In this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland welcomes Chris Baschuk, a trailblazer in upper limb prosthetics and the Director of Clinical Services at Point Designs. Chris also serves on the board of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and is a proud ambassador for What Is POP, an organization working to expand the pipeline of professionals in Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Pedorthics.
Together, Mike and Chris explore the cutting edge of prosthetic innovation—from the rise of 3D printing in clinical care to the need for greater access, education, and advocacy for people with limb loss.
🔧 Chris shares his personal journey—from tinkering with tools as a child to mission work in Brazil that inspired his career in biomedical engineering and prosthetics. He explains how additive manufacturing is revolutionizing prosthetic options for partial hand amputees, and how companies like Point Designs are leading the charge with rugged, functional, and customizable prosthetic components.
💡 Topics include:
- The evolution of multi-articulated prosthetic hands
- Pattern recognition technology in upper limb devices
- Shifting from traditional fabrication to additive manufacturing
- Advocacy to improve reimbursement and coding for partial hand prosthetics
- Chris’s leadership in the Upper Limb Prosthetic Society
- Mentorship and outreach through the POP ambassador program
- What his election to the Academy’s board means for future care
Mike also shares a fun then-vs-now look at prosthetic technology by comparing his vintage 1970s prosthetic hand with today’s advanced solutions.
If you’re passionate about prosthetic innovation, limb difference advocacy, or the future of orthotic and prosthetic education, this episode is a must-listen.
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In this episode of "We're Not Stumped," host Mike Bolland sits down with Jakob Kepka to discuss his remarkable journey. Jakob's life took a drastic turn after a workplace injury in 1979, leading to years of treatments, including repeated Cortisone shots, and ultimately six knee replacements between 2001 and 2013. Listen in as Jakob shares his story of resilience, overcoming physical challenges, and how he's turned his experiences into a mission of hope and inspiration called the "Hoperaising Expedition".
