Michaela Doiron takes next step toward dream of helping others

Michaela Doiron hopes to one day design prosthetics for children or veterans, and the Trine University biomedical engineering major has made two big strides toward that dream.

She served as part of a senior design team that developed a waterproof prosthetic for a Fort Wayne paramedic and she earned acceptance to the prestigious orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) program at the Baylor College of Medicine.

She starts the program on June 15.

Combining design with help

Michaela said she always excelled at math and science but wanted to find a field that allowed her to combine helping others with the design process. A neighbor in her hometown of Zachary, Louisiana, who was majoring in biomedical engineering explained that major was the perfect combination of doctor and engineer.

She followed the mechanical concentration within the biomedical engineering major at Trine and discovered O&P.

Michaela said she was attracted to the field because of how it relates to clinical care. Practitioners help individuals regain mobility and independence through custom braces (orthotics) and artificial limbs (prosthetics).

“What stood out most about this field was the ability to directly improve someone's quality of life by restoring mobility and independence while still using problem-solving skills,” she said.

Competitive program

She said several factors drew her to Baylor for her O&P program.

The Baylor program offers an accelerated program structure, including one year of didactic learning followed by an 18-month dual residency program. This allows students to complete both their degree and residency requirements in a shorter timeframe.

“Upon graduation from the program, I will have completed all of my residency, which puts me one step ahead compared to other O&P programs,” she said.

She also is looking forward to the opportunity to experience different cultures on Baylor’s campus in Houston, Texas.

“It is also only 4.5 hours from my home, which makes it easier to stay connected with my family after being away for the past four years,” she said.

Baylor’s O&P program is one of the most competitive in the country, and Michaela said she was “shocked” to find out she was accepted despite earning a 3.895 grade point average at Trine and getting help through the application process from her professors.

“There were many great applicants that I got to meet over Teams before interviews,” she said. “We were told that we would hear back about two to three days after the interviews. After the fifth day or so of not hearing back, I thought I didn't get in.”

“After days of assuming I had not been accepted, receiving a phone call from the program director, about a week after interviews, was both unexpected and incredibly rewarding.”

Preparation and support

Michaela said being part of Trine’s softball team helped her develop discipline, time management and resilience, which will help her succeed in graduate school.

The extensive hands-on learning offering in Trine’s biomedical engineering program helped prepare her specifically for the O&P program. In addition, her senior design project gave her a glimpse of what her future could look like from day to day.

“That project gave me firsthand experience in patient-centered design and reinforced that this was the field I wanted to pursue,” she said.

She plans to gain clinical experience at both pediatric and veterans’ clinics through her residency and early practice, then continue in clinics where she can make the greatest impact.

“If I were to work with children, I would see myself in them — just a child wanting to play with the other kids,” she said. “Knowing that I would be able to restore their childhood again is something that really draws me to working with children.”

She said she would enjoy working with veterans because she would like to repay them for everything they have done for the country.

“My dad is a Navy veteran himself, and although he also wanted me to join the military, we agreed that this could be a compromise,” she said.

As she prepares to continue her journey in orthotics and prosthetics, she is grateful for the support system that helped her get this far.

“My professors, coaches, teammates, family and mentors at Trine all played a major role in preparing me for this next step,” she said. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue combining engineering and patient care while working toward my long-term goal of helping children, veterans and others regain confidence and independence through orthotics and prosthetics.”