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Committee adopts amendment to orthotic/prosthetic practice act and passes bill
Summary
The committee adopted an amendment to the orthotic and prosthetic practice act that shortens assistant training time with specified college coursework and permits master's graduates to work as assistants during residency; the amended bill passed the committee by voice vote.
Roger Smith, representing orthotic and prosthetic providers in Arkansas, explained an amendment to the state practice act that would shorten the on-the-job training requirement for prosthetic/orthotic assistants from three years to two when specific college coursework (anatomy, physiology, medical terminology) is completed. The amendment also allows graduates of the master's program (which requires an 18‑month residency) to continue to work in an assistant role while completing board exam preparation and residency requirements.
The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote and subsequently passed the measure as amended. No opposing public testimony was recorded in the committee minutes for this item; the sponsor invited questions but none were asked during the hearing.
Roger Smith described the bill as a practical change intended to make it easier to hire and retain assistant-level personnel while preserving supervised practice and the residency-to-license pathway for orthotists and prosthetists.
