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OaSIS 2025 Version 1.0
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32129.03 – Prosthetists and orthotists

Prosthetists and orthotists design, fabricate, fit and repair prosthetic and orthotic devices.

Overview

Example job titles

  • Certified orthotist (CO)
  • Certified prosthetist
  • Orthotist
  • Prosthetist
  • Surgical fitter

Core competencies

  • Product Design to design, fabricate and fit prosthetic and orthotic appliances to patient measurements and use requirements
  • Problem Solving to identify issues with existing devices and develop effective solutions to optimize the fit and function of prosthetic or orthotic devices
  • Spatial Visualization to interpret sketches to fit, adjust and repair prosthetic and orthotic appliances
  • Fluency of Ideas to assess variations in anatomy, activity levels and lifestyle requirements to develop solutions and working sketches of prosthetic or orthotic appliances
  • Attention to Detail to analyse physicians' specifications of prosthetic requirements
  • Knowledge in Technical Design to translate conceptual designs into practical, functional prosthetics to meet the requirements of patients

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Design, fabricate and fit prosthetic and orthotic appliances such as artificial limbs, braces or supports
  • Interpret physicians' specifications and examine and measure patients to develop working sketches of appliances
  • Make and modify plaster casts of areas to receive prostheses or orthoses
  • Fit, adjust and repair appliances
  • Advise patients in the use and care of prostheses and orthoses
  • Supervise and direct the activities of prosthetic and orthotic technicians.

Additional information

No data has been provided for this section.

Similar occupations classified elsewhere

Exclusions:

  • Animal health technologists and veterinary technicians (32104)
  • Cardiology technologists and electrophysiological diagnostic technologists (32123)
  • Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (33101)
  • Medical laboratory technologists (32120)
  • Medical sonographers (32122)
  • Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment (32109)

NOC hierarchy breakdown

NOC version

NOC 2021 Version 1.0

Broad occupational category

3 – Health occupations

TEER

2 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of two or more years; or supervisory occupations

Major group

32 – Technical occupations in health

Sub-major group

321 – Technical occupations in health (except practitioners of natural healing)

Minor group

3212 – Medical technologists and technicians

Unit group

32129 – Other medical technologists and technicians

Occupational profile

32129.03 – Prosthetists and orthotists

O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 27.2 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. Employment and Social Development Canada has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.