AOPA/IIOP Business Certificate Program

“The Business Certificate program was a great experience. In just a few months, I gained the equivalent of an MBA’s worth of knowledge, equipping me with essential skills in management, finance, and sales and marketing tailored specifically for the orthotics and prosthetics industry. The expert-led sessions provided invaluable insights that I could immediately apply in my career. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to elevate their expertise and drive success in the O&P field!” – Laurie Johnson

We are pleased to launch the reinvigorated Business Certificate Program offered in partnership with the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics (IIOP) to AOPA members.

The first semester (Fall semester) will begin on Monday, August 24. We will be holding a Virtual Open House on Monday, August 10, where you can get all your questions answered as well as get ready for the Fall semester! Register for the Virtual Open House.

This comprehensive certificate program offers a series of business and management courses targeted to business owners, managers, admin, practitioners of O&P patient care facilities, and O&P manufacturers and distributors. Participants will explore key opportunities and challenges in O&P and gain practical knowledge to strengthen their business acumen. All content is tailored specifically to O&P. 

The core courses and electives are built around four pillars to help strengthen your O&P business management skills: Healthcare Operations; Healthcare Management; Finance; and Sales and Marketing. Courses are delivered through asynchronous online learning platforms, offering flexibility for busy O&P professionals. 

IIOP CORE COURSES:

IIOP’s core courses will feature four core courses, one in each of the pillars.

Finance: Participants will build financial literacy for O&P professionals by connecting clinical and operational decisions to financial outcomes. Participants will gain a practical understanding of revenue, costs, reimbursement, and financial risk in a healthcare environment. The course moves from basic financial concepts to advanced topics such as budgeting, margin management, and long-term financial sustainability, empowering participants to make informed decisions that support both patient care and organizational stability.

Management: Participants will focus on the management and leadership skills required to effectively lead teams in O&P settings. Participants will explore how organizational structure, communication, performance management, and culture influence both staff engagement and patient care. The course progresses from foundational management concepts to advanced leadership strategies, including change management and succession planning, preparing participants to lead in complex healthcare environments.

Operations: Participants will receive a comprehensive overview of how O&P practices operate day to day. Participants will learn how clinical workflows, documentation, inventory management, and technology systems interact to affect efficiency, compliance, cost, and patient outcomes. The course progresses from foundational operational concepts to advanced performance management and optimization strategies, enabling participants to understand and improve the operational health of their organization.

Sales and Marketing: Participants will examine sales and marketing through the lens of ethics, compliance, and patient-centered care in O&P. Participants will learn how referral relationships, patient experience, branding, and marketing channels contribute to sustainable growth. The course emphasizes education-based outreach and long-term relationship building rather than transactional sales tactics, providing participants with practical tools to responsibly grow access to care.

Please note that IIOP core courses are on a rolling schedule. The date you join will determine the course you start on; to successfully move on to the next IIOP course, you will need to successfully complete all the modules and the final assessment by the end of the date listed on the schedule for that course.

The format for the core courses is fully online through the Canvas online learning platform with self-guided instructional materials with knowledge check exams as well as introductory and recap videos. There will be guest speakers and participation assignments as well.

The core courses take place online over a 16-week semester. Each course for enrollment can be completed in a 25-day period (or four weeks) before moving to the next course. Each course must be completed in sequence of Finance—> Management—>  Operations—>  Sales & Marketing. You can use multiple semesters to complete the sequence if needed. Each course is estimated to take 20 hours to complete. Successful graduates must take one core course from each pillar and successfully complete the assessment at the end with an 80% or higher.

Core course cost: AOPA member: $200 per course

Please note, you must enroll in the core courses you plan to take by August 24 to take part in the Fall semester.

Get more details on the IIOP Core Courses here.

AOPA ELECTIVES:

You can customize your experience by choosing from a diverse selection of electives designed specifically for O&P professionals. Developed by experts, these elective courses provide practical strategies and real-world insights to help you strengthen every aspect of your business.

Electives are also organized under the four pillars:

• Finance – Build financial confidence through courses on budgeting, revenue cycle management, succession planning, and business valuation.
• Healthcare Management – Navigate payer enrollment and credentialing, strengthen collaboration between clinical and business teams, and develop strategies to improve staff retention and organizational performance.
• Healthcare Operations – Explore best practices in coding and compliance, cybersecurity, HIPAA, risk management, and operational excellence to protect and grow your practice.
• Sales and Marketing – Learn how to successfully launch new services, build your brand, strengthen referral relationships, improve public speaking, and develop marketing strategies that drive sustainable growth.

Whether you’re an owner, manager, clinician, or emerging leader, these electives allow you to tailor your learning experience to your professional goals while gaining practical tools you can immediately apply in your organization.

View the complete list of Business Certificate Program electives and course descriptions.

AOPA’s elective courses feature 60–90-minute videos on various O&P topics with a final assessment at the end. AOPA is offering more electives than ever before with 13 electives. Successful graduates must take one elective from each pillar and successfully complete the assessment at the end with an 80% or higher.

Elective course cost: AOPA member: FREE (except for the Coding and Billing Seminar)

What Do You Get by Participating?

• Access to quality, O&P-focused business management education
• Dedicated support through a virtual open house, virtual office hours, and more
• Upon successful completion, you receive an IIOP and AOPA Business Certificate, demonstrating your knowledge and expertise in O&P business management.
• All courses come with CE credits. Your ABC and BOC number must be provided when registering to receive credit.
•  Virtual office hours are also available with for the IIOP Core Courses.
• Graduates will be recognized on stage at the AOPA National Assembly.
• Graduates also join an elite group of O&P business management experts and are listed on the AOPA Business Certificate webpage.
• Graduates will also receive a digital badge for inclusion on their LinkedIn page and in their email signature to demonstrate their experience.

Overall Certificate Cost: We are pleased to share that the cost is significantly less than previous programs. Cost includes the courses, the certificate, and the CE credits!

Member pricing: Entire certificate: $800

• IIOP Core Courses: $200 each
• AOPA Electives: FREE (excluding the Coding & Billing Seminar)

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST COMPLETE THE CERTIFCATE WITHIN 2 YEARS OF ENROLLMENT.

“This unique leadership experience will provide YOU an opportunity to learn fresh insights, new tools, and proven techniques for developing better business practices, while improving your company’s returns. There is no better way to advance your career or increase your business skills then through this program uniquely tailored to O&P.”– Linda Calabria

Graduates

• Abbey Downing, MSPO, CPO
• Amanda Russell, BBA, CPOA, CFo
• Amy Bauman, CPO
• Bridget Augustine, CPO
• Caciel Antonio Ruvalcaba Gonzalez
• Chrishelle Willeman, MSOP, CPO
• Curt Bertram, CPO
• Dana Glover
• Fernando Saul Ortiz Salazar
• Karla Spero
• Laurie Johnson
• Linda Calabria
• Pranee Guichet
• Ramen Landon, CPO
• Timothy Baldwin, COA
• Ying Chen
• Yuri Escoto, CMF

Enrollment

How to participate and earn your AOPA/IIOP Business Certificate:

Express Interest in Participating to AOPA: To express interest in the program and receive more information on next steps, please complete the online interest form. This form helps us track your participation toward your final certificate and graduation from the program. Each course will still need to be individually enrolled in and completed successfully to graduate. A successful graduation includes enrollment and successful completion of all four core classes through IIOP and four electives, one from each pillar, through AOPA.

Register for Each Required Core Course through IIOP: IIOP core courses are on a rolling schedule. The date you join will determine the course you start in, based on this schedule.  To successfully move on to the next IIOP course on the schedule, you will need to successfully complete the modules and the final assessment by the end of the date listed on the schedule for that course.

Register for and successfully complete four AOPA electives, one under each pillar: To register for these, please log into AOPAversity with your AOPA account and search for the course. Courses associated with each pillar are listed above.  You will have 2 years to complete these courses.  You must successfully complete one course and its assessment from each pillar to finish your electives.

• Sign into the AOPA Hub
• On the left-hand side, select “Online Store”
• Enter your ABC/BOC certification number(s)
• Search for the course you are looking to take and add to cart. Select “Review & Checkout”
• Review information to make sure it’s correct and checkout
• You will receive an email confirmation to let you know you successfully purchased the course
• Sign into AOPAversity, search for your course or go to “My Courses” to find the course you purchased

How to Graduate

A successful graduation includes enrollment and successful completion of all four core classes through IIOP and four electives, one from each pillar, through AOPA. Successful completion is defined as passing the final assessment for each course with a score of 80% or higher with three attempts available. All courses must be completed within 2 years of initial enrollment.

Once an individual successfully passes and completes the four core classes through IIOP and four electives through AOPA, they will qualify to receive the O&P Business Certificate. Graduates are invited to join us at the following National Assembly for recognition and receipt of their certificate of completion. Graduates also join an elite group of O&P business management experts and are listed on the AOPA website. Finally, graduates will also receive a digital badge for inclusion on their LinkedIn page and in their email signature to demonstrate their experience.

Contacts

• For questions about the overall Certificate or Electives please contact Kaylah Urie at onlineeducation@aopanet.org.
• For questions about Core Courses please contact Brittany Jones at bjones@iiop.edu.

About the International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics: The International Institute of Orthotics and Prosthetics (IIOP) is an organization that seeks to improve the lives of people living with amputation, veterans, and their families by enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of the practitioners who serve them. It does this primarily through its work with accredited O&P programs in research, innovation, education, and collaboration.

The Institute was established in 2015 to serve as a resource center for educators, researchers, practitioners, and patients.

The Institute offers a variety of O&P, allied health and amputee rehabilitation and therapy programs.   Additional support services available include grant writing, research and assistance with developing partnerships to leverage funding. It also provides practitioners with greater access to the industry’s knowledge by hosting workshops and symposia. The Institute’s facility enables researchers and professional partners to collaborate with us on innovative projects. And because the Institute is located just minutes from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, people living with amputation, veterans, first responders, and their families can also receive wrap-around services such as wellness programs and other rehabilitative services offered by either the government or private sector.