What You Need to Know About Medical Appliance Technician
Medical Appliance Technician Definition Construct, fit, maintain, or repair medical supportive devices, such as braces, orthotics and prosthetic devices, joints, arch supports, and other surgical and medical appliances.
Daily Life Of a Medical Appliance Technician
- Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
- Fit appliances onto patients and make any necessary adjustments.
- 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.
- Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
- Mix pigments to match patients’ skin coloring, according to formulas, and apply mixtures to orthotic or prosthetic devices.
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Medical Appliance Technician Skills
Below is a list of the skills most Medical Appliance Technicians say are important on the job.
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.
Types of Medical Appliance Technician Jobs
- Orthotics Technician
- Fabrication Technician
- Medical Device Assembler
- Prosthetics Technician
- Arch Support Maker
Job Demand for Medical Appliance Technicians
In the United States, there were 15,000 jobs for Medical Appliance Technician in 2016. 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 2,000 job openings in this field each 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.
What is the Average Salary of a Medical Appliance Technician
Medical Appliance Technicians make between $24,090 and $63,130 a year.
Medical Appliance Technicians who work in Colorado, Alaska, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Medical Appliance Technicians make in different U.S. states?
| 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 do Medical Appliance Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Medical Appliance Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Gait analysis software
- Ohio Willow Wood OMEGA Tracer System
- Seattle Systems Shapemaker
- Vorum Research Corporation CANFIT-PLUS
How do I Become a Medical Appliance Technician?
What education or degrees do I need to become a Medical Appliance Technician?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Medical Appliance Technicians Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Career changers with experience as a Medical Appliance Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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