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Technician Education: What Do Educators Say?
By Miki Fairley
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Median School instructors, from left, William Broker; Judith Oreski, CPO; Scott Emler, RTPO. Photos courtesy of Median School of Allied Health Careers. |
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Judith Oreski, CPO , director,
Orthotic & Prosthetic Technician Program, Median School of
Allied Health Careers, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, believes that
sophisticated technology is changing the role of the technician.
"It's becoming a less labor-intensive job, which means that a more
diverse group of people are attracted to the profession: more
women, more creative and artistic students, and more computer
types."
Oreski also sees more financial opportunities for technicians in
the proliferation of central fabrication facilities, since they can
become owners of their own facilities.
More young people are being attracted to the profession, Oreski
comments. "They are becoming aware of O&P through the publicity
the new technology gets on television programs such as 20/20 and
Discovery. Also, the O&P field is taking initiatives to
encourage young people to enter the profession."
 With more young people in the field, more
technicians are going to take advantage of articulation agreements
that many of the associate degree programs have with four-year
colleges to continue their education, she says. "I think many
technicians likely will branch off into engineering or computer
fields, thus using their expanded skills and knowledge to
facilitate product design and development."
Low starting salaries are a problem, she points out. "This
discourages bright, innovative students from entering the field."
However, she sees hope for change. Noting that practitioner
education emphasized fabrication more in the past, she said
practitioners didn't value the technician's contribution as much.
"Today, with more emphasis on clinical patient care and research,
technicians' fabrication skills are needed by practitioners."
 "In the future, I hope to see O&P technicians
given more status in the field, just as technical personnel are
valued in other scientific fields. I hope that the field will
recognize and reward the inventiveness, problem-solving skills, and
artistry possessed by a good technician-especially with the
proliferation of new and sophisticated technology."
Besides learning basic skills, Oreski would like to see students
have more hands-on experience with advanced technology, possibly
with manufacturers' representatives visiting the schools, since
buying sufficient high-tech products for student use is
prohibitively expensive. Also needed is more instruction in CAD/CAM
technology, since it is becoming more widely used, she added.
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Ed Haddon, MEd, CO |
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Students would benefit from more time in the field
during their education, she believes. "Often they don't realize the
importance of the work they are learning to do. I think if they saw
a person becoming functional by using the brace or prosthesis they
are learning to fabricate, they would take the instruction far more
seriously and take more pride in their work."
Oreski speaks highly of her calling and her colleagues: "O&P
educators, past and present, do their best within the constraints
of reality-budgets, shortened program lengths, and students with
varying degrees of interest and ability."
Ed Haddon, MEd, CO , director, Orthotic and
Prosthetic Technician Program, Century College, White Bear Lake,
Minnesota, sees a bright future ahead for technicians.
 "The interest in the technician programs is on the
rise, and the number of new students has increased 50 percent in
the past six months at Century College," Haddon says, adding, "It
is very encouraging to see the increased interest from high school
students that come to the college part time to explore the O&P
programs. The number of technician job opportunities for our
students far exceeds the number of graduates."
The student population at Century College is diverse, ranging in
age from 16 to 60 years old and coming from a variety of
backgrounds. Their educational experience ranges from being juniors
in high school to holding masters degrees. "As the interest grows
and the graduates increase, I hope that all the programs will be
able to met the demand for qualified technicians," says Haddon.
 Educating technicians is an expensive endeavor,
Haddon points out. "The quality of technical education has been
maintained over the years, despite budget cuts that have affected
not only the technician programs, but also all aspects of
education." Haddon commends the generosity of O&P suppliers,
individuals, and facilities in donating machinery, supplies, funds,
and time in presenting educational lectures to students. "Industry
advisory committees are also an important part of O&P
education," says Haddon. "Their support and guidance is imperative
when it comes to the direction that the individual programs will
take."
Although guided by NCOPE standards, the individual schools for
the most part have developed their own curriculum or revised
information shared by other programs, Haddon notes. Books that
pertain specifically to O&P fabrication are few, but
information to update curricula can now be collected faster and
more easily, he points out. "Computers are making it easier to
revise and design curricula and deliver content. Internet websites
that pertain to O&P can be included as part of new curriculum
content."
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Century College students complete at least three fabrications for each type of orthoses, prostheses and other projects as part of their program completion. |
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Haddon would like to see national O&P
organizations sponsor an initiative to gather information and write
a standardized curriculum for the essential technical areas. He
would like to see a clearinghouse for this curriculum and for it to
be available in other languages. "We have the talent out there to
do this. All we need is the backing of our profession."
Current technician education has improved over that of the past
for several reasons, according to Clayton Wright,
CP , prosthetics instructor, Orthotics & Prosthetics
Technician Program, Spokane Falls Community College, Spokane,
Washington. The program is receiving strong industry support from
suppliers coming to its lab with the latest in component and
materials technology, thus exposing students to techniques and
products not included in the curriculum, he said. "We have very
generous and reliable suppliers who donate costly materials on an
ongoing basis. This provides the students with ample quantities of
high-end fabrication materials which would otherwise be outside of
our budget." Wright also commends Fabtech, Everett, Washington,
co-owned by one of the school's graduates: "Fabtech is very
generous in providing inservices and materials." The program also
has been able to incorporate many new prosthetic designs and
fabrication techniques in its curriculum, he adds.
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Clayton Wright, CP |
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Wright sees a change in the technician's role:
"The technician is being relied upon more and more to take
ownership of the fabrication process, as practitioners have less
time available to oversee the process and may have less knowledge
of fabrication than practitioners of the past."
"Central to the development of the O&P Associate Program is
industry experience with patient case studies," says Jerry
D. Wilson , department head, Small Business Occupations,
Oklahoma State University-Okmulgee. An O&P industry advisory
committee, now comprising over 20 practitioners, meets twice a year
to provide advice, direction, and support to the program, Wilson
notes.
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Jerry D. Wilson |
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Danny Thies, CO , director of the
O&P Associate Program, says, "We want our students to learn
quickly that they are crucial partners in their own learning. The
result is learning that is fun, spontaneous, rapid, deep,
authentic, engaging, and mastery-driven."
Thies would like to see more presentations from allied
healthcare professionals to help O&P students widen their
learning.
Theis also comments on the shortage of technicians: "There are
not enough graduates to meet the need. What's wrong with technician
education is basically that there's just not enough of it." Adding
to the shortage is the number of technicians who go on to become
practitioners, he noted. He would like to see more support for
education, including at the national level, from the O&P
profession.
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Danny Thies, CO |
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Technicians have more patient contact than they
used to, Thies said. However, he believes that in the future,
licensure, certification, and other regulations may define practice
boundaries more stringently, somewhat similar to the defined roles
of physical therapy assistants and physician assistants. "Now what
technicians do in each facility is largely up to the practitioners
and owners," he notes.
Wilson sees a promising future ahead for healthcare workers:
"The US Department of Labor estimates a demand for 2.8 million
healthcare workers. With the high rate of diabetes challenging this
country, people who are trained in orthotics, prosthetics, and
pedorthics will experience nothing but success in the job
market."
Technicians' Role: Options and Opportunities Increase
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OSU-Okmulgee pedorthic student, Melissa Ferguson, uses shoemaking skills to help make a wish come true. Photo courtesy of OSU-Public Infomation Office, Doreen White, Public Information Specialist., Public Information Specialist. |
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Technician education is taking a bigger role on
the O&P stage. Increasingly, state, regional, and national
O&P association meetings are devoting a substantial segment of
their programs to technician education.
Perhaps due to the technician shortage, the market for central
fabrication facilities seems to be growing, and technician
entrepreneurs are not slow to take advantage of opportunities to
own their own businesses.
Today's technician is a skilled professional in his or her own
right. Several technicians have pointed out in interviews with
The O&P EDGE that they feel technicians are
complementary to practitioners, rather than occupying a lower rung
on the ladder. Both fabrication and clinical skills are needed for
successful patient care, they point out, some adding that they make
a higher income than many practitioners they know. Adding to the
need for more skilled technicians is what is regarded by some as a
de-emphasis on hand skills in practitioner education, making the
technician even more necessary.
The conclusion for many technicians is that their field is a
career in itself, not merely a step on the way to becoming a
practitioner, although, of course, a substantial number do take
that path. Also becoming more prominent is an intermediate field of
practitioner assistant or associate, similar to a physical therapy
assistant or physician assistant.
Technician education is a many-faceted and changing field. Stay
tuned for more information about promising developments in this
area.
Profile: Baker College of Flint O&P Technology Program
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Craig R. Smith, BS, CPO |
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Just beginning its second year and awaiting the
results of a site visit from the National Commission on Orthotic
and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) is the Orthotic/Prosthetic
Technology Program at Baker College of Flint in Michigan. Craig R.
Smith, BS, CPO, coordinator, describes the two-year program:
The Baker Orthotic/Prosthetic Technology Program leads to an
associate of applied science degree. Graduates are eligible to take
tests in either or both disciplines. Included in the program is a
240-hour externship providing both laboratory training and
practical field experience.
Baker is a "right to try" private college, specializing in
business, engineering, and computer technology, as well as health
sciences. We are enjoying record enrollment and are currently the
fourth largest college in Michigan. When students enroll at Baker,
they take a placement exam, which determines if they require
developmental courses in reading and study skills, math, or
English. The purpose is to develop the students' skills
sufficiently for success in their studies and chosen career.
As a former regional manager for a private chain of prosthetic,
orthotic, and durable medical facilities, I saw the need for
quality technicians. The reason I considered starting a program was
the definite need to have well-rounded professionals:
- Individuals who can communicate with other professionals in
medical terminology and have the solid basic skills in fabrication
needed to build a career with open-ended options in terms of
education and career development.
- Individuals who understand the work ethic ideal and realize
that patients depend on them to be there when needed.
- Individuals who can be a part of the clinical and
multidisciplinary team.
It is essential to recruit and deliver an increased number of
qualified technicians and practitioners to the disciplines of
prosthetics and orthotics. 
Table Of Contents - April 2003
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