Orthotic and Prosthetic Specialists

Career summary

#No alternate titles CJ

Orthotists and prosthetists design, build, and fit:

• Braces
• Supports
• Corrective shoes
• Surgical supports
• Replacement limbs

Orthotists and prosthetists often work with doctors to help decide on appliances and prescriptions. They read and review prescriptions from doctors. They examine patients, taking measurements of the affected parts of the body.

They may make plaster casts directly from the patient's body to be sure the devices fit comfortably. They use measurements to make models and layouts.

Orthotists and prosthetists may send their design to assistants or technicians to build the product. Some build the appliances themselves out of materials such as wood, plastic, and composite metals. They form, saw, mold, shape, grind, polish, buff, and sew components together.

When devices are ready, orthotists and prosthetists work with patients to fit, test, and evaluate them. They make sure the fit is good and all the parts are working properly. They make adjustments and changes to improve the fit.

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists show patients how to use their appliances. They counsel patients to help them gain confidence.

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists research new designs, materials, and technologies. They discuss designs with patients and coworkers. They teach student doctors, assistants, technicians, and rehabilitation counselors about orthoses and prostheses.

To update their skills, orthotic and prosthetic specialists attend conferences and seminars. They write and publish their findings. They sometimes present their findings to their colleagues.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Athletic Trainers
• Dental Laboratory Technicians
• Dentists
• Medical Appliance Technicians
• Museum Technicians and Conservators
• Occupational Therapists
• Physical Therapists
• Podiatrists
• Recreational Therapists

Military careers

• Physical and Occupational Therapy Specialists

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to orthotic and prosthetic specialists.

• Review prescriptions from physicians.
• Interview, examine, and measure patients who need braces or replacement limbs.
• Evaluate patients' appliance needs.
• Speak with physicians to help determine the specifications and prescriptions needed.
• Work with assistants and patients to make plaster casts, models, and layouts.
• Design replacement limbs, braces, and other appliances according to doctors' prescriptions.
• Evaluate and choose materials and components to construct appliances.
• Construct and fabricate appliances. Supervise assistants and technicians if they create the appliances.
• Fit, test, and evaluate devices on patients. Make adjustments for proper fit, function, and comfort.
• Help patients learn how to use their braces, artificial limbs, and corrective shoes.
• Repair and maintain orthotic and prosthetic devices using hand tools.
• Show and explain orthotic and prosthetic appliances to students, doctors, and other health care workers.
• Research new ways to make and use orthopedic appliances.
• Train and supervise orthotic and prosthetic assistants and technicians.
• Keep patient and work records.
• Update skills by attending conferences and seminars.
• Publish research findings and present them at conferences and seminars.

Common work activities

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Get information needed to do the job
• Make decisions and solve problems
• Assist and care for others
• Document and record information
• Perform for or work with the public
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Think creatively
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Evaluate information against standards
• Schedule work and activities
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Use computers
• Process information
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Teach others
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Provide information or drawings about devices, equipment, or structures
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Monitor and control resources
• Perform administrative tasks
• Coach others
• Develop and build teams
• Develop goals and strategies
• Handle and move objects
• Analyze data or information
• Control machines and processes
• Provide advice and consultation to others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, orthotic and prosthetic specialists:

Interpersonal relationships

• Communicate on a daily basis by telephone, e-mail, and face-to-face discussions.
• Have a high level of social interaction with patients, lab assistants, and doctors.
• Sometimes work with a group or as part of a team.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of others.
• Occasionally must deal with unpleasant or upset patients.
• Are responsible for the work done by other workers on the health care team.

Physical work conditions

• Always work indoors.
• Sometimes wear uniforms, such as lab jackets.
• Often wear protective gear, such as glasses or gloves, when operating saws or other fabricating machines.
• Work physically very close to patients. They come into close physical contact when fitting and adjusting orthotic and prosthetic devices.
• May be exposed to hazardous situations and conditions in which they experience minor cuts and burns.
• Are often exposed to patients' diseases and infections.
• Are sometimes exposed to loud sounds and distracting noise levels, such as from power tools.
• Are regularly exposed to contaminants and hazardous equipment.

Work performance

• Must be very exact in designing and making artificial limbs, braces, and supports to fit patients.
• Must be sure all the details are complete for the best possible first fitting of appliances.
• Must avoid errors since consequences can be serious in terms of lost time and discouragement for patients.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that strongly impact patients. They almost always act independently.
• Almost always set their daily tasks and goals without talking to a superior first.
• Work in a moderately stressful atmosphere in which daily deadlines must be met.

Hours/travel

• Usually work 40 hours a week. Schedules are generally established.
• May travel to visit patients in rehabilitation centers and to attend trainings and professional conferences.

Physical demands

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists frequently:

• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for orthotic and prosthetic specialists to be able to:

• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for orthotic and prosthetic specialists to be able to:

• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.

Skills and abilities

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists need to:

Communicate

• Understand written information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand spoken information.
• Read and understand work-related materials.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Work with things

• Analyze needs and requirements when designing products.
• Inspect and evaluate the quality of products.

Perceive and visualize

• Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Orthotic and Prosthetic Therapies

Other programs of study to consider

• Biomedical Engineering
• Exercise Physiology
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Recreation Therapy

Training

To work as an orthotic and prosthetic specialist, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• have a bachelor's degree;
• have a master's degree in orthotics and prosthetics; 
• complete a residency program; and
• become board certified.

Education after high school

To work in this occupation you need a master's degree in orthotics and prosthetics. These programs include courses such as upper and lower extremity orthotics and prosthetics, spinal orthotics, and plastics and other materials.

Orthotic and prosthetic technicians need an associate degree or on-the-job training.

On-the-job training

All graduate degree programs have a clinical component in which the student works under the direction of an O&P professional. Most programs require at least 500 hours of clinical experience, split equally between orthotics and prosthetics.

Following graduation from a master's degree program, you complete a residency program in either prosthetics or orthotics. Residency lasts one year. If you want to become certified in both orthotics and prosthetics you need to complete one year of residency training for each specialty. After your residency, you take additional exams to become board certified.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be physical and occupational therapy specialists. This military occupation includes orthotic and prosthetic specialists. Training lasts from 11 to 31 weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum  may be different from your state's graduation requirements . Orthotic and prosthetic specialists need a strong background in science. Be sure to take science courses through Physics.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Computer Applications
• Introduction to Health Care

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups  that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers require that orthotists and prosthetists be certified or eligible for certification within two years of being hired. When workers are not yet certified, employers prefer they have a technical certificate, related experience, or a completed residency program.

For technicians, employers require at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They prefer to hire trainees who have taken high school classes in shop, geometry, and algebra. For clinical assistants, who may fabricate products or supervise technicians, employers may be willing to train people who have technical certification and experience.

Costs to workers

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists must pay for uniforms, reference books, educational services, and registration and/or certification. Some workers pay dues for professional association or union membership.

#Put fees in licensing section & checked this info 3/14/11, cj.

Licensing/certification

Orthotic and prosthetic specialists who perform assessments, design and maintain, or adjust prostheses and orthoses must be licensed by the State of Washington. Licensing requirements include:

• a bachelor's degree or certificate in orthotics or prosthetics from an approved orthotic or prosthetic educational program;
• clinical internship or residency of 1,900 hours;
• passing a national exam administered by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics;
• completion of online jurisprudence exam;
• answering personal data questions; and
• four-clock hours of AIDS education.

The state application fee for both orthotists or prothetists is $265 each. Continuing education of 45 hours is required every three years for license renewal. The renewal fee is $125 annually for each license. For more information on state licensure, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Orthotics and Prosthetics Credentialing 
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504
360.236.4700

For more information on becoming a certified orthotist or prosthetist, contact the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics .

#Checked above licensing info & updated fees 2/22/12 lh. Checked info 4/15/13 cj. fine 3/25/14 lh. Added references requirement 3/11/15; rest ok cj. Updated licensing fees 1/12/16 cj. I had added need for 3 professional refs in 2015 but not seeing through standard route, so deleted. Must have been dreaming in 2015! 12/12/16 cj. No change to fees 2/26/18 lh. Added personal data questions & jurisprudence exam; rest the same, 4/8/19 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Orthotists and Prosthetists 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary with the worker's experience and level of responsibility. They also vary with the size and type of employer. Technicians in training earn about half the wage of orthotists and prosthetists.

Full-time orthotists and prosthetists usually receive health and retirement benefits.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Medical equipment manufacturers
• Medical supply stores
• Doctors' offices
• Hospitals
• Federal government agencies such as the Veteran's Administration

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will be very strong due to the increase in the aging population. However, this is a very small occupation and very few jobs will be created.

As the population grows and more insurance companies cover orthotic and prosthetic appliances, demand for these workers should grow. In addition, research and development in new technologies and materials will result in more people with disabilities wanting new appliances.

Job openings will occur as people retire or leave their job for other reasons.

Other resources

American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists 
7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 760
Bethesda, MD 20814
202.380.3663

American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics 
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 210
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.836.7114

American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association 
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
571.431.0876

Careers in Orthotics and Prosthetics 

Engineer Girl! 
National Academy of Engineering

Explore Health Careers: Orthotist and Proesthetist 

Technology Student Association 
1904 Association Drive
Reston, VA 20191-1540
888.860.9010

References

Career cluster

• Health Science

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Orthotists and Prosthetists (29-2091.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 5 - Extensive preparation needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience.

DOT occupations

• Orthopedic Assistant (078.664-010) 
• Orthotics Assistant (078.361-022) 
• Orthotist (078.261-018) 
• Prosthetics Assistant (078.361-026) 
• Prosthetist (078.261-022) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Realistic/Investigative

COPSystem

• Consumer Economics
• Service Professional