CPOs of Today and Tomorrow: What We Do and How We Do It. It's Who We Are.

Purpose To describe the unique combination of skills required to provide care to individuals with a wide variety of mobility and functional needs. Discussion The prosthetist/orthotist provides professional, skilled care to individuals with a wide variety of mobility and functional needs. Over time, the orthotic and prosthetic profession has evolved from a mechanic to a clinician, "still defined (uniquely) by hand skills." While the devices are distinctly important and a unique aspect to the care prosthetists/orthotists provide, the unique combination of skills (problem solving, critical thinking, communication, hand skills, and aptitude for technology) are the core skills, behaviors, and abilities of certified prosthetists/orthotists. Conclusion Prosthetics and orthotics continues to face similar challenges as ten, twenty, thirty years ago, and projections for the future feel strangely familiar. While our profession has expanded in other academic and cognitive skills, we cannot abandon the hand skills, which are one unarguably unique and core aspect of our profession. The prosthetist/orthotist core competencies should remain broad, flexible, and adaptable.