Frequently Asked Questions
Residency Recommendations
- I am looking for a residency; can you offer any advice to advance my search? Do you know of any companies looking to hire?
- There are a couple of ways to search for a residency:
- Search the list of residency programs by
state via the NCOPE website. Click on the state of interest and see all currently accredited sites.
- Consult the 2007/08 Former NCOPE Resident Networking Directory http://www.ncope.org/assets/pdfs/2007-08_Networking.pdf It can give you an idea which companies have taken residents in the past
few years. If there is a company you are interested in, you can contact a past resident to learn more about his or her experience.
- Use the directory search on the ABC website to find O & P facilities in a particular area and contact them to see
if they have a residency program.
- If you have narrowed your search to a particular company, you may contact the
Regional Residency Liaison for that region to see if he/she can put you in touch with a current resident at that site to find out about that resident’s experience.
- What are some things I need to know when looking for a residency?
- Make sure the facility is ABC accredited and NCOPE accredited. If the site is ABC accredited and not NCOPE accredited, you can encourage
them to apply to NCOPE to become a residency site and host you as a resident. You cannot begin a residency until your site is NCOPE accredited.
Residency Requirements
- Will NCOPE accept a copy of the O&P certificate, or do they need the original?
- A copy is acceptable
- I completed my O&P certificate program some time ago and I have not received my certificate from the program.
My 30 day mark is approaching; will my start date be delayed?
- If your certificate is delayed, don’t let that hold you up from registering. Send in all other registration materials
so that NCOPE can honor your start date. You will be given a subsequent deadline to get the certificate to NCOPE. This is
also true for registration fees. NCOPE will invoice the facility listed on the registration form
if the form is submitted without the fee included.
- How do I know if transcripts or a certificate needs to be submitted to NCOPE?
- It depends on which school you attended. If you received a bachelor’s or master’s degree in orthotics/prosthetics, then you only need to
submit official transcripts from that O&P School. However, if you received a post-baccalaureate certificate in orthotics/prosthetics, then you
must submit your undergraduate transcripts and a copy of your orthotics or prosthetics certificate. If you completed two certificate programs,
then you will need to submit a copy of each certificate.
- Am I required to re-submit my transcripts for my second residency?
- No, this should already be on file with NCOPE. However, for certificate programs, the resident is required to submit a copy of the
O&P certificate for the second discipline.
- How do I know if NCOPE received an evaluation?
- Questions of this nature should be directed to the personnel in the NCOPE office:
Dominique Mungo dmungo@ncope.org or Joan Dallas jdallas@abcop.org
- Do I need to turn my case presentation in to NCOPE to fulfill the requirement?
- No, the case presentation does not need to be submitted NCOPE.
On the final evaluation, the residency director is required to attest to the
fact that this was completed during the residency. It is recommended that the resident print the final evaluation and have the director initial
and date beside this requirement once completed, as it may be completed at any time prior to the completion of the residency.
- What community service projects do you recommend?
- The resident is required to participate in an educational
community service/in-service project to further the awareness of the orthotic and prosthetic profession. This includes but is not limited
to speaking to service clubs, scouts, and students in grades 6 through 12 or at the college level. Speaking at a high school or college career
fair, helping with girl/boy scout badges, etc. can all be used as long as it is related to orthotics/prosthetics. A power point presentation and
video can be found at www.oandpcareers.org. The resident’s director must attest on the final evaluation
that the resident has completed this requirement.
- My contact information changed. How do I update it with NCOPE?
- Notify NCOPE in writing via email (dmungo@ncope.org or jdallas@abcop.org)
or mail with your new contact information. It is very important that NCOPE has accurate contact information so that the resident may be contacted
in case of a problem with their residency requirements and receives emails regarding residency information.
Residency Problems
- I have received a delinquency notice, but have turned in my most recent quarterly evaluation via US mail to NCOPE.
- Contact NCOPE directly (Dominique Mungo dmungo@ncope.org or Joan Dallas jdallas@abcop.org)
to verify that the quarterly evaluation was received.
- What is the procedure for me to change residency sites midway through my residency?
- Notify NCOPE in writing via letter or email that you are changing residency sites at dmungo@ncope.org or
jdallas@abcop.org Specify the time spent at the original site. When you find a new site, fill out another
registration form http://www.ncope.org/assets/pdfs/NCOPE_ResRegForm.pdf and send it in to
NCOPE within the first 30 days of starting at the new site. Additionally, it is the resident’s responsibility to have the director at the first site
complete the quarterly evaluations for time spent at that location, otherwise time will be lost. If you do not notify NCOPE that you’ve switched
residency sites, it could result in a delay in your end date.
- I am returning to school for the second discipline during my residency and/or must post-pone my current residency. How do I do this?
- Notify NCOPE in writing via letter or email that you are putting your residency on hold at dmungo@ncope.org
or jdallas@abcop.org Specify the reason, residency time completed and a timeline of when you expect to resume
the residency. When you resume the residency, you must inform NCOPE of your return. The residency coordinator or the residency program assistant will
adjust your end date based on time and evaluations completed up until your residency was placed on hold. You will receive this information in writing
from NCOPE via email or by letter.
ABC Requirements
- My residency end date is 2 weeks or less before the ABC exam registration deadline. Can I submit my application before the end of my residency?
- Residents may submit the ABC exam application up to 2
weeks prior to the deadline, even if this is prior to the completion of their residency, as long as the residency is completed prior to the exam registration
deadline. If the resident does not complete his/her residency prior to the ABC exam application deadline, the application will be rejected. See the
ABC website for specific exam information.
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