The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has changed its prerequisites to become a certified orthotist or prosthetist.
The accrediting organization now requires graduation from an education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) followed by a residency approved by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE).
The new educational requirements were established in 2008 in what has come to be known as the Historic Agreement, set down by five national organizations representing the clinical, business, and quality improvement aspects of the orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) professions:
- American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics (AAOP)
- American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics, and Pedorthics (ABC)
- American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA)
- National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP)
- The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC)
The NCOPE residency requirement was not a part of the original agreement, but BOC noted in a public statement that it considered the addition important.
“There were those who doubted BOC would raise its O&P eligibility requirements, but we always intended to fulfill the agreement on time and go above and beyond what we committed to do,” said John Kenney, MURP, BOCO, BOC Board Chair, and a member of the committee that negotiated the Historic Agreement on behalf of BOC.
To become a BOC-certified orthotist or prosthetist, candidates pass a multiple-choice exam; a clinical-simulation exam; and a media-based practical exam. The media-based practical exam tests candidates’ competence to perform the basic orthotist or prosthetist tasks, and candidates can complete this part of the exam series from their own facility or residency.
BOC O&P certification candidates, can take the tests year-round at BOC testing locations across the country and results are provided instantly. Candidates also can take their exams during their residency, while their test-taking skills are fresh, and begin practicing immediately following their residency programs.
For more information on becoming a BOC-certified orthotist or prosthetist, interested parties should visit www.bocusa.org/becoming-certified.
