Diploma in Orthotic / Prosthetic Technician
Toronto, Canada
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2025
TUITION FEES
CAD 20,127 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
* for international students I domestic tuition: $6,742
Introduction
Leadership Claims
Supplied technical personnel for the prosthetic and orthotic profession for over 20 years.
This program is the only full-time technical training program in Canada.
The practice-oriented and hands-on Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician program teaches students to be competent with many hand tools and specialized machines used in the fabrication of orthotic and prosthetic devices. This program is unique in Canada.
The practice-orientated, hands-on Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician (S102) two-year diploma program prepares individuals in the technical aspects of orthotic and prosthetic management. Students will learn to be competent in the use of many hand tools and specialized machines for the fabrication of orthotic and prosthetic devices.
This is a full-time program open only to 30 domestic students per intake, with classes starting every September. International, winter, and summer start options are not available. It is taught at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre by faculty currently working in the field.
To be considered, applications must be submitted to OntarioColleges.ca by February 1 of each year.
The program has many unique activities that have become fixtures in the operation of the program. Since the inception of the program, it has been mandatory for all second-year technical students to present a related topic in a formal setting. These "Grand Rounds" sessions occur once a month in the presence of faculty, students, and professionals from the field.
The program has a formalized Curriculum Committee, which meets regularly and includes practicing technicians and clinicians. The Curriculum Committee must ensure that the Orthotic-Prosthetic Technical program is responsive to and reflective of the most up-to-date technical theories in the profession.
Over the course of two years, students will learn how to make the following devices to help rehabilitate individuals with disabilities:
Orthoses (braces and splints)
Prostheses (artificial limbs)
New techniques, including additive design and manufacture (3D printing), support the demand for technically competent people in this field.
The orthotic/prosthetic technician makes prostheses and orthoses from technical specifications, measurements, and positive plaster casts using a variety of materials, such as:
- Thermosetting resins
- Thermoforming plastics
- Metal
- Fabrics
- Leather
Consider applying to this program if you have:
- Good hand skills
- A strong background in math and human sciences
Statistical Information
- Student intake: 30
- Average no. of applicants: 150
- Classes running per year: 2
- Attrition (past five years): 20 percent
- Employment record over the past five years: approximately 85 percent
Your Field Education Options
Field education plays an integral role in this Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician program by providing both practical experience and additional learning opportunities outside of the program's curriculum.
Students will gain valuable hands-on experience by completing four weeks of placement (37.5 hours/week) under the supervision of either a certified prosthetic/orthotic clinician or a registered prosthetic/orthotic technician.
The field education experience provides the opportunity for students to start developing their own professional network and allows them to get a better understanding of a typical work environment and their role with other prosthetic/orthotic clinic members.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships for international students at George Brown College are generally in-program awards based on student’s academic performance (and other criteria) at George Brown College after the beginning of the academic program.
Curriculum
Semester 1
- ANAT 1036 Anatomy
- ORTH 1007 Materials and Laboratory Techniques I
- KINE 1010 Kinesiology for Orthotics/Prosthetics Technicians I
- ORTH 1008 Fabrication Theory I
- COMM 1000 Introduction to College Communication Or
- COMM 2000 Communication Across Context
- GNED General Education Elective
Semester 2
- PATH 1013 Pathology
- ORTH 1009 Materials and Laboratory Techniques II
- ORTH 1010 Fabrication Theory II
- KINE 1014 Kinesiology for Orthotics/Prosthetics Technicians II
- GNED General Education Elective
- GNED General Education Elective
Semester 3
- ORTH 2009 Materials and Laboratory Techniques III
- ORTH 2011 Externally Powered Orthotics/Prosthetics Rehabilitation
- ORTH 2010 Fabrication Theory III
- KINE 1003 Kinesiology/Biomechanics for Technicians I
- ORTH 2012 Pre-Graduate Work Experience I
Semester 4
- ORTH 2016 Materials and Laboratory Techniques
- ORTH 2015 Professional Issues in Orthotics/Prosthetics
- ORTH 2013 Pre-Graduate Work Experience II
- ORTH 2017 Fabrication Theory IV
- KINE 1005 Kinesiology/Biomechanics for Technicians II
- ORTH 2014 Advanced Material Orthotics/Prosthetics Techniques
Based on the results of your placement test, you may be required to take COMM 1000 (Introduction to College Communication) before progressing to COMM 2000. COMM 1000 does not count as a course required for graduation, and you will be charged for this extra course. Please visit the Assessment Centre web page for more information.
Program Outcome
The graduate demonstrates the ability to:
- Perform all primary fabricating procedures such as vacuum molding, laminations, bending and aligning components, and other such processes.
- Perform all required technical skills such as fastening, sanding, gluing, cutting, drilling, etc., at a reasonable level of competence.
- Identify and perform tasks involved in the repair and maintenance of prostheses and orthoses.
- Identify and describe the common materials used in orthotic and prosthetic practice and demonstrate the proper use of such materials.
- Develop an efficient and effective protocol for the fabrication of orthoses and prostheses, based on the appropriate prescription and directions of the certified orthotist or prosthetist.
- Identify and demonstrate the proper procedures, operating specifications, and common safety practices in the use of machines, tools, and the handling of materials required in the fabrication of orthoses and prostheses.
- Demonstrate a competent knowledge of the application and function of common orthotic and prosthetic appliances and their corresponding components and systems.
- Demonstrate the common orthotic and prosthetic bench or static alignment procedures necessary to prepare the orthotic or prosthetic appliance for patient fitting and articulate the principles (biomechanical, anatomical, etc.) used in determining such alignments.
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the pertinent biomechanical, anatomical, physiological, and pathological concepts necessary for the effective implementation of technical and clinical procedures in the delivery of orthotic and prosthetic care.
- Appreciate the need to keep abreast of new techniques and developments with respect to orthotic and prosthetic care and demonstrate an ongoing commitment to the research and development of more effective prosthetic and orthotic designs and procedures.
- Appreciate the roles the orthotic/prosthetic professional bodies play in the maintenance of standards and the development of the profession and be willing to contribute toward its advancement.
- Appreciate the roles of the various health team members involved in the delivery of orthotic and prosthetic care.
- Be familiar with issues related to the supervision of support personnel and laboratory activities and also the administrative duties required in the management of a prosthetic/orthotic practice.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician graduates have the initial competencies to function as integral team members in the delivery of Orthoses and Prostheses.
Graduates are also eligible to sit national registration exams after working in the profession for two years under the supervision of a certified practitioner. Upon successful completion of these exams, alumni are eligible to apply for professional registration with Orthotics Prosthetics Canada (formerly the "Canadian Board of Certification").
Excellent employment opportunities are available across Canada in:
- Hospitals
- Rehabilitation centres
- Private facilities
Educational Pathways
Graduates of this Orthotic/Prosthetic Technician program with a B.Sc. or equivalent degree who wish to continue their studies may qualify to apply to the Clinical Methods in Orthotics/Prosthetics (postgraduate) program. See the S407 Clinical Methods in Orthotics/Prosthetics program page for full admission requirements.
The McMaster Rehabilitation Science (MSc) program is open to students of the Orthotics & Prosthetics Technician (S102) program who meet the entrance requirements for the MSc(RS) program. Students can apply to this concurrently or as a postgraduate.