Pedorthist Candidate Guide

You may qualify to be examined upon completion of specific education and experience requirements established by ABC.

Education Requirements

You must have a high school diploma, GED certificate or college degree and complete an ABC approved pedorthic education course.

Foreign Education

If you have received your education outside the U.S., you must have your education evaluated by the World Education Services (WES). WES is a professional education evaluation service that confirms foreign education equivalence to programs in the United States.

Pedorthic Experience

Pathway 1

• Completion of 1,000 hours of supervised pedorthic patient care experience obtained either before or after completion of your pedorthic education program. Any experience with initial patient evaluations and the final fitting/deliveries related to a custom pedorthic device must be done under Direct Supervision.

Pathway 2

• Completion of 500 hours of pedorthic patient care experience obtained either before or after completion of your pedorthic education program.
• Must currently hold a nationally recognized license/certification in a related allied health profession (e.g., Podiatrist/DPM, Prosthetist/CP, Physical Therapist/PT, etc.) to apply under this pathway.

Effective January 1, 2026 all individuals seeking Pedorthist certification must complete at least 50% of the required hours of supervised pedorthic patient care experience after the completion of an ABC approved pedorthic pre-certification course.

Any experience with initial patient evaluations and the final fitting/deliveries related to a custom pedorthic device must be done under Direct Supervision.  Direct Supervision is outlined in detail in the Orthotic, Prosthetic and Pedorthic Scope of Practice.

ABC encourages you to use the Pedorthist Self Assessment Checklist to guide you through your work experience and ensure that you are getting the type and amount of experience in each area expected by the profession.