Back to Healthcare Directory
Rehabilitative & Therapy$70,000 - $110,000+
Certified Orthotist & Prosthetist (CPO)
Designs, fabricates, and fits custom artificial limbs (prostheses) and dynamic musculoskeletal braces (orthoses) for amputees and neurological patients.
Min Degree
Master
Years Post-HS
6 Years
Patient Contact
Continuous Bedside
Setting
Prosthetic & Orthotic Centers, VA Medical Centers, Children's Hospitals
The PrePro Hidden Gem Factor
Physical craftsmanship and digital bio-engineering directly restoring limbs and mobility to amputees.
Clinical Role Overview
CPOs combine materials science (carbon fiber, titanium, silicone), digital 3D body scanning, and biomechanics. They cast residual limbs, align microprocessor-controlled bionic knees and myoelectric hands, and teach amputees to walk and grasp again.
A Day in the Life (Hospital Shift Chronology)
08:30 - 3D optical surface scanning of a transtibial residual limb for a custom carbon-fiber socket
10:00 - Dynamic bench alignment of a microprocessor-controlled hydraulic prosthetic knee
11:30 - Gait analysis on parallel bars tuning prosthetic foot heel-strike compliance
14:00 - Fitting a custom molded pediatric thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis (TLSO) for scoliosis
16:00 - Modifying plaster diagnostic molds in the on-site fabrication laboratory
Core Clinical Tools & Hardware
- 3D Optical Body Scanners
- Microprocessor Bionic Joints
- Vacuum Thermoforming Presses
- Laser Alignment Jigs
Educational Prerequisites
- Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering or Kinesiology
- NCOPE-Accredited Master's in Orthotics & Prosthetics
- ABC Board Certification