There are only four O&P technician programs in the United States accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). These colleges are in Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, and Kentucky. This article focuses on changes within the O&P technician program and paraprofessional training for the technician program at Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC).
Essential Changes
In my years as a faculty member at SFCC, it has become apparent that there is a genuine need to change the way we teach O&P technicians. The predominant factor driving these changes is that the traditional education format is cost prohibitive from both a student and institutional perspective. Over the past few years, the cost of enrollment and attendance in a two-year program has risen dramatically. Beyond institutional-wide increases in tuition, skyrocketing material costs for laboratory projects, and extrinsic factors such as the lack of housing have become significant hurdles for a student seeking formal training. For example, the cost of resin, foam, and metal uprights has increased by 15 to 75 percent since 2019, resulting in a significant increase in laboratory fees to cover these costs.1 These unfortunate economic realities have contributed to record low enrollment numbers.
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