The BCIT program combines a unique blend of science, art, technology, and clinical patient care. The two-year course of studies combines lectures, labs, and practical experience. The curriculum equips graduates to perform thorough assessments and recognize patient challenges, assess individual needs and set patient goals, design customized treatment plans, fabricate individualized prostheses and orthoses, select appropriate materials, and provide patient-focused care.

The program provides regular interaction with volunteer patients, who act as simulated patient models throughout all prosthetics and orthotics courses. Students are supported to directly apply the theory and skills they have learned in the classroom and lab to these patient models, performing assessments, developing treatment plans, and designing, fabricating and evaluating custom devices for them. In addition to classroom, lab, and simulation learning, the program also includes weekly 3-hour clinical rotations across a variety of P&O clinics and allied healthcare sites, two 4-week clinical practicums at prosthetic/orthotic clinics across Canada, and an in-depth original capstone research project. 

The Western Canadian provinces of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba jointly fund the BCIT Prosthetics & Orthotics program. BCIT accepts applications every second year on a pro-rated basis from each of the 4 provinces, and accepts 14 students per intake. 

George Brown College’s Prosthetic and Orthotic offers both a Technical and a Clinical program. The program is located in Toronto, Ontario and accepts students from across Canada.  The program is taught out of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. 

The programs are innovative, with a blend of science, artistic design, technology, clinical care, and research.  The programs equip graduates to work in either public and private facilities.

Both programs are a combination of lectures and onsite laboratory and applied practical projects work. 

Clinical and technical students attend Grand Rounds where fellow students and guest lecturers discuss emerging research, and new innovative materials and design. 

The Clinical Methods program is a 2-year postgraduate program where students learn skills to become a Canadian Certified Prosthetist or an Orthotist.

The Clinical program accepts 8 students every September and the prerequisite is a 4-year Bachelors of Science, Kinesiology or Engineering degree. 

The Clinical program, while primarily at Sunnybrook campus, also partners with both public and private facilities in the GTHA (Greater Toronto Hamilton Area). 

For the Clinical program,  students learn how to perform thorough assessments, measurements, design a treatment plan and evaluate prosthetic and orthotic devices. Students complete over 15 orthotic patient & over 10 student based projects and over 20 prosthetic patient based projects per year. Students also have joint projects with the technical students to ensure teamwork, and interdisciplinary collaboration. 

Students attend core courses in Anatomy, Biomechanics, Prosthetic and Orthotic Clinical Theory, Case Study Seminars, Professional Issues, Additive Manufacturing Digital Workflows and Research courses. 

The Technical program is a 2-year program where students learn skills to become a Canadian Registered Technician in either Prosthetics or Orthotics. 

The Technical program accepts 30 students every September and the prerequisites are an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent.  The program is taught out of George Brown College’s Sunnybrook campus.   

For the Technical program, students learn hands-on skills to fabricate and repair devices during lab days, along with the tools necessary to fabricate devices and collaborate as a team with their clinical partners. Lab safety & Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is taught and mandatory in our learning spaces.

Students complete over 30 orthotic & prosthetic projects the first year and over 15 projects during their 2nd year, with each project building on each other in terms of difficulty. The projects are fabricated from resin laminations, thermoplastic vacuum molding, or 3D printed materials.

Students complete two infield 4-week field placements in the second year, as well as several design projects with the clinical students. 

Core courses include Anatomy, Pathology, Biomechanics, Gait, Fabrication Theory, Laboratory Procedures and Additive Manufacturing Digital Workflows. 

Technical students also complete a grand rounds research project, as well as technical tips for fellow students.