Damon Victor
Owner / CTO (Certified Technician of Orthotics)
Victor Technologies, LLC
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
As a youth, I went to 11 schools in 12 years. I learned how to get along and self-realiance early.
Left Alaska to study military engineering and weapons design at college in Florida.
I met a group of disabled Veterens at a keg party that changed my life.
"Why don't you use your mind to help people, not hurt them? You should build prosthetics"
I studied orthotics & prosthetics. I partied too much, played in punk-rock bands. Dropped-out.
Worked as a carpenter / tradesman until I was 30. I thought my dream of an O&P career was dead.
Knocked on every door and wouldn't take no for an answer until I got an entry level job in O&P.
Worked as a O&P technician for 10 yrs, saved up 50k, and started my own O&P company.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Owner / CTO (Certified Technician of Orthotics)
I own a company that designs and builds custom orthotics and prosthetics.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Science
Technology
Building Things
Day to Day
We receive casts from practitioners of patients. We seal and fill them with plaster to create positive models of residual limbs (prosthetics); or existing limbs (orthotics). We correct the molds per medical instructions, and then construct the main part of the devices by using thermo formable plastics or laminates like carbon fiber or fiberglass. We install components like knee or ankle joints, pads, and straps. The devices are aligned and calibrated depending on the condition of the patient.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Embrace the concept of apprenticeship. The orthotics & prosthetics industry has an established pathway for currently certified technicians to train and prepare other technicians. Eligibility to sit for certification exams with A.B.C. (American Board of Certification) begins after only two years of apprenticeship! You can get paid while you learn! Once you become an experienced O&P technician, your salary ranges from 35k to 65k! (from Sept. 2013 salary survey, O&P Edge magazine)
Recommended Education
My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You lack the maturity and experience to manage a company."
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
