Owings Mills, MD – A new category, “Emeritus status,” has been introduced by the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) to recognize former certificants’ years of service in orthotics and prosthetics. The designation of “Emeritus status” acknowledges the service, dedication, and hard work of now-inactive BOC-certified practitioners in good standing following fifteen or more years of continuous BOC certification.
Emeritus status, given to those who are no longer practicing but still retain the certification title, honors years of experience, expertise, and quality patient care in the O&P industry. Any BOC-certified practitioner leaving O&P practice with fifteen years or more of continuous BOC certification is eligible for self-nomination or nomination by another BOC-certified practitioner.
Nominations for Emeritus status are currently being accepted by the BOC Director of Certification, Jan paul Miller, MA, MEd. Once a nominee’s qualifications are verified by the BOC staff, the Emeritus-elect will be able to use his or her former credential, followed by the word “Emeritus” (e.g. Philip P. Watson, BOCP Emeritus™).
“For some time now, we’ve been thinking through ways to acknowledge the service and hard work of those certificants who are no longer practicing but have served in the industry for many years,” said John Kenney, MURP, BOCO, Chairman of BOC’s Board of Directors. “With the introduction of Emeritus status, we believe we have found a way to thank certificants for their commitment to the profession and to BOC.”
An Emeritus certificant who wishes to return to active status must follow the normal procedures for reinstatement in BOC’s Recertification Policy.
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Since 1984, The Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) has provided credentials demonstrating the competence and proficiency of OP&P professionals. BOC offers NCCA-accredited certification programs in five disciplines: orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, orthotic fitting, and mastectomy fitting. BOC’s facility accreditation program partners with DMEPOS suppliers to meet standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and improve business practices. BOC credentials celebrate and recognize the competence, professionalism, and safe practice environments of BOC-related practitioners and BOC-accredited facilities. For more information, please visit www.www.bocusa.org.