Building a Career Beyond Patient Care

In this episode of *O&P Rising*, guest host Jiera Shears, an MSPO student at Kennesaw State University, sits down with Jessica Norrell, CPO, MBA, owner of Mozn Solutions, to explore the many career paths available within the orthotics and prosthetics profession. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in clinical care, business operations, and healthcare leadership, Norrell shares her journey from practicing clinician to entrepreneur and consultant, offering insights into how business and patient care work together to create sustainable O&P practices. The conversation examines the often-overlooked business side of O&P, including operations, workflow management, payer relationships, billing, and leadership development. Norrell discusses the challenges of transitioning beyond direct patient care, the importance of understanding the full patient care process from referral through reimbursement, and why skills such as project management, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving are essential for long-term success. She also shares lessons learned from building her own company, navigating leadership responsibilities, and balancing risk with opportunity. Throughout the episode, Norrell encourages emerging professionals to stay curious, build strong networks, seek out mentorship opportunities, and remain open to nontraditional career paths within O&P.    *O&P Rising* is produced by Association Briefings.