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How exposed to AI is a Medical Appliance Technician?

Of the 15 tasks O*NET lists for medical appliance technicians, 1 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 13 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Certified PedorthotistHearing Aid Repair TechnicianLab TechnicianOrthopedic TechnicianOrthotic and Prosthetic Technician (O and P Technician)Orthotic TechnicianProsthetic TechnicianProsthetics TechnicianRegistered Prosthetic Orthotic Technician
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
15
tasks rated for this occupation
28%
hold a degree, from a survey of 30
15k
people do this job in the US
52 of 107
least protected in production

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

1
  • Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required

Only with software built on top

1
  • Fit appliances onto patients, and make any necessary adjustments

Cannot be sped up

13
  • Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices
  • Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools
  • Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components
  • Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns
  • Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications
  • Cover or pad metal or plastic structures or devices, using coverings such as rubber, leather, felt, plastic, or fiberglass
  • Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures
  • Lay out and mark dimensions of parts, using templates and precision measuring instruments
  • Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels
  • Take patients' body or limb measurements for use in device construction
  • Instruct patients in use of prosthetic or orthotic devices
  • Service or repair machinery used in the fabrication of appliances
  • Mix pigments to match patients' skin coloring, according to formulas, and apply mixtures to orthotic or prosthetic devices
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.