BioPed gets a leg up with help from Waterloo Kinesiology students
By: Namish Modi (he/him)
At BioPed Footcare & Orthotics, Waterloo Kinesiology co-op students are highly valued and are making strong contributions in this fast-growing industry.
Students are working to help build orthotics, provide an amazing patient experience, among other vital tasks.
BioPed Footcare has more than 65 locations across Canada and 250 employees countrywide. Different clinicians own each BioPed location and every one of these clinicians have experienced the benefits of working with future-ready talent. One of the main roles co-op students are hired for is pedorthic assistant.
“University students bring such energy and enthusiasm to the clinic,” says Alison Murakami (she/her), chiropodist and acting medical foot care lead at BioPed.
“Students want to enhance their knowledge and they learn new skills very quickly. They bring a fresh set of eyes to new clients or patients, but also to longstanding patients as well. Sometimes, if we have been treating the same people for many years, it’s nice and refreshing to have someone come in and see this person in a whole new light.”
BioPed provides footcare and lower limb expertise that gives students learning experiences in pedorthics — the training of biomechanical and gait assessments for lower limbs and feet. Chiropodists are trained in footcare, ankle care and nail care.
At BioPed, clinicians can treat plantar warts, ingrown toenails, corns, calluses and more.
“At BioPed, our main mission is to help people do more,” says Alycia Underhill (she/her), an owner/manager at BioPed and acting clinical pedorthic lead.
“We do that by alleviating pain and restoring the function of the lower limb and foot. That might mean we help them walk, or run, or play with their grandkids, or even just move through life comfortably. We work with several health professionals as well as family physicians and nurse practitioners to solve our clients’ problems. It brings us great pleasure to do that.”
Students bring anatomy and physical assessment experience to their roles at BioPed that they have learned through course work or previous work term experience.
BioPed can better serve the community by helping more patients with the help of valuable contributions from Waterloo co-op students.
“Students are really eager to apply their knowledge in our day-to-day work environment,” says Underhill. Students take part in assessments while shadowing pedorthists and chiropodists.
Students are energetic, and they want to make people’s lives better. They love to learn, so they are prepared to jump in and take part in a moment’s notice. In some cases, they are self-starters, and they will help and jump in when they can.
Fourth-year student excels in summer work term
Kinesiology student Zara Phillips (she/her) is working at a BioPed location in Barrie and Orillia. Her colleagues describe her as an energetic, standout student by her colleagues.
Zara Phillips (she/her)
Fourth-year Kinesiology student
Phillips works at the front desk with patients, coordinates billing and books appointments. She also works in the lab and helps to make orthotics.
“BioPed has been a really interesting to place work because you get the feel of a small clinic while still having the support and resources of a larger company,” says Phillips.
“At BioPed, it is interesting, because we see a large group of clients that are referrals from doctors and nurse practitioners, and then people will just walk off the street when they see our signs,” Phillips says.
“Because we offer so many services, it is interesting to see all the healthcare workers working together to help the patient feel better and be able to do more.” Phillips believes working at BioPed opened her eyes to lots of possibilities.
BioPed is always looking for co-op students interested in working at their locations nationwide.