Orthotists and Prosthetists

Familiarize yourself with the profession by reading The O&P Almanac magazine, which is free for members of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, https://www.aopanet.org.

Apply to a program through the Orthotics and Prosthetics Centralized Application Service, https://opcas.cas.myliaison.com/applicant-ux/#/login. This site enables applicants to orthotics and prosthetics schools to electronically fill out one central application and use it for several schools. This outstanding service makes the application much easier.

Review the residency program services section on the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education's Web site to see if it interests you: https://ncope.org/index.php/home-page-v2/residency-program-services.

Ask your school's career services office to help set up an informational interview with an orthotist and prosthetist. Create a list of questions about this work to learn more about what's required, what is most rewarding and challenging, and to see if there is an opportunity to job shadow these professionals.