Practitioner Candidate Guide

Each exam is designed to evaluate knowledge and clinical competencies in orthotic and prosthetic practice. The exams and the passing scores are reviewed and revised annually.

Exam Format

The written and simulation exams are administered by computer-based testing (CBT). CBT is a method of administering tests in which the responses are electronically recorded.

The Clinical Patient Management (CPM) exams are hands-on practical exams administered through direct examiner and patient model interaction in a clinical setting.

Exam Availability

The written and simulation exams are offered bi-monthly at more than 350 locations around the country. 

The CPM exams are offered three times per year at the ABC Testing Center in Tampa, Florida.

Exam sessions, deadlines and locations are available on https://www.abcop.org/individual-certification/get-certified/orthotist-prosthetist/fees-dates.

Exam Descriptions

Combined O&P Written Exam

The combined O&P written exam is a three-and-a-half-hour, multiple-choice exam consisting of 200 questions designed to measure your general knowledge of patient management. General knowledge assessed on the exam includes anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, disease process, pathologies, prescription criteria, material science, ethics and professionalism.

Simulation Exam

The simulation exam assesses your problem-solving skills through an interactive format. The simulations imitate lifelike situations an orthotist or prosthetist might encounter in daily clinical practice. The simulation includes seven problems. You will have three hours to complete this exam.

For Orthotics, the problems may include scoliosis/kyphosis, spinal cord injuries, fractures, treatment of stroke, lower and upper extremity management, hip and knee pathologies, cranial and neuromuscular disease.

The Prosthetics simulation may include management of transtibial, transfemoral, transradial, transhumeral, and partial foot amputations and immediate postoperative fitting procedures.

Clinical Patient Management Exam

The Clinical Patient Management (CPM) exam consists of three, 60-minute modules designed to assess the practical skills considered by subject matter experts to be necessary in the competent performance of orthotics and prosthetics. The CPM exam requires you to demonstrate practical ability in a clinical environment. Your skills will be evaluated in areas such as patient evaluation, prescription criteria, measurement technique, fitting, alignment and appropriate handling of patients.

Exam Content

The development of valid exams begins with a practice analysis, which gives a clear and concise definition of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for competent, safe and effective clinical practice. Subject matter experts have identified the critical aspects of the orthotic and prosthetic profession using a process that includes interviews, surveys, observation and group discussions.

ABC conducts practice analyses that identify performance domains for both orthotists and prosthetists. Within each performance domain, several identified tasks provide the basis for questions included in the exams. Practice analyses also identify associated knowledge and skills related to the practice of orthotics and prosthetics.

Exam Development

ABC updates the examinations on a regular basis with questions written by active practitioners. Item development activities are conducted as needed to ensure that an adequate supply of new questions is available for the ABC exams.

The exam committees are composed of practitioners who are drawn from a diverse range of practice settings and geographical locations

Exam Preparation

ABC has exam preparation resources available at ABCop.org. These include the Practice Analysis, Test Content Outlines and sample exam questions. ABC encourages you to review these documents in preparation for your exams.