3219- Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)

Canada NOC: 
3219
Job Title: 

Other medical technologists and technicians (except dental health)

Job Description: 

This unit group includes medical technologists and technicians not elsewhere classified, such as dietary technicians, pharmacy technicians, ocularists, prosthetists, orthotists, prosthetic technicians and orthotic technicians. Dietary technicians are employed in health care and commercial food service establishments such as hospitals, extended care facilities, nursing homes, schools, cafeterias and fast food outlets. Pharmacy technicians are employed in retail and hospital pharmacies, long-term care facilities and by pharmaceutical manufacturers. Ocularists are employed in custom ocular prosthetic laboratories, or they may be self-employed. Prosthetists, orthotists and prosthetic and orthotic technicians are employed in hospitals, clinics, prosthetics and orthotics laboratories, and prosthetic device manufacturing companies. Prosthetists and orthotists may also be self-employed.

Main Duties: 

Dietary technicians perform some or all of the following duties:


Assist dietitians or nutritionists to plan and supervise food service operations
Plan menus and diet for individuals or groups under the direction of a dietitian or nutritionist
Assist in the supervision of personnel who prepare and serve food
Help patients select menu items
Assist dietitians with research in food, nutrition and food service systems.
Pharmacy technicians perform some or all of the following duties:


Assist pharmacists to maintain inventories of medications and prescription records of pharmaceutical products
Ensure the information on prescriptions is accurate
Enter client information in databases and prepare medications for clients
Compound oral solutions, ointments and creams
Bill third party insurers
May help with scheduling and workflow.
Ocularists perform some or all of the following duties:


Design, fabricate and fit ocular prostheses and conformers, and may design and fabricate implants
Paint the iris and pupil of artificial eyes
Clean and restore ocular prostheses
Advise patients concerning the loss of depth perception and the care and use of ocular prostheses
Repair and maintain fabrication and laboratory equipment
Consult with ophthalmologists concerning insertion of ocular prostheses.
Prosthetists and orthotists perform some or all of the following duties:


Design, fabricate and fit prosthetic and orthotic appliances such as artificial limbs, braces or supports
Interpret physicians' specifications and examine and measure patients to develop working sketches of appliances
Make and modify plaster casts of areas to receive prostheses or orthoses
Fit, adjust and repair appliances
Advise patients in the use and care of prostheses and orthoses
Supervise and direct the activities of prosthetic and orthotic technicians.
Prosthetic and orthotic technicians perform some or all of the following duties:


Assemble or build prosthetic and orthotic appliances according to drawings, measurements and plaster casts using a variety of materials such as metals, plastics and leathers
Repair, rebuild and modify prosthetic and orthotic appliances or orthopaedic footwear
May take the body or limb measurements of patients.

Employment Requirements: 

Dietary technicians require completion of a two- to three-year college program in dietary technology and supervised practical training.
Pharmacy technicians usually require completion of a two- to three-year college program in pharmaceutics.
Registration with a regulatory body is required for pharmacy technicians in all provinces except Quebec and Saskatchewan.
Ocularists require completion of the education program of the American Society of Ocularists and supervised practical training
or
A five-year supervised practical training program under a certified ocularist.
Certification by the National Examining Board of Ocularists is usually required.
Prosthetists and orthotists require a two-year college program in prosthetics and orthotics technology and three years of supervised practical training.
Certification by the Canadian Board of Certification of Prosthetists and Orthotists (CBCPO) may be required.
Prosthetic and orthotic technicians usually require a two- to three- year college program in prosthetics and orthotics and one to two years of supervised practical training
or
Completion of secondary school and up to four years of supervised practical training under a certified prosthetist or orthotist.
Registration with the Canadian Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (CAPO) may be required.

Additional Inormation: 

Prosthetic and orthotic technicians may become certified prosthetists or orthotists with an additional two years of experience as a registered prosthetic or orthotic technician and completion of certification examinations by the Canadian Board of Certification of Prosthetists and Orthotists.

Classified Elsewhere: 

Other health care technologists and technicians (in 321 Medical technologists and technicians (except dental health))
Pharmacy aides (in 3414 Other assisting occupations in support of health services)
Technologists and technicians in therapy and assessment (in 3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment)

Similar O*NET Careers (USA) : 
International Careers(ISCO): 
Source Of Info: 

National Occupation Classification, (2011)

Statistics Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada,

February 2012,

Catalogue no. 12-583-X