Reimagining Technical Excellence in O&P with Brad Mattear

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Brad Matear, who oversees central fabrication for Shriners Children's hospitals, shares insights on the technical side of O&P, highlighting the critical shortage of trained technicians and pathways for advancing the profession.

• Shriners Children's central fabrication serves approximately 19 facilities nationwide, dealing with complex pediatric cases that require exceptional technical skill
• The field faces a serious technical talent shortage with 15-16 clinical schools but only 4 technical schools producing graduates
• Technician compensation and recognition are crucial factors in retention, with approximately 30% attrition rate compared to clinicians
• Digital fabrication including CAD/CAM and 3D printing represents the future for technicians, requiring new educational approaches
• The Assistant Credential offers a promising middle path between technical and clinical roles, similar to the PT/PTA model
• Technical education must evolve to include both traditional hand skills and advanced digital techniques
• AOPA 2025 in Orlando will feature hands-on technical education including custom fabrication and alignment techniques
• Proper disposal and recycling of materials remains a challenge, particularly for foam products used in fabrication

Please recycle your plastics as best you can and if you're an engineer with ideas for recycling carving foam, the industry needs your solutions to reduce landfill waste.

Special thanks to Advanced 3D for sponsoring this episode.

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