Medical Appliance Technicians
Also known as: Arch Support Maker, Arch Support Technician, Arch-Support Maker (+36 more)
Construct, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
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What You'll Do
- Fit appliances onto patients, and make any necessary adjustments.
- Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
- Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required.
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
- Instruct patients in use of prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Take patients' body or limb measurements for use in device construction.
- Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
- Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
- Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Lay out and mark dimensions of parts, using templates and precision measuring instruments.
Essential Skills
Career Fit Overview
Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.
Top passions
- Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
- Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
- Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
Common styles
Attention to Detail, Dependability, Concern for Others, Cooperation, Integrity
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Key Abilities
This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:
Technologies & Tools
Work Environment & Style
Common Styles for This Career
- Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.2/5)
- Dependability (High importance: 4.06/5)
- Concern for Others (High importance: 4.01/5)
- Cooperation (High importance: 3.91/5)
- Integrity (High importance: 3.89/5)
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This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.
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Also Known As
This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:
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