, being an ortho technician can be a very rewarding career.

You get to help so many people.

I love to create amazing, positive experiences for children, and patients will always remember how you made them feel.

I'm so glad I became an ortho tech.

Thank you for learning with me today, bye.

(upbeat music)