Orthotics & Prosthetics Technology A.S. Degree

American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP)

As the pre-eminent professional organization in orthotics and prosthetics, the mission of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists is to promote high standards of patient care through advocacy, education, and literature & research. In keeping with this mission the Academy is the professional organization representing practitioners credentialed by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics.

American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC)

The American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) is the national certifying and accrediting body for the orthotic and prosthetic professions. The public requires and deserves assurance that the persons providing orthotic and prosthetic services and care are qualified to provide the appropriate services, and it was on this basis that the ABC was established as a credentialing organization.

American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA)

The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA) is a national trade association committed to providing high quality, unprecedented business services and products to O&P professionals.

International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO)

The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), is a multi-disciplinary organization comprised of persons who have a professional interest in the clinical, educational and research aspects of prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation engineering and related topics.

Amputee Coalition of America (ACA)

The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) is a national, non-profit amputee consumer educational organization representing people who have experienced amputation or are born with limb differences. The ACA includes individual amputees, amputee education and support groups for amputees, professionals, family members and friends of amputees, amputation or limb loss related agencies, and organizations.

Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF)

The Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund (OPAF) is a nonprofit organization, a 501(c)(3) public charity, established and incorporated by the Orthotics and Prosthetics National Office. Dedicated initially to providing financial and in-kind support to the 1996 Paralympics, the Fund now generates its own initiatives through partnerships with individuals, organizations, and institutions engaged in raising public awareness of physical disability; and improving the quality of rehabilitation medicine, science, and technology.

oandp.com, the global information portal for orthotics and prosthetics

oandp.com is an Internet portal dedicated to providing comprehensive information and services to the orthotics and prosthetics profession. The vision of oandp.com is to make as much information as possible freely available to both professionals and consumers, toward the goal of improving the quality of care provided by O&P professionals and the quality of life of their patients.

Become an orthotic or prosthetic technician

SPC, a national leader in orthotics and prosthetic training, offers a two-year Associate in Science in Orthotics and Prosthetics Technology, the first and only associate degree for orthotic and prosthetic technicians in Florida.

You'll take classes at our $11 million J.E. Hanger College of Orthotics and Prosthetics, where we combine lectures and extensive hands on labs to prepare you to fabricate artificial limbs and orthopedic braces. The program meets the standards of the profession and prepares you to take the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics Technician Certification Exams.

The A.S. degree is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).

Careers

The Orthotics and Prosthetics Technology A.S. degree prepares you to become a certified orthotic and/or prosthetic technician. Certified orthotic and prosthetic technicians fabricate, repair and maintain quality orthoses and/or prostheses under the direction of a certified orthotists and prosthetists. Technicians meet a growing patient need and are proficient in current fabricating techniques, familiar with material properties and skilled in the use of appropriate equipment.

Outlook

The Orthotics and Prosthetics field is growing at a much faster rate than other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. With the geriatric and diabetic patient populations increasing, so is the need for orthotic and prosthetic professionals. Graduates of our program can find work in orthotic and prosthetic practices, hospitals, central fabrication facilities and orthotic and prosthetic manufacturing companies.

Growing Demand for O&P

Demand for O&P professionals continues to grow, as do the educational requirements. Careers in orthotics and prosthetics include practitioners (certified orthotists and certified prosthetists), pedorthists, assistants, fitters and technicians. The practitioner level provides comprehensive care, including assessment, treatment plans and practice management, and requires a master's degree. Those who assist practitioners at various levels need post-secondary training and certifications.

Changing demographics and health factors will significantly raise the demand for trained O&P professionals. In fact, a recent study by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education estimates that without an increase in O&P graduates, the number of practicing orthotists can serve just 61% of patients who need them. The study also projects the number of people using prostheses to increase by 50%. Some reasons for the expected rise in need in the United States include:

• About 156,000 individuals lose a limb each year
• More than 1.5 million people have had amputations and need ongoing care
• More than 54 million people experience functional limitations due to impairment or health conditions
• Rising rates of obesity and diabetes will impact the need for services:
• Nearly one-third of the adult population is obese and another one-third is overweight.
• Estimates indicate the rate of diabetes may rise as high as one in three for people born after the year of 2000, with as many as 29 million people affected by 2050.
• By 2030, 20 percent of the United States population will be 65 or older.
• Arthritis is on the rise in America with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projecting that 67 million people will be afflicted by 2030. Orthoses may be used to stabilize joints, reduce pain and improve function.
• People who survive strokes are often left with physical disabilities requiring orthotic devices.
• The number of amputees returning from Iraq and Afghanistan is more than double that of other wars, with more than 30,000 soldiers with significant injuries requiring O&P services.

Facilities

Extensive laboratory experiences are necessary in O&P education to master planning processes and materials fabrication skills. The O&P building has 5,151 square feet of actual lab space and another 3,443 of lab support space (CAD, machining, lamination, plaster room, thermal forming, mill/lathe, material testing, etc.).

SPC provides:

• Main laboratory with 48 individual work stations, 12 specialized fabrication devices, an overhead and wall projector system, and four industrial sewing machines
• Twenty-four (24) CAD/CAM systems
• Five specialized fabrication rooms with state-of-the-art industrial equipment
• Dedicated human model evaluation and practice treatment room that serves 10 patients at one time
• Plaster room with 16 workstations
• Thermal forming room with 12 workstations and three industrial ovens
• Dedicated model room with eight laser scanners; four GaitRite mat systems; two sports motion analysis systems and electronic F-socket sensor systems; three laser posture systems; an alignment system; and an upper limb myoelectric tester
• Evaluation rooms with related gait and motion equipment
• Mill room that houses two computerized Omega carvers
• Lamination room with eight laminating stations
• Multiple exam rooms for on-site patient treatment and full clinic facility

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