What We Do
History
The National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. In 1972, the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) created the Educational Accreditation Commission (EAC) to meet the O&P profession’s need for an institutional accreditation program. That same year the EAC set out to establish criteria to assess and compare orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) curricula.
In 1991, the EAC was reorganized and became an independent organization under the National Office structure. In December 1999 NCOPE became an incorporated accreditation agency and totally independent from the O&P organizations (AAOP, ABC and AOPA).
Responsibilities
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Promote education in the field of orthotics and prosthetics and raise the standards of education in the field.
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Develop standards for, and accredit orthotics and prosthetics programs.
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Establish accreditation and evaluation procedures in orthotics and prosthetics education.
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Aid the development of new orthotics and prosthetics programs.
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Publish an annual report on orthotics and prosthetics education.
NCOPE partners with our sister O&P professional organizations and solution providers to ensure people entering the O&P profession are receiving appropriate formal preparation to provide compassionate and competent clinical care.