This page is for candidates preparing for the Certified Orthotics Specialist (CO) credential from the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics. It sets out the exam formats, fees and deadlines from the official site, links each official content area to a free practice set, and offers a study plan and answers to common questions.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics, “The Clinical Patient Management (CPM) exam consists of three, 60-minute modules designed to assess the practical skills considered by subject matter experts to be necessary in the competent performance of orthotics and prosthetics.”[1]
The CO credential is awarded by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics (ABC). To be eligible, you need a CAAHEP-accredited graduate degree in O&P and a 12-month NCOPE-accredited residency.
Certification involves a Written exam of 200 multiple-choice questions, a Simulation exam of 7 simulated case problems with 3 hours allowed, and a Clinical Patient Management (CPM) exam made up of 3 hands-on practical modules of 60 minutes each. The Written and Simulation exams are computer based, at a test center or with a live remote proctor. The CPM is taken in person in Tampa, FL.
Listed fees are $100 for the CO application, $300 for the Simulation exam and $775 for the CPM exam. The registration deadline is Dec 1, 2026 for the Written, Simulation and CPM exams, and the CPM dates are Feb 27 – Mar 7, 2027. Late applications are accepted up to 14 days after the deadline with a $100 late fee.
Scoring is criterion-referenced, and the passing scores are reviewed and revised annually, so we do not quote a fixed percentage. Written and Simulation results appear immediately. CPM results are emailed in about 3 days, and official scores follow in 2–3 weeks. You get 4 attempts per exam within a 3-year eligibility period, and each attempt costs the full exam fee.
Once certified, the annual renewal fee is $330, due December 1st, and certification renews at the end of a 5-year cycle. Dates and fees can change, so confirm them on the ABC website before you register.
The content areas below are copied from the official CO content outline published by American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Orthotic Domain 1 - Patient Assessment[8] | CO Patient Assessment & Evaluation Practise gathering history, examining the patient and recording findings that support a sound treatment decision. |
| Orthotic Domain 2 - Formulation of the Treatment Plan[8] | CO Treatment Planning & Protocols Practise linking assessment findings to goals, device choices and a clear plan. |
| Orthotic Domain 3 - Implementation of the Treatment Plan[8] | CO Materials Science & Fabrication Techniques Practise material selection, fabrication methods and how they affect the finished device. |
| Orthotic Domain 4 - Follow-up to the Treatment Plan[8] | CO Patient Care, Fitting & Follow-Up Proce... Practise fitting checks, patient instruction and how to respond when a device or the patient's condition changes. |
| Orthotic Domain 5 - Practice Management[8] | CO Business Operations & Practice Management Practise documentation, confidentiality, reimbursement and the business side of running a clinical practice. |
Prepare for the CO - Certified Orthotics Specialist exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Why is regular review important in CO risk management?
Answer: A. Conditions change and new risks emerge requiring updates
Explanation:
The correct answer is that conditions change and new risks emerge, so assessments need updating. A risk review is only useful if it reflects the current situation, and a patient, setting or device can change after the last review.
The option saying reviews are only needed after incidents is wrong because it waits for harm before looking, which defeats the purpose of managing risk. The option saying reviews are prohibited more than annually is wrong because nothing stops a clinician from reviewing sooner when circumstances shift. The option saying assessments stay valid forever is wrong because it assumes nothing ever changes.
Rule to remember: risk management is a continuing cycle, not a one-time document. Review on a schedule and whenever conditions change.
Question: What are principles of good documentation in CO?
Answer: A. Accuracy, completeness, timeliness, objectivity, and legibility
Explanation:
The correct answer lists accuracy, completeness, timeliness, objectivity and legibility. Together these make a record that another clinician, an auditor or a payer can rely on and read without guessing.
Speed as the only factor is wrong because a fast note that is inaccurate or missing detail fails the other qualities. Including personal opinions is wrong because a record should state observations and facts, not judgments about the patient. Documenting only positives is wrong because leaving out problems, complications or missed appointments makes the record misleading and incomplete.
Rule to remember: write what you observed and did, completely and promptly, in a form others can read. If a choice would make the record less objective or less complete, it is the wrong choice.
Question: What is a CO professional's obligation regarding confidentiality?
Answer: A. Protecting client information and disclosing only with authorization or legal requirement
Explanation:
The correct answer is protecting client information and disclosing it only with authorization or when the law requires it. Patients share sensitive details so you can treat them, and that trust depends on the information staying controlled.
Sharing freely with other professionals is wrong because being a professional does not by itself create a need or permission to know. Discussing cases with family is wrong because family members are not automatically entitled to details unless the patient has authorized it. Using information as marketing material is wrong because it serves the practice rather than the patient and needs explicit consent at the very least.
Rule to remember: default to protecting information, and disclose only when the patient authorizes it or a legal requirement applies.
Start with the official material. Read the ABC candidate guide sections on the exams and the application process so you know the format of each exam and the retake rules, and keep the official content area outline beside you as a checklist.
Next, take one of our practice sets for each official content area without notes to see where you stand. Do not chase a score. For every miss, write down why the right option is right and why the others are wrong, then group your misses by theme, such as documentation, fabrication or patient follow-up.
Spend most of your time on the weakest areas. Return to the matching set after a few days and check whether the same ideas still trip you up. Our questions are written by us to practise concepts and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict what you will see.
Because the Simulation and CPM exams test applied judgment, talk through a patient case from assessment to follow-up in your own words. Do this with each content area in turn. In the final days, review your written notes and confirm your registration, deadline and test location on the official site.
The Written exam has 200 multiple-choice questions. The Simulation exam has 7 simulated case problems and allows 3 hours. The CPM exam has 3 hands-on practical modules of 60 minutes each. Written and Simulation are computer based, while the CPM is taken in person in Tampa, FL.
The listed fees are $100 for the CO application, $300 for the Simulation exam and $775 for the CPM exam. Each retake costs the full exam fee. Check the ABC fees and dates page for the Written exam fee and any updates.
The deadline is Dec 1, 2026 for the Written, Simulation and CPM exams. Late applications are accepted up to 14 days after the deadline with a $100 late fee. The CPM exam runs Feb 27 – Mar 7, 2027. Confirm the dates on the official site.
ABC does not publish a single percentage here. Scoring is criterion-referenced, and the passing scores are reviewed and revised annually. Written and Simulation results appear immediately. CPM results are emailed in about 3 days, and official scores arrive in 2–3 weeks.
ABC grants 4 attempts to pass each exam within a 3-year eligibility period. Every attempt requires the full exam fee, so it pays to be ready before you register. Read the application process section of the candidate guide for the details.
Candidates need a CAAHEP-accredited graduate degree in O&P and a 12-month NCOPE-accredited residency. The candidate guide on the ABC website lists the full eligibility requirements, so check it against your own situation before you apply.
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