Careers · Explore one path
Medical Appliance Technicians
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
Other titles employers use
Certified Pedorthotist · Hearing Aid Repair Technician · Lab Technician · Orthopedic Technician · Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (O and P Technician) · Orthotic Technician · Prosthetic Technician · Prosthetics Technician
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required.
- Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
- Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
- Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, analytical and organizing work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Troubleshooting
Subjects to know
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Design
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Near Vision
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.8 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 4.3 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 4.5 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 27%
- A two-year degree 26%
- A certificate or some college 19%
- A four-year degree 18%
- A master's degree 10%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Word processing software
- Medical software
- Computer aided manufacturing CAM software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,800
- Job openings each year
- 330
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 3.7%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2,800 | 330 | 3.7% |
| Florida | 1,110 | 130 | 9.9% |
| Michigan | 1,080 | 130 | — |
| Texas | 1,080 | 130 | 8.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 690 | 80 | 3.0% |
| Ohio | 600 | 70 | −4.8% |
| New York | 590 | 0 | — |
| Illinois | 530 | 60 | — |
| Washington | 500 | 70 | 11.1% |
| Missouri | 460 | 50 | 4.5% |
| Arizona | 450 | 60 | 28.6% |
| Colorado | 400 | 50 | 8.1% |
| Wisconsin | 340 | 40 | 9.7% |
| North Carolina | 310 | 40 | 6.9% |
| Kentucky | 270 | 30 | 3.8% |
| Connecticut | 260 | 30 | 4.0% |
| Utah | 260 | 30 | 18.2% |
| Maryland | 250 | 30 | 8.7% |
| Oregon | 230 | 30 | 9.5% |
| Virginia | 220 | 30 | — |
| Indiana | 200 | 20 | 5.3% |
| New Jersey | 190 | 20 | — |
| Tennessee | 170 | 20 | 21.4% |
| Kansas | 150 | 20 | — |
| Georgia | 140 | 20 | 7.7% |
| Rhode Island | 140 | 20 | — |
| South Carolina | 140 | 20 | 7.7% |
| Mississippi | 130 | 20 | 8.3% |
| Iowa | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| New Hampshire | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| South Dakota | 90 | 10 | — |
| West Virginia | 90 | 10 | 12.5% |
| Minnesota | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Arkansas | 70 | 10 | — |
| Massachusetts | 70 | 10 | — |
| Puerto Rico | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Nevada | 50 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Oklahoma | 50 | 10 | — |
| Nebraska | 40 | 10 | — |
| New Mexico | 40 | 10 | — |
| Idaho | 20 | 0 | 100.0% |
| Maine | 20 | 0 | −50.0% |
| North Dakota | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
- Degrees each year
- 144
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $23,000
The University of Texas at El Paso
- Degrees each year
- 139
- Admit rate
- 100%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Ithaca College
- Degrees each year
- 121
- Admit rate
- 70%
- Annual cost after aid
- $29,000
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Degrees each year
- 83
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Florida International University
- Degrees each year
- 80
- Admit rate
- 59%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of North Texas
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 72%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 73
- Admit rate
- 75%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Temple University
- Degrees each year
- 71
- Admit rate
- 83%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Compare every college offering rehabilitation and therapeutic professions