An Intern's Tale: Charlene Harasym

I worked for Barber as a Co-op student from UBC Biomedical Engineering for four months
through the summer of 2021 and I am confident in saying that this has been an experience I will
never forget.

During my time at Barber, I had the opportunity to be exposed to the research, clinical, and
technical sides of the clinic. For instance, I performed data analysis and literature reviews that
has helped the Barber Team to learn more about their six years of legacy Outcome Measure
data. I have also been able to attend various appointments with a selection of the wonderful
patients at Barber, giving me a first-hand look at the many ways that prosthetists provide care
to their patients throughout their prosthesis journey. The tech team also allowed me to watch
the work that they do during the creation and upkeep of various sockets and hardware pieces. I
was even lucky enough to apply these skills to make my own socket!

My understanding of the world of prosthetics has grown immensely over the past four months,
yet I know there is still plenty more for me to discover. I feel privileged to have had the
opportunity to work with the entire team at Barber. Each member of the team is passionate
about the work that they are doing and the patient care that they are providing. Everyone was
always happy to answer my questions, explain their thought process, and pass on some of their
(much-appreciated) expertise and life advice.

My experiences this past summer have inspired me to continue to pursue opportunities within
the world of prosthetics as I finish my degree and work terms. I would like to thank Barber for
having me over these last 4 months, and I hope to be able to work with the clinic in some
capacity in the future.