Frank Friddle Jr. CO FAAOP, ABC's 2004 President, was more than an invited observer at Mexico's Inaugural Orthotic Certification Examination. Held last November in Queretaro, Mexico, Mr. Friddle utilized his skills and expertise as an ABC examiner to provide guidance during the patient management portion of the examination. Mr. Friddle was invited by Mexico's Certification Examination Committee of Arturo Vasquez Vela CPO FAAOP, Mo (John) Kenney CPO FAAOP, and Joel Kempfer CP FAAOP to observe the examination process and report his experience to ABC's Board of Directors. "It is the committee's hope that once ABC has knowledge of the process and validity of the Mexican Exam, progress can be made toward recognition of the Mexican credential in the United States" says Kempfer, who orchestrated the visit.
Nine candidates participated in the Clinical Patient Management portion of the certification process after successfully completing a comprehensive written and written-simulation examination. "The qualifications, prerequisites, process, and validity of the examination is very much like the former ABC examination" states Vasquez Vela, author of both the Mexican prosthetic certification and orthotic certification examination process.
To date, twelve practitioners have succeeded in attaining prosthetic certification, and eight in orthotic certification. The timing of the certification process comes at an auspicious point in Mexico's history as the Ministry of Health has just passed legislation requiring practitioners to have appropriate credentials to provide care in that country.
Friddle was surprised at the organization and efficiency of the examination including the use of interpreters for himself and Kenney, both of whom speak little Spanish. "The exam went off without a glitch, and was very fair and impartial for each candidate participating" says Friddle. "I was too young to have observed the birth of certification in the United States and was delighted and felt fortunate to be a part of this occasion."
With five other practitioners, Kenney and Kempfer are part of an ongoing humanitarian mission (organized by Vasquez Vela) to central Mexico to provide prosthetic care to indigent Mexicans. This mission was co-founded By Junior Odom CPO, who since the devastating earthquake in 1986, returns annually to Mexico. With the generous support of these and other practitioners, a fully staffed and equipped modern rehab/prosthetic center was established in 1993.