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Medical Appliance Technicians Occupation Detailed Description

Medical Appliance Technicians career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Medical Appliance Technicians

The main tasks and work activities of Medical Appliance Technicians are to measure clients to ensure proper product fit, construct customized assistive medical or dental devices, read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements, repair medical or dental assistive devices. In general, for the Medical Appliance Technicians, active Listening, quality Control Analysis, critical Thinking, reading Comprehension and other 16 skills are required.
Medical Appliance Technicians Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Medical Appliance Technicians jobs. 21.22% of Medical Appliance Technicians have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 10.16% of Medical Appliance Technicians have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
5.75%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
21.22%
Post-Secondary Certificate
10.16%
Some College Courses
8.63%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
26.27%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
27.97%

Tasks and Work Activities of Medical Appliance Technicians

  • 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 that will be 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.
  • Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures.
  • Cover or pad metal or plastic structures or devices, using coverings such as rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass.
  • Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
  • Service or repair machinery used in the fabrication of appliances.
  • Mix pigments to match patients' skin coloring, according to formulas, and apply mixtures to orthotic or prosthetic devices.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationEstimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Controlling Machines and ProcessesUsing either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Measure clients to ensure proper product fit.
  • Construct customized assistive medical or dental devices.
  • Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.
  • Repair medical or dental assistive devices.
  • Cast molds of patient anatomies to create medical or dental devices.
  • Adjust fabrics or other materials during garment production.
  • Operate welding equipment.
  • Drill holes in parts, equipment, or materials.
  • Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.
  • Inspect medical or dental assistive devices.
  • Operate grinding equipment.
  • Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
  • Repair production equipment or tools.
  • Apply protective or decorative finishes to workpieces or products.
  • Mix ingredients to create specific finishes.

Skills and Abilities for Medical Appliance Technicians

  • Active ListeningGiving 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 AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • TroubleshootingDetermining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • RepairingRepairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Equipment MaintenancePerforming routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Hearing SensitivityThe ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Depth PerceptionThe ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Scannerse.g. 3D scanning systems
  • Blow torche.g. Acetylene torches
  • Respiratory therapy compressorse.g. Air compressors
  • Alignment jige.g. Alignment stands
  • Hex keyse.g. Allen wrenches
  • Anvilse.g. Anvils
  • Manual press brakee.g. Arbor presses
  • Power sawse.g. Band saws
  • Pneumatic sanding machinese.g. Bead blasters
  • Belt sandere.g. Belt sanders
  • Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathee.g. Bench lathes
  • Punches or nail sets or driftse.g. Bench punches
  • Hydraulic press brakee.g. Bending brakes
  • Power bufferse.g. Buffing wheels
  • Cast cutters or sawse.g. Cast cutting saws
  • Claw hammere.g. Claw hammers
  • Traveling column milling machinee.g. Computer numerical controlled CNC milling machines
  • Horizontal turning centere.g. Computerized lathes
  • Power drillse.g. Cordless drills
  • Cutting machinese.g. Cutting wheels
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.