The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics Inc. (ABC) congratulated the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) on its 20 year anniversary in developing and assuring orthotic and prosthetic education and residency accreditation standards and is proud of the role it played in founding this important group.
In 1972, ABC created the Educational Accreditation Commission, which set out to establish criteria to assess and compare orthotic and prosthetic curricula. In 1991, the commission was reorganized and became an independent organization under the O&P National Office structure comprised of ABC, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP). In Dec. 1999, NCOPE became an incorporated accreditation agency and independent from the sister O&P organizations.
NCOPE and ABC continue to work collaboratively to ensure that individuals entering the O&P profession are receiving formal education and hands-on clinical training prior to sitting for the ABC certification exams.
