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Medical Appliance Technicians

Also called: Prosthetics Technician, Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (O and P Technician), Orthotic Technician, Registered Prosthetic Orthotic Technician

What they do:
Construct, fit, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices, such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
On the job, you would:
  • Fit appliances onto patients and make any necessary adjustments.
  • Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
  • Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools that will be required.

Knowledge

Business
  • customer service
Manufactured or Agricultural Goods
  • manufacture and distribution of products
Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical
  • design
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
  • looking for ways to help people
  • understanding people's reactions

Abilities

Hand and Finger Use
  • hold or move items with your hands
  • keep your arm or hand steady
Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems
Controlled Movement
  • quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Self Control
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Cooperation

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer aided design CAD software
  • Ohio Willow Wood OMEGA Tracer System
  • SoftSource CADview
Medical software
  • Footmaxx Metascan software
  • Gait analysis software
Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
  • Orthotic fabrication software

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
some college or
high school diploma
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Registered Apprenticeship

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$35,630
per year, on average
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

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See more details at O*NET OnLine about medical appliance technicians.