BPO (Bachelor in Prosthetics and Orthotics)

Last Updated on July 30, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar

Hi readers! In this post, we will deal with a Bachelor’s Degree course related to the field of prosthetics and orthotics. Here, we will have an in-depth analysis of Bachelor in Prosthetics and Orthotics course.

It is an ideal Bachelor’s Degree course for 12th standard Science stream students. Candidates who want to build a decent career in rehabilitation science sector will benefit from this academic program.

In this post, you will find all the important details that you need to know about Bachelor in Prosthetics and Orthotics course. Here, I’ve covered the following details – duration, eligibility criteria, colleges, fees, scope, admission process, syllabus and career prospects.

Here is a quick overview of the academic program –

It is a Bachelor’s Degree course. This academic program is also known by the name – BPO.

The course duration is 4½ years. Candidates who are interested in the field of rehabilitation science will benefit from this program. You may also check – B.R.Sc. course.

What is BPO course all about? What is it like to pursue this course? Will I get a good job after completing this course? What’s the course content like? You will find answers to these questions in the next section. Here it is –

Bachelor in Prosthetics and Orthotics: An Introduction

As I mentioned before, it is a Bachelor’s Degree course. Students who have passed 12th standard with Science stream subjects are eligible to pursue this course.

Technically, this course belongs to the discipline of paramedical sciences. At its core, it is a rehabilitation science program. To be precise, it caters to the needs of prosthetics and orthotics domains.

Prosthetics and orthotics form an integral part of rehabilitation therapy. What’s prosthetics and orthotics all about, you may ask. You will find answer to this question in the next section –

Prosthetics and orthotics primarily deals with the rehabilitation of persons suffering from locomotor disabilities or neuromuscular disorders. Apart from them, this domain also assists people suffering from – sports injuries, accidents, foot disorders, muscular pain, age related issues etc. This discipline also plays an important role in the pre and post surgery management of amputees.

Let us take a closer look at the domain of prosthetics. It deals with the use of artificial limbs to improve the lifestyle and functioning of persons with limb loss. Artificial limbs are also known as prostheses.

Orthotics deals with the design and fabrication of orthoses. What is orthoses, you may ask. It acts as a support and controlling agent to the weakened and deformed regions of the body of a person.

Collectively, prosthetics and orthotics deals with the design, fabrication and application of artificial limbs and external support braces for physically challenged persons. It consists of elements of medical science and technology. As a result, the curriculum consists of a healthy mixture of medical science and concepts of material science and technology. BPO course will train you in the following areas –

• Relevant materials (used to make prostheses and orthoses)
• Design
• Alighment
• Fabrication
• Cosmetic appearance
• Understanding the needs of the user
• Educating/training the user
• And more…

If you are passionate about rehabilitation science and want to help out persons suffering from locomotor disabilities, this program will be of help to you. BPO course will help you build a decent career in this sector.

Come, let us take a closer look at the course details. In the next section, you will find the following details – duration, eligibility criteria, colleges, syllabus, fees and more.

Course details

Type of course

It is a Bachelor’s Degree course.

Duration

The course is 4½ years long.

Eligibility criteria

Minimum educational qualification required to pursue this course is – completed 12th standard with Science stream subjects or equivalent qualification.

Colleges

Here are some of the popular colleges offering this course in India –

• Rehabilitation Council of India
• Christian Medical College
• Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Health Sciences
• National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research
• National Institute for Locomotor Disabilities
• All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Syllabus

Here are some of the important subjects present in the curriculum –

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Material science
• Workshop technology
• Applied mechanics
• Biomechanics
• Basic electronics
• Prosthetics science
• Orthotics science
• Pathology
• Orthopaedics
• Physiotherapy

Admission process

Reputed institutes select deserving candidates through selection tests or interviews. Deserving candidates are selected on the basis of their performance in the test or interview. Some colleges are also known to carry out donation based and direct admission process.

You may also check – Rehabilitation Science courses in India

Fees

Tuition fees depends upon the following factors – type of college (Government or self-financing), scholarship status of the student, rating of the college etc. On an average, tuition fees could be anywhere between 15-60K INR per year. Government colleges are known to charge relatively lower tuition fees (around 2-5K per INR per year).

Career prospects

After completing this course, you will be able to find work at places such as – rehabilitation clinics, firms manufacturing prostheses and orthoses, relevant R&D firms, healthcare institutes, rehabilitation science educational institutes etc.

Vishnu Nambiar

I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.

I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.