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P&O Assistant Standards Survey

Intro: Proposed Standards - Orthotist / Prosthetist Assistant


The National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) is requesting feedback on the proposed entry-level education standards for an orthotist and/or prosthetist assistant via the following survey.  While the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics (ABC) presently holds an active certification program for prosthetic and/or orthotic assistant, the objective for creating educational standards is to prepare individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to safely serve the orthotic and prosthetic patient populations. 

The assistant level within the O&P profession has a unique history dating back to the 1970s where a forum of O&P leaders identified the need for an assistant to the orthotist/prosthetist. There has been a renewed interest in the assistant credential in part due to the practice environment and NCOPE has been tasked with the creation of standards that define the educational requirements needed to serve as an orthotist/prosthetist assistant.  

The most recent education conference that discussed and addressed educational standards for the orthotist/prosthetist assistant was in August 2016 in order to gather input from multiple stakeholders while being mindful of the current practice environment.  Input from multiple stakeholder meetings and the NCOPE board of directors has resulted in the draft standards that we kindly ask for your feedback on.   

Review each section of the standards and identify whether you agree or disagree with the standard as drafted.  In the event you disagree, you may be provided additional questions to address the specific concerns you may have.  Open-ended comments will also be collected for all questions regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the statements provided.  

Should you have any questions, comments, or concerns with this survey, please contact Chris Robinson: crobinson@ncope.org 

Thank you for taking the time to provide input as we develop educational standards.  Feedback from the O&P community and public at large will help us ensure that the standards best meet the needs of the patients that we serve.
1. Do you agree to provide your honest opinion on the proposed orthotist/prosthetist assistant standards presented in this survey? *This question is required.