Occupation: 51-9080

Medical Appliance Technicians

Statistics
National
State
City
State
City
$47060
Median Wage (USD, 2024)
1500
Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)
3.7%
Projected Growth (2024-2034)
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
  • Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
  • Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

Related Work Experience: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Detailed Work Activities

  • Measure clients to ensure proper product fit.
  • Construct customized assistive medical or dental devices.
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Repair medical or dental assistive devices.
  • Instruct patients in the use of assistive equipment.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • 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.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Initiative

Adaptability

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Humility

Sincerity

Sincerity

Empathy

Empathy

Cooperation

Cooperation

Optimism

Optimism

Social Orientation

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Dependability

Integrity

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.