Other Medical Technologists and Technicians (except Dental Health)

Nature of work

This group includes medical technologists and technicians like dietary technicians, pharmacy technicians, ocularists, prosthetists, orthotists, prosthetic technicians, and orthotic technicians. Dietary technicians work for health care and commercial food service organizations like hospitals, extended care facilities, nursing homes, schools, cafeterias, and fast food outlets. Pharmacy technicians work for retail and hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Ocularists work in custom ocular prosthetic laboratories, or they may be self-employed. Prosthetists, orthotists, and prosthetic and orthotic technicians work in hospitals, clinics, prosthetics and orthotics laboratories, and prosthetic device manufacturing companies and may also be self-employed.

Job duties

Dietary technicians:

• Help dietitians or nutritionists plan and supervise food service operations.
• Plan menus and diet for individuals or groups under the direction of a dietitian or nutritionist.
• Help supervise personnel who prepare and serve food.
• Help patients select menu items.
• Help dietitians with research in food, nutrition, and food service systems.

Pharmacy technicians:

• Help pharmacists maintain inventories of medications and prescription records of pharmaceutical products.
• Make sure the information on prescriptions is accurate.
• Enter client information in databases and prepare medications for clients.
• Compound oral solutions, ointments, and creams.
• Bill third party insurers.
• May help with scheduling and workflow.

Ocularists:

• Design, make, and fit eye prostheses and conformers, and may design and make implants.
• Paint the iris and pupil of artificial eyes.
• Clean and restore eye prostheses.
• Advise patients about the loss of depth perception and the care and use of eye prostheses.
• Repair and maintain production and laboratory equipment.
• Consult with ophthalmologists about insertion of eye prostheses.

Prosthetists and orthotists:

• Design, make, and fit prosthetic and orthotic appliances like artificial limbs, braces or supports.
• Interpret physicians' specifications and examine and measure patients to develop working sketches of appliances.
• Make and modify plaster casts of areas to receive prostheses or orthoses.
• Fit, adjust, and repair appliances.
• Advise patients in the use and care of prostheses and orthoses.
• Supervise and direct the activities of prosthetic and orthotic technicians.

Prosthetic and orthotic technicians:

• Assemble or build prosthetic and orthotic appliances according to drawings, measurements and plaster casts using a variety of materials like metals, plastics, and leathers.
• Repair, rebuild, and modify prosthetic and orthotic appliances or orthopaedic footwear.
• May take the body or limb measurements of patients.

Sample job titles

• certified prosthetist-orthotist (CPO)
• dietary technician
• kidney dialysis technician
• ocularist
• orthotic technician
• pharmacy technician
• prosthetic aide
• registered orthotic technician (R.T.O.)
• registered prosthetic technician (R.T.P.)
• surgical fitter

Skills

• These jobs require good communication skills, the ability to work in a team, a methodical approach and attention to detail. Good near vision may be required. Ocularists and prosthetists also require patience and the ability to do precise work with their hands.

Job requirements

• Dietary technicians require a two- to three-year college program in dietary technology and supervised practical training.
• Pharmacy technicians usually require a two- to three-year college program in pharmaceutics.
• Ocularists require completion of the ocularist training program of the American Society of Ocularists and supervised practical training or a five-year supervised practical training program under a certified ocularist.
• Certification by the National Examining Board of Ocularists is usually required.
• Prosthetists and orthotists require a two-year college program in prosthetics and orthotics technology and three years of supervised practical training.
• Certification by the Canadian Board of Certification of Prosthetists and Orthotists (CBCPO) may be required.
• Prosthetic and orthotic technicians usually require a two- to three- year college program in prosthetics and orthotics and one to two years of supervised practical training or completion of high school and up to four years of supervised practical training under a certified prosthetist or orthotist.
• Registration with the Canadian Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (CAPO) may be required.

Other considerations

• This is a grouping of jobs filled by a small number of highly specialized individuals. Openings for new positions may be rare. Prosthetic and orthotic technicians may become certified prosthetists or orthotists with an additional two years of experience as a registered prosthetic or orthotic technician and completion of certification examinations by the Canadian Board of Certification of Prosthetists and Orthotists.

Regulations

Contacts