Registered Orthotic Technicians
Job description
These individuals design orthoses based on a medical prescription issued by a physician. They evaluate the physical condition of the people who consult them and recommend a treatment plan according to the needs identified. They make orthoses using precise measurements, drawings, and plaster moulds taken from a body part. They fit and adjust the orthoses to ensure they are functional, discreet, and comfortable. They are involved in the rehabilitation process of the person treated. They work for:
- Rehabilitation centres
- Hospital centres
- Orthopedic centres
- Podiatry clinics
- Orthotics and prostheses distributors
- Laboratories
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Nontoxic dust
Main tasks
- Interpret a physician’s prescription.
- Install an orthosis to compensate for a body function, support a joint or muscle, or stabilize a body part.
- Provide follow-ups to check the effectiveness and comfort of the orthosis.
- Help the individual treated return to work and assist with their personal training.
- Repair orthopedic shoes and orthoses.
- Supervise and direct the activities of other workers in the field.
Training and requirements
Formation
Also required
- Membership in the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec (OTPQ [Quebec Order of Professional Technologists]) to use the title of Technologist.
Sometimes required
- Membership in the Association des orthésistes et prothésistes du Québec (AOPQ [Quebec Association of Orthotists and Prosthetists]) may be required.
- A Class 5 driver's licence and vehicle may be required or considered an asset.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Quality control analysis
- Active listening
- Critical thought
- Reading comprehension
- Troubleshooting
- Service oriented
- Oral expression
- Monitoring operations
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Social perception
- Equipment selection
- Information processing
- Result evaluation
- Coordination
- Repair
- Equipment maintenance
- Written expression
- Persuasion
- Operation analysis
- Active learning
- Science
- Time management
Abilities
- Oral comprehension
- Awareness of issues
- Near vision
- Deductive reasoning
- Verbal skills
- Visualization
- Information organization
- Hand-arm stability
- Digital dexterity
- Speech clarity
- Manual dexterity
- Control accuracy
- Inductive reasoning
- Limb coordination
- Speech recognition
- Selective attention
- Depth perception
- Memorization
- Written comprehension
- Hearing sensitivity
- Classification
- Originality
- Colour perception and distinction
- Core strength
- Overall balance of the body
- Basic numeracy
- Overall coordination of the body
Knowledge and attributes
- Perseverance
- Autonomy
- Capacity to adapt
- Knowledge of customer and personalized services
- Rigour
- Attention to detail
- Friendliness
- Sense of observation
- Knowledge of design
- Knowledge of medicine or dentistry
Interests
- Work in sales or client service
- Make, build, install
- Work manually
- Assist and advise
- Collect, verify, sort, and classify data or information
- Assist or care for people
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Social
- People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
Appellation d’emploi liée (à traduire)
Other medical technologists and technicians (CNP 32129)
Skill type
Health
Last update: January 29, 2026