Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Orthotists and Prosthetists *
 
Orthotists and Prosthetists
(O*NET 29-2091.00, SOC 29-2091)
What they do
Design, measure, fit, and adapt orthopedic braces, appliances or prostheses, such as limbs or facial parts for patients with disabling conditions.
 
Also called:
Certified Orthotist (CO), Certified Pedorthist, Certified Prosthetist (CP), Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO), Certified Prosthetist Orthotist (CPO), Licensed Prosthetist and Orthotist (LPO), Orthotic Practitioner, Orthotist, Prosthetic Practitioner, Prosthetist
 
 
Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Ambulatory healthcare services
27%
  • Miscellaneous manufacturing
25%
  • Health and personal care stores
20%
  • Hospitals; state, local, and private
11%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service
9%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Design
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Production and Processing
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Administration and Management
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Writing
    Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Social
    Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Investigative
    Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Concern for Others
    Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  • Self-Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Maintain patients' records.
  • Fit, test, and evaluate devices on patients, and make adjustments for proper fit, function, and comfort.
  • Examine, interview, and measure patients to determine their appliance needs and to identify factors that could affect appliance fit.
  • Instruct patients in the use and care of orthoses and prostheses.
  • Design orthopedic and prosthetic devices, based on physicians' prescriptions and examination and measurement of patients.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
Projected employment not available for Vermont
but may be for the nation and other states at
CareerOneStop
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Master's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Internship/residency
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Very Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Extensive Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (8.0 and above) - A typical worker will require over 4 years up to and including 10 years or more of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  17%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  65%
Bachelor's degree   13%
Associate's degree   0%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  4%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  0%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.
  • Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
  • Examine patients to assess general physical condition.
  • Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor