Grace College Launches New Orthopaedic Graduate Program
Grace College Launches New Orthopaedic Graduate Program
Posted
Staff Report-
Grace College Launches New Orthopaedic Graduate ProgramWINONA LAKE – Grace College and OrthoWorx announced a new, updated curriculum for the Master of Science in Orthopaedic Regulatory and Clinical Affairs (ORCA) program.
The updated graduate program will be offered in an accelerated four-semester format beginning in January at Grace’s Winona Lake campus.
After six years of operation and more than 100 graduates of ORCA, it was time to revise the program, according to Dr. Steve Grill, dean of community education at Grace College.
“As regulations in the orthopaedic industry constantly change, ORCA must change with them,” he said. “We know that orthopaedic companies depend on ORCA graduates receiving the highest-quality, relevant education in the industry. We’re committed to living up to that reputation for the long haul.”
ORCA is the only master’s degree program of its type in the country, according to a news release from Grace.
Brad Bishop, executive director of OrthoWorx, was an advisor in developing ORCA’s new curriculum.
“The original ORCA program addressed a critical industry need to meet rapid changes in the regulatory environment and increases in the demand for clinical outcomes data,” Bishop said. “Those factors are still in place, so it was important that we pair industry experts with Grace College to keep ORCA responsive to the talent needs of our members.”
Bishop said the working group is very pleased with the end product and confident that the updates make an “even stronger” program.
“The new format follows the product lifecycle and will provide real-world applicability of concepts to better prepare students for a career in the industry,” he said.
Paul Voorhorst, vice president of clinical research at DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction, served on the ORCA industry advisory group.
“I am pleased with the new format of the ORCA program which follows the regulatory and clinical touch-points throughout the product lifecycle,” he said. “I think people who come out of the program will be well-suited for a role in regulatory or clinical affairs.”
Voorhorst said, “The program is also an excellent development opportunity for individuals already in the industry. The global regulatory and health care environments are evolving rapidly, creating a greater demand for these skill sets, and the ORCA program is targeted at developing that talent.”
Eligible students can earn a Master of Science in Orthopaedic and Regulatory Affairs in four semesters. In the 2017-18 school year, ORCA classes will be taught at the Winona Lake campus on Tuesday evenings.
For more information, visit the website or call 888-249-0533. Applications are available online.
