Orthopaedics techniques

Within the orthopaedics profession, graduates are healthcare workers with duties attributed by decree of the Ministry of Health no. 665 of 14 September 1994 and amendments; they work on the basis of medical prescriptions and subsequent testing to build and/or fit, apply and supply prostheses, ortheses, substitute and corrective aids and supports for the locomotor system (both functional and aesthetic, mechanical or using external or mixed body and external energy), working with measurements and models directly with the patient. As part of their responsibilities, graduates in orthopaedic techniques will train the disabled in the use of fitted prosthesis and orthesis; in collaboration with the doctors, they will provide technical assistance for the supply, replacement and repair of the fitted prosthesis and orthesis; they will collaborate with other professional figures in multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes; they are responsible for the organisation, planning and quality of their professional activities; they will work in public or private facilities as employees or on a freelance basis.

The specific learning outcomes of the programme include 30 CFU allocated to MED/50 as part of the orthopaedic sciences and techniques subject field and 60 CFU to the internship activities, which are differentiated for each specific profile.

Curriculum:

Year 1

Provides essential knowledge of physics, mathematics, biology, biomedical sciences as well as the fundamentals of technical, orthopaedic and psychological sciences which are the foundations of the professional discipline and methodology, and basic requirements for tackling the first internship experiences which aim to orient students towards learning the professional code of conduct and acquiring basic competencies.

Year 2

Provides knowledge of medical pathologies for the construction of orthopaedic supports and to apply theoretical knowledge to technical orthopaedic practice.

Year 3

Further specialist studies aim to develop knowledge of professional methods offering the best possible functionality and well-being for the patient. Students also study the laws governing the orthopaedic technician profession.

To ensure the best possible specific vocational training, credits are allocated to the internship activities, which increase progressively from year 1 to year 3.

At the end of the three-year programme, graduates will have acquired the theoretical knowledge and technical and practical skills to embark immediately on careers with public and private facilities both as an employee and on a freelance basis; they will also have developed the necessary learning skills to continue onto further specialist studies.

1. Admission requirements and assessment

This study programme has restricted access. The number of places is set annually by MIUR at national level; an entrance exam is set in the methods and on the dates set in the call for applications for the Healthcare Professions, published annually on the School website. Admission to the degree programme is subject to the possession of a five-year secondary school diploma or equivalent suitable qualification obtained abroad, or a four-year secondary school diploma and diploma for the relative supplementary year, or, where no longer active, admitted students will be assigned additional learning requirements.

Applicants shall also demonstrate the knowledge and competences defined annually by ministerial decree for the entrance exams to degree programmes with nationally restricted access.

The number of places, entrance exam date, contents and selection methods are published annually in the relative call for applications.

2. Assessment of basic knowledge

The knowledge and competence requirements for admission are deemed to be met by applicants who obtain the following scores in the entrance exam:

for students in the quota of Italian, EU and equivalent nationals: 20;

for students in the quota of non-EU citizens resident abroad, as laid down in the laws in force: 5.

The entrance exams will be held by 31 January of each year.

3. Additional learning requirements and assessment

Enrolled students who did not obtain the minimum score in the entrance exam will be assigned the following Additional Learning Requirements ("OFA"), which must be completed during the first year of the programme:

Basic Medical Knowledge.

The Additional Learning Requirements set are deemed to have been passed when students pass the exams in Physics, Statistics and Computer Science.

Students not completing the requirements by the date set by the Academic Bodies and published on the University portal will be required to re-enrol to the first year of the programme as repeating students.

4. Exemption of assessment of basic knowledge

Only applicants having obtained the credits indicated in the following subject areas in previous studies will be exempted from sitting the entrance exam:

- Subject area FIS/07 (Physics Applied to Cultural Heritage, the Environment, Biology and Medicine): 3 CFU

- Subject area INF/01 (Computer Science): 2 CFU

For students from the previous degree system under D.M. 509/99, exemption will be approved if they have passed at least one exam relating to the knowledge covered by the aforementioned subject areas.

Applicants to whom this clause refers should apply for exemption when submitting their application to the Student Administration Office.

The entrance exams will be held by 31 January of each year.