Orthotic and Prosthetic Technicians

High School

Courses in metal shop, wood shop, and machine shop should provide a good background for working with materials and tools used in this profession. Math classes, especially algebra and geometry, will teach you to work with measurements. You may also want to take art classes to develop your eye-hand coordination, sense of design and proportions, and knowledge of materials such as leather, metals, and plastics. Biology, health, or anatomy classes will give you an understanding of the structure of the human body, which will be needed in your future career. Computer science courses will also be helpful, as computer technologies are used in the designing of devices. Because technicians work closely with orthotists and prosthetists, they need excellent communication skills and the ability to follow directions precisely. Therefore, you should take English classes to hone your writing and speaking skills and develop your ability to interpret directions.

Postsecondary Training

Following high school, you have two options. You may enroll in a two-year program of supervised clinical experience and training. This method, which is the most common, is basically on-the-job training, in which the trainee works under the supervision of a certified orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist-prosthetist. After the two years of training are successfully completed, the trainee achieves technician status.

The second method is to enroll in a one- or two-year program of formal instruction leading to a certificate or associate's degree in orthotics-prosthetics technology. The programs typically include classes in anatomy and physiology, properties of materials, prosthetic and orthotic techniques, and building devices, as well as supervised clinical experience. As of 2016, only seven technician programs were offered in the United States that are accredited by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE). For a listing of these schools, visit the NCOPE Web site at https://ncope.org. Because of the scarcity of training programs, a much smaller number of technicians choose this method of training to enter the field.