OT13 Orthopedic Technology, Associate of Applied Science Degree

Offered at the Griffin Campus

Program Entrance Term: Fall
Minimum Length of Program: 6 terms
Minimum Credit Hours for Graduation: 69

Program Description

The Orthopedic Technology degree program is a sequence of courses that prepares students to work with orthopedic surgeons to treat patients in a variety of health care environments. The degree program provides the skills and knowledge needed to become a competent orthopedic technologist performing the following services: routine office and departmental procedures and the ability to perform certain basic functions; adjusting and removing casts, splints, and braces; setting up, adjusting, and maintaining traction configurations; assisting with the care of acutely injured patients; and assisting the physician in the reduction and/or manipulation of orthopedic injuries. Successful completion of the Orthopedic Technology degree program leads to eligibility for The American Society of Orthopedic Professionals (ASOP) registration exam. Graduates may be employed in hospitals, clinics, and private practice offices.

Admission Requirements

  • Submit completed application and application fee
  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript with test scores and ALL post-secondary transcripts in an official sealed envelope
  • Meet assessment requirements

Upon admission to the college, students desiring the Orthopedic Technology Program will be placed in the Health Care Management Degree program while working on program admission requirements. Acceptance into the Orthopedic Technology Program is a competitive selection process which is based on the GPA of prerequisite courses and the score on the PSB HOAE Examination.

Applicants must meet general admission requirement, as well as the following minimum requirements. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the program. The student must successfully complete ALHS 1040, ALHS 1090, BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L, BIOL 2114, BIOL 2114L, COMP 1000, ENGL 1101, and SPCH 1101 with a minimum grade of “C” in conjunction with a minimum 2.5 GPA. All of these courses must be completed by the last day of the spring semester to be considered for fall semester entrance into the program. There are no exceptions! If a student retakes a course to improve his/her grade, the higher grade will be calculated into the GPA. Financial aid may or may not pay for a student to retake a course. PSYC 1101, ENGL 1102, MATH 1101 or MATH 1103, or MATH 1111, and one Humanities/Fine Art elective may be taken during the program to maintain full time status throughout the entire program. These courses must be completed before graduation with a minimum grade of “C” or better. If a student transfers from another Orthopedic Technology Program, 25% of the program must be taken at SCTC.

All students must submit test scores from the PSB Examination. Scores cannot be more than a year old. The PSB Exam is administered in the SCTC Community Services Building -100. Results will be accessed online by program faculty.

The student will be responsible for notifying program faculty, of his/her intent to compete, by completing the Allied Health Application ONLY if all program entrance requirements will be met by the end of the spring semester and PSB Exam results have been submitted. All Allied Health Applications must be submitted on or before the last day of spring semester. If transfer credits are involved, the student will be responsible for making sure all transcripts are into the college by this deadline. Program faculty will NOT accept late submissions of Allied Health Applications, transfer credits, or PSB Exam results. If the student is not accepted and wishes to re-compete the following year, the student must resubmit a new Allied Health Application and new PSB Exam results. Allied Health Applications are available on the Southern Crescent Technical College website at https://www.sctech.edu/programs/allied-health-program-application/. There is no waiting list!

Should there be more qualified students competing than available spaces, candidates are admitted based on the grade point average for the courses listed above, plus the score on the PSB Examination. The grade point average, which is based on the 4.00 scale, will be converted to a 400 point scale and added to the score of the PSB Examination. Spaces are filled from the highest score downward until the maximum enrollment total is reached. The student’s program application date will break any tie. Application date is defined as the date when the student applied to the college for the program or the date on the Change of Enrollment Form to the Orthopedic Technology program. All applicants will be notified of program status, by mail, no later than the first day of the summer semester.

Applicants are accepted into the Orthopedic Technology program FALL term (August) and are accepted only as full-time day students. Each student is also required to complete a drug screen/background check through Advantage Students (www.advantagestudents.com) and complete ACEMAPP registration online, and submit a current copy of an American Heart Healthcare Provider CPR certification during the first term of the program.

Readmission Policy

If a student withdraws for any reason, the student may be allowed to re-enter the program the following year at the point in which the fall term begins. These students must re-compete for the program entrance. THIS COURTESY IS EXTENDED ONLY ONCE. Students wishing to apply for readmission will be given a comprehensive competency exam and a competency lab practical covering material from the courses taken up to the point of re-entry. Students will be given one opportunity to score an 70% or better on both to be permitted for program re-entry. Readmission will be based on available space within the classroom and clinical sites.

Grading standards for Orthopedic Technology courses are very stringent. The Orthopedic Technology Program consists of 3 semesters totaling eight classes. For a student to progress to the next semester, a minimum grade of C must be achieved in EVERY ORTT course. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 to remain in the program.

Approximate additional costs other than tuition, fees, and textbooks

Equipment/Supplies (approx.) $100.00
Uniforms $300.00
Liability Insurance $30.00
Background/Drug Screening $78.00+
The American Society of Orthopedic
 Professionals Registration Exam

$200.00
ACEMAPP $50.00

NOTE: A student who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor may be accepted into the Orthopedic Technology program; however, such a conviction may cause a student to NOT be able to rotate through the program’s clinical affiliates.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How many spaces are available? 20
  2. How many times per year are students accepted into the program? One—Fall term
  3. What is a typical schedule? M-Th, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
  4. What are the clinical sites? Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Bone and Joint, LLC., Hughston Clinic, Kaiser, Ortho Georgia, Ortho Atlanta, Atlanta Orthopedic Institute, Resurgens, Renerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute PC, Upson Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Well Star Spalding.
  5. How are clinical sites assignments determined? Clinical sites are randomly assigned by the clinical coordinator.
  6. How long is the program? 12 months (3 terms) from when the student starts the Orthopedic program.

The following is a suggested path to complete this program in a timely manner. An individual’s path to completion may be different based on institutional and personal factors affecting his/her academic progress.

Contact Us

Christy Coker, B.S., OPE-C., ROT., Program Coordinator

Email: Christy.coker@sctech.edu

Phone: 770.412.5707

 

Program Courses

First Term

ENGL 1101Composition and Rhetoric

3

PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology

3

COMP 1000Introduction to Computer Literacy

3

Natural Sciences/Mathematics—Choose one: (Required)

MATH 1101Mathematical Modeling

3

OR

MATH 1103Quantitative Skills and Reasoning

3

OR

MATH 1111College Algebra

3

Total Credit Hours:3

MATH 1101: Course will be accepted when transferred in from another institution with a grade of a C or better but may not be offered at this institution.

Second Term

ENGL 1102Literature and Composition

3

BIOL 2113Anatomy and Physiology I

3

BIOL 2113LAnatomy and Physiology Lab I

1

ALHS 1040Introduction to Health Care

3

ALHS 1090Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences

2

Third Term

BIOL 2114Anatomy and Physiology II

3

BIOL 2114LAnatomy and Physiology Lab II

1

SPCH 1101Public Speaking

3

 

HUMN 1101Introduction to Humanities

3

OR

Humanities/Fine Arts Elective

3

Humanities/Fine Arts Elective:

MUSC 1101Music Appreciation

3

OR

ARTS 1101Art Appreciation

3

OR

ENGL 2130American Literature

3

OR

THEA 1101Theatre Appreciation

3

Total Credit Hours:3

Fourth Term

ORTT 1010Orthopedic Anatomy and Physiology

4

ORTT 1020Orthopedic Techniques I

4

ORTT 1030Introduction to Orthopedic Surgical Techniques

4

Fifth Term

ORTT 1040Advanced Orthopedic Anatomy and Physiology

4

ORTT 1050Orthopedic Techniques II

4

ORTT 2010Orth. Technology Clinical I

5

Sixth Term

ORTT 2020Orth. Techn. Clinical II

7

ORTT 2030Orthopedic Tech. Capstone

3