How To Become An Orthopedic Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is an orthopedic technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An orthopedic technician performs various support tasks under an orthopedic doctor or surgeon. These tasks may include medical and non-medical duties, depending on the technician's training level and experience. For medical tasks, orthopedic technicians assist doctors with applying and removing casts, adjusting traction equipment, and assisting surgeons in the operating room.

On the other hand, orthopedic technicians may also perform non-medical duties such as educating patients about their condition, filling out paperwork, handling correspondence, and monitoring the inventory of medical supplies.

To become an orthopedic technician, you must be at least a high school graduate with related working experience or a college graduate with or without working experience. You may also be required to have a certification or license to work, depending on which state you live in. Furthermore, you must be physically strong enough to assist patients with walking or getting up if they fall over.

With this job, you can earn around $38,000 a year on average, but your salary can be as much as $50,000, depending on your experience level and where you work.c

ScoreOrthopedic TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,658

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.7

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.54%

Asian 9.31%

Black or African American 8.43%

Hispanic or Latino 21.01%

Unknown 3.84%

White 56.87%

Gender

female 43.83%

male 56.17%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.9

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become an orthopedic technician

Explore orthopedic technician education requirements

Most common orthopedic technician degrees

Bachelor's

39.1 %

Associate

28.5 %

High School Diploma

11.1 %

Start to develop specific orthopedic technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	23.34%
Traction	16.34%
Splints	9.91%
Customer Service	3.54%
Vital Signs	3.35%

Complete relevant orthopedic technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New orthopedic technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an orthopedic technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real orthopedic technician resumes.

Gain additional orthopedic technician certifications

Orthopedic technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific orthopedic technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for orthopedic technicians include Medical Assistant and Registered Orthopedic Technologist (ROT).

More About Certifications

Research orthopedic technician duties and responsibilities

Assist with taking vital signs and CPR.
Instruct patients on how to adjust crutches, walkers and other aids.
Adjust crutches and canes to fit patient and instruct patients in walking with casts, braces, and crutches.
Provide on-call orthopedist and neurologist with surgical procedures, traction application, casting and splinting assistance.

Prepare your orthopedic technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your orthopedic technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an orthopedic technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Orthopedic Technician Resume templates

Build a professional Orthopedic Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Orthopedic Technician resume.

Apply for orthopedic technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an orthopedic technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do orthopedic technicians rate their job?