O&P Foundation Announces 2024 ABC Student Poster Prizes

The Orthotics and Prosthetics Foundation for Education and Research (The O&P Foundation) and the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) are proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 ABC Student Poster Prizes.

Prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place; $1,000, $850, and $650, respectively. Each recipient was selected for their research presented in poster format at the 2024 American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (the Academy) Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium. All student posters accepted for presentation at the 2024 Academy Meeting were automatically considered for the contest.

First Place Megan Grunst Effects of Prosthetic Design Features on Osteoarthritis Risk in the Sound Limb: A Scoping Review View Poster

Megan Grunst, MPO, is a recent graduate of the Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center and an incoming Prosthetic Resident at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Iowa, where she worked as a research assistant in the Human Performance and Clinical Outcomes lab studying carbon fiber custom dynamic orthoses.

1st Place Poster Contributors

2nd Place Jacob Wilbert Exposure to Orthotics and Prosthetics in Undergraduate Kinesiology Students in the Southeastern United States View Poster

Jacob Wilbert is graduating from the Alabama State University's P&O program in May 2024. He will continue on to a combined O&P residency with Hanger Clinic in Knoxville, TN. Jacob developed a passion to promote the awareness of O&P because he wishes that someone would have introduced him to the field much earlier in his education. He hopes to be the one to provide prospective students with this formal introduction so they too may come to know the value of careers in O&P.

3rd Place Brogan Comstock Tensile strength testing of bio-polyethylene and recycled polyethylene as  alternative materials for ankle foot orthoses View Poster

Brogan Comstock is a second-year master's student in O&P from California State University - Dominguez Hills. She completed her undergraduate degree in psychology and kinesiology from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Her education and experiences are influenced by learning how to better the physical and psychological well-being of others. Her research experience focuses on motion analysis and interpersonal interactions.

The Foundation Research Committee judging criteria included the quality and thoroughness of the research, originality, and independence of the contributions, significance and timeliness of the research results, and the depth of understanding of the research topic.