The mission of the American Society of Orthopedic Professionals (ASOP) is to enrich the quality of health care delivered by orthopedic technologists and to further promote the professional advancement of the orthopedic technology profession as a whole through continuing education and certification.

In 1999, ASOP was founded to decisively offer the Orthopedic Technologist an organization that was established and managed by Orthopedic Technologists. For the last twenty years, ASOP has continued to fulfill this primary objective for the orthopedic profession.

The American Society of Orthopedic Professionals will fulfill its mission by:
• Supporting career advancement through a validated certification process focused on office-based orthopedic clinical procedures;
• Endorsing high standards of professional clinical competency by supporting its membership with criteria and means for continuing education;
• Providing evidence-based research that is responsive to the musculoskeletal demands of the orthopedic population;
• Being the primary advocate of the orthopedic technology profession for its legislative advancement towards professional licensure;
• Exploring the opportunity to further develop professional opportunities for employment diversification
• Advocating the demand for the highest clinical standards, ethical decision-making and professionalism of its membership.

Currently, ASOP has over 3500 members from all 50 states and six foreign countries. There are twenty-two (22) schools utilizing aspects of the ASOP orthopedic curriculum towards the initial training of Orthopedic Technologists. As such, this includes eighteen (18) college/universities that possess accredited Athletic Training Education curriculums, the U.S. Armed Forces Orthopedic Technology School at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and the ASOP partner program in Sao Paulo, Brazil and soon to open our partner program in India.

ASOP has sponsored weekend workshops that have trained over 14,600 Orthotechs from over 3000 Orthopedic practices and hospitals. Throughout 2019, over 1000 orthopedic professionals will attend a live ASOP continuing education workshop. Starting in 2017, ASOP has had a permanent training facility in St. Petersburg, FL.

ASOP’s “Registered Orthopedic Technology” (ROT) certification program will have credentialed over 3600 ROT’s by the end of 2019. The ROT certification is the most widely used throughout the US, including, the U.S. Armed Forces, the Veterans Administration and major orthopedic practices and hospitals across the nation acknowledge the ROT certification. Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic, UCLA, Stanford University, Harvard University, the Hospital For Special Surgery (NY) and Cleveland Clinic are just a few of the thousands of practices and hospitals that are utilizing ASOP education/training and our certification processes.

ASOP’s new certification, the Orthopedic Physician Extender, OPE is incorporating the education and skills of the Athletic Trainer for a entirely new classification within the orthopedic staff.  see opecertification.org for more information on this new certification.

ASOP recognizes the broad spectrum of professional expertise within the orthopedic and sports medicine specialties that would mandate the need for ongoing research. ASOP has sponsored orthopedic research studies demonstrating that the use of elastic bandages with bivalve casts should be discontinued. As a result, this is an initial effort to change the treatment model for swelling prevention post-reduction. ASOP will continue its evidence-based research model with select academic partnerships to further its ongoing orthopedic research endeavors.

ASOP’s professional outlook is extremely promising as the demand/need for highly trained Orthotechs continues to increase in an effort to treat the growing number of injuries with casts, splints or braces. ASOP can assist you with the introductory training, as well as, the ongoing continuing education and certification to further strengthen your occupational growth.

Take the first step towards professional opportunity and/or career advancement and join ASOP!