The National Board for Certification of Orthopaedic Technologists has a certification program for those with training and experience in orthopedic technology. All applicants must also take an orthopaedic technologist certification exam.
There are a few ways to learn the knowledge necessary to pass this certification test. First, applicants generally take a course for orthopedic technicians. The National Association of Orthopaedic Technologists has a list of approved orthopaedic technology schools. At the time of this writing, there are only 7 programs on the list. However, they are spread throughout the country to give students a number of geographic options. This is one way of qualifying for the orthopedic technologist certification exam. Another way to qualify for the exam is to attend a related military school.
Experience (even without formal education) is also sufficient to sit for the exam in some cases. This required two years of full-time employment directly related to orthopaedic technology. However, it must be under the supervision of a medical doctor who specializes in the musculoskeletal system. The work experience may be reduced to a minimum of 1040 hours over 6 months if the applicant is certified or licensed as an athletic trainer (the same kind of supervised work is still required, though).
Despite any training or experience, there is certainly no guarantee of passing this difficult orthopedic technologist test. You should also access the exam references provided by NBCOT. You have to purchase some of these, as they are textbooks. Other references are websites that you can read for free. Overall, this can get quite expensive. You may wish to start out by using the references you used as part of an orthopaedics technology degree or certificate program. While that will not guarantee that you pass, it will certainly get you part of the way home. You could then work on weak areas by purchasing additional exam references as necessary.
Use the orthopaedic technology exam content outline to guide your preparation. NBCOT has a copy of the topics and domains for this certification exam.
Study hard and take this seriously, as the application fee is not cheap. As of August 2011, the fee is $375, and there is a $100 late fee in some cases. Refer to the application for further details.
Resources:
NBCOT: Exam Content Outline
NBCOT: Orthopedic Technology Exam Reference List
NBCOT: Orthopaedic Technologist Application and Candidate Guide
National Association of Orthopaedic Technologists: Approved Orthopedic Technology Schools