64B14-4.100. Requirements for Prosthetic or Orthotic Residency or Internship

(1) To meet the requirements for licensure as an orthotist or prosthetist, the applicant must document an internship that meets the requirements of this rule, or must complete a residency program accredited by NCOPE. An applicant for combined licensure as a prosthetist/orthotist must document a discrete internship or residency in each field.

(2) An internship must consist of orthotic or prosthetic clinical experience practicing under the general supervision of a licensed or ABC-certified orthotist or prosthetist, respectively. The internship must consist of a minimum of 1,900 hours.

(3) Internships must be completed at facilities engaged in providing orthotic and prosthetic patient care. Interns must provide direct patient care, but only under the supervision of a qualified orthotist or prosthetist; the educational mission must not be compromised by an excessive reliance on residents to fulfill facility service obligations. Interns should progress from observing to actually providing direct patient care. Sufficient amounts of lab and technical experience must accompany the clinical training.

(4) The internship must require the intern to meet the following objectives:

(a) Clinical Assessment. Determine the orthotic or prosthetic needs of the patient by integrating the information obtained from history, examination, measurement and observation; develop a treatment protocol for the patient through review of patient data in order to formulate an orthotic or prosthetic recommendation and treatment plan.

(b) Patient Management. Apply a properly fitting prosthetic/orthotic device by using accepted prosthetic/orthotic techniques to achieve optimum outcomes; inform the patient of the various procedures to be performed by using appropriate communication skills; provide continuing patient care and periodic evaluation to ensure proper fit and function of the prosthetic/orthotic device.

(c) Professional Responsibility. Selecting the most appropriate course of action when faced with patient-related problems while adhering to the laws and rules applicable to practice in Florida and the standards of care of the profession.

(d) Practice Management. Demonstrate proper documentation of a patient’s history and financial records by using established record-keeping techniques and demonstrate an understanding of the facility’s financial and safety policies and procedures.

(e) Technical Implementation. Interpret patient data and modify a patient model to ensure optimal fit and function; demonstrate the ability to fabricate or repair a prescribed device, selecting appropriate materials and components based on patient criteria to ensure optimum strength, durability and function.

(5) The objectives must include experience in the acute, rehabilitative and chronic phases of the care of pediatric, adult and geriatric populations, and shall include experience in lower and upper extremity and spinal orthoses or lower and upper extremity prostheses.

(6) Each intern shall keep a daily patient log, subject to review by the Board. Each intern shall be evaluated by his/her supervising practitioner on a quarterly basis and at the conclusion of the internship.

(7) Clinical experience in prosthetics and orthotics, to satisfy the requirements of internship or to satisfy the experience requirements of Section 468.803(4), F.S., may not be achieved concurrently.

(8) If a change in supervisor is required, the applicant must submit a completed Registration Supervisor Update Form, form number DH-MQA 1133, 7/2020, incorporated herein by reference, which is available from the Board office or the Board’s website http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/OrthPros/index.html, or http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-12664.

Rulemaking Authority 468.802, 468.803 FS. Law Implemented 468.803 FS. History–New 11-1-99, Amended 7-2-07, 5-28-09, 4-11-10, 11-9-10, 1-10-12, 4-29-12, 1-27-21.