ABC/BOC Unification Discussions: Will They Impact O&P Education?

Robin Seabrook , executive director of the National Commission on Orthotic & Prosthetic Education (NCOPE): "We support the discussions that the BOC [Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification] and ABC [American Board for Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics] are having. We do understand from the ABC that its primary pathway is--and will continue to be--an educational pathway, so that's good for us. "I think that their discussion and the potential merger is beneficial to the profession as a whole, to help to alleviate any semblance of confusion and misunderstanding among all the other allied health groups and the medical community, caused by a group as small as O&P having two divergent and very different certifying agencies. Robert Rhodes, CO "If anything, the effect of such a merger on NCOPE would be to strengthen us, because if we were to have a consensus conference, it would allow us to include BOC P&O experts&as well. You want a broad-based mixture of those that have a vested interest in orthotics and prosthetics to attend any type of consensus conference on where the profession is heading, how that direction impacts education, and how we get there educationally." Robert Rhodes, CO , chair of the Education Committee at the University of Michigan O&P Center: "Since ours is a post-graduate program, I can't see that the unification process is likely to impact it in any way. I cannot imagine in my wildest fantasies that ABC is going to lower the educational level." Bryan Malas, MHPE, CO Bryan Malas, MHPE, CO , NAPOE chair, NCOPE chair, and director of orthotic education at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine: "I believe it will impact O&P education, but to what extent is hard to say at this time. This all depends on the negotiation between ABC and BOC. My hope is that we do not discourage people from pursuing the current educational pathway. "It's time that we have one certifying body rather than two separate entities. If we learned anything from the negotiated rulemaking process, it was that two certifying bodies weakens our voice and profession. In order to move forward as a profession, we need to view this as a necessary, positive step." Donald G. Shurr, CPO, PT , current NCOPE chair: "Ultimately, I hope that the unification process can define--not only for our profession but for our consumers and patients--the basis of the credential as [representing] a professional, comprehensive provider of orthotic and prosthetic services. Don Katz, CO, FAAOP "I don't believe that unification will make any difference in the way we look at O&P education or in the way we design our programs. Probably in the aftermath, there may be some supplementary kinds of education or experience for certain individuals, but as far as our curriculum for our schools, I don't think it will have any impact at all." Don Katz, CO, FAAOP , AAOP president: "It's impossible to predict at this point, because if they are successful--which I hope they will be--one would have to know the ultimate structure and nature of a single unified certifying board for O&P before one could speculate on how much it's going to affect things. "It is not likely that ABC standards will be lowered. From an Academy perspective, we think there is a need for a spectrum of professionals in the provision of O&P care, but we also feel that the NCOPE standards for both education and residency programs should be the minimum requirement for professionals providing direct care." Mark Geil, PhD Chris Hovorka, CPO , Masters Program, Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech): "In terms of how that's going to impact P&O education while the negotiations are going on, there will be probably no effect on our program, and probably no effect on any of the other NCOPE-accredited programs. But after the negotiations are completed, we might expect to see opportunities for continuing education that will be available for all ABC-certified practitioners and registered technicians, including BOC." Hovorka speculated that a tiered educational system might be established, geared to the levels at which individuals want to practice. He also believes there may be "grandfathering" of BOC practitioners with a possible termination date on the "grandfather" provisions. Mark Geil, PhD , Georgia Tech Masters Program: "It would impact us, because we have to keep a very close eye on ABC standards since we're a program that is designed to prepare students for residency and eventual ABC certification. If those certification standards or categories change, it's something we need to be very aware of, and we need to make sure our curriculum is preparing students appropriately."

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Related posts:

Advancing O&P Education: How Are We Doing?

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OrPro Views Space-Age O&P Technology

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Orthotics and Prosthetics Assistant

Certified Orthotist — Full-Time or Part-Time, Pediatric Practice

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