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Be A Certified Pedorthist
(C.-Ped)
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What
is Pedorthics?
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Pedorthics is the design, manufacture, modification
and/or fit of footwear, including shoes, orthoses and foot devices, to prevent
or alleviate foot problems caused by disease, congenital defect, overuse or
injury.
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What is a Pedorthist?
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A Pedorthist can work with a doctor's prescription
for footwear as part of the patient's treatment. A Pedorthist can manufacture,
modify or fit footwear, shoes, orthosis etc.
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Do I Have To Be
A Pedorthist?
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As we all know, it wont be long
before Medicare requires shoes be fitted by a Certified Pedorthist or
Podiatrist. Maybe this year, maybe next. There are 6 states that
require it NOW!!
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Currently, in most parts of the country, to sell
shoes, you have to be a Podiatrist, Pedorthist, Orthotist, or Other
Qualified Individual. Currently in most states there is no exact
definition for other qualified individual.
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| In some states, (Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida, and Illinois) you do have to be
licensed to sell shoes. It will be national requirement soon. The
minimum requirement for this license is Pedorthist. |
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How do I become a
Pedorthist?
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Becoming a C-Ped
is not easy, and the Board for Certification in
Pedorthics (BCP) is making it more difficult in the future.
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Until Dec. 2005, all that was
needed was a high school education and 120 hours of learning.
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In 2006, it became a little
more difficult. 3 separate courses of about 40 hours each.
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And in 2010, you will need to serve an
apprenticeship and have a college degree to be certified.
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| We certainly recommend the sooner you can start, the better you will be. |
| We have talked to many people who have gone to many schools. The list
of schools is available on the Pedorthist Website.
www.Pedorthics.org or www.CPEDS.org |
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Become a
Certified Pedorthist
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| We strongly recommend, if you are not a Certified Pedorthist, that you
become one. |
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There are many schools, nationwide to take the
class. If there is not one in your city, we recommend you take the class with
Bill Meanwell. Bill is a C-Ped and on the board of the BCP.
Nationwide the passing rate for the BCP test is about 50%. Bill's is one of the highest in
the country.
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Contemporary Pedorthics Education,
http://www.pedorthiceducation.com/
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| He really knows his stuff, and knows how to explain it so that you will
have his knowledge, too. |
| From personal experience and from others I have spoken to, he is one of
those teachers, who will go the extra mile for a student. Stay late after
class, come in early, and keep on working with the student until he is sure
that the subject is fully understood. |
Bill takes his school on the road. He resides in Las Vegas, but if you want
to take the course in Miami, Tampa, or a host of other cities, you can. Click
below to download his schedule and registration form. Classes sell
out, so book early.
The only reason NOT to take Bill's class is that you live in a city that has a
CPED school and you can save the travel expense. |
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Even then, I recommend going the extra mile and
call Bill.
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Contact: Kathy Meanwell
International School of Pedorthics
(702) 449-0974
Email: kathymeanwell@yahoo.com
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Classes are given throughout the year in different
cities
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| Next BCP Test: www.cpeds.org
has all information. |
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PERSONAL
NOTE:
I took the
course at TEMPLE UNIVERSITY in Philadelphia. I felt like I was in a
commercial. Each day a different shoe company was there, trying to sell
their shoes or services to us. I did not feel that I got a good grasp of the
whole idea of Pedorthics and it showed in my test score. I scored 91. Passing
is 108. Of my class of 42 students, only 17 took the test, and only 7 passed.
Statistics for
all schools are on the BCP'S website, (www.cpeds.org) They do tell the passing
and failing rate of all schools in the country. What they do not tell
you is how many took the class and did not bother to take the test. In
my class, over half did not. I believe it was lack of knowledge.
(As I said this is a Personal Note)
Two years later,
I wanted to take it again, and I researched the schools, talked to a lot of
people who passed and failed in different schools, and decided to take Bill
Meanwell's course. Totally different method of teaching. He really
wants each person to pass. He will stay late after class to make sure
each person is finished and understands the concept of what they learned.
Most of my
classmates passed, as I did. and I recommend this class highly.
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