All About Medical Appliance Technicians
Career Description Construct, fit, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices, such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
List of Medical Appliance Technician Job Duties
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
- Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools that will be required.
- Instruct patients in use of prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Cover or pad metal or plastic structures or devices, using coverings such as rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass.
- 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.
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Qualities of a Medical Appliance Technician
Medical Appliance Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Orthotic Fitter
- Prosthetic Technician
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician (O&P Technician)
- Lab Technician
- Prosthetic Lab Technician
Is There Job Demand for Medical Appliance Technicians?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 15,000 jobs in the United States for Medical Appliance Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 2,000 new jobs for Medical Appliance Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 2,000 positions for Medical Appliance Technician per year.
The states with the most job growth for Medical Appliance Technician are Utah, Tennessee, and Delaware. Watch out if you plan on working in Oklahoma, North Dakota, or Nebraska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Medical Appliance Technician Salary
The typical yearly salary for Medical Appliance Technicians is somewhere between $24,090 and $63,130.
Medical Appliance Technicians who work in Colorado, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Medical Appliance Technicians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,070 |
| Alaska | $50,320 |
| Arizona | $40,770 |
| Arkansas | $35,330 |
| California | $48,370 |
| Colorado | $52,060 |
| Connecticut | $42,740 |
| Delaware | $40,690 |
| Florida | $42,720 |
| Georgia | $39,190 |
| Illinois | $51,390 |
| Indiana | $35,050 |
| Iowa | $39,990 |
| Kansas | $35,190 |
| Kentucky | $37,620 |
| Louisiana | $30,020 |
| Maine | $44,140 |
| Maryland | $44,760 |
| Massachusetts | $48,230 |
| Michigan | $46,740 |
| Minnesota | $44,590 |
| Mississippi | $38,400 |
| Missouri | $36,820 |
| Nevada | $40,960 |
| New Hampshire | $46,200 |
| New Jersey | $41,510 |
| New Mexico | $39,250 |
| New York | $41,580 |
| North Carolina | $39,880 |
| Ohio | $37,340 |
| Oklahoma | $36,060 |
| Oregon | $35,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $41,620 |
| Rhode Island | $46,050 |
| South Carolina | $36,980 |
| Tennessee | $37,460 |
| Texas | $40,040 |
| Utah | $34,840 |
| Virginia | $45,140 |
| Washington | $47,730 |
| West Virginia | $43,770 |
| Wisconsin | $35,700 |
What Tools & Technology do Medical Appliance Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Medical Appliance Technicians:
- Microsoft Excel
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Gait analysis software
- Ohio Willow Wood OMEGA Tracer System
- Seattle Systems Shapemaker
- Vorum Research Corporation CANFIT-PLUS
Becoming a Medical Appliance Technician
Education needed to be a Medical Appliance Technician:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Medical Appliance Technicians Work?
Medical Appliance Technicians work in the following industries:
Similar Careers
Are you already one of the many Medical Appliance Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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