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Fellows

Fellow of the Academy:

American Academyof Orthotists & Prosthetists

Fellow of the Academy

A New Era for Fellowship.

We’re making Fellowship simpler to maintain while preserving the prestige, rigor, and professional recognition behind one of the Academy’s highest honors.

Earn it Once. Keep it Through Your Membership.

Beginning with the upcoming membership year, the Fellow of the Academy designation will become a membership category—creating a more streamlined, member-focused experience.

Not a Fellow yet?

Learn More

The important part

What’s Changing—and What Isn’t

The Process Gets Easier. The Standard Does Not.

What stays the same

The Standard Remains.

The separate five-year Fellowship renewal pricess has been eliminated. Once earned, Fellowship will be maintained through your annual Academy membership.

  • Rigorous eligibility standards
  • Sustained contributions to the profession
  • Recognition as one of the Academy’s highest honors

What’s new

A Simpler Way to Maintain Your Designation.

The separate five-year Fellowship renewal process has been eliminated. Once earned, Fellowship will be maintained through your annual Academy membership.

  • No separate Fellowship renewal application
  • No five-year Fellowship review cycle
  • Current Fellows transition automatically

Your membership

Fellowship Now Lives Where Your Membership Does

When you renew, simply verify that you are in the membership category that reflects your Fellowship status. That’s it—no second renewal process to track.

$25

Annual Fellow Category FeeBuilt into your membership renewal to cover administrative costs.

01

Professional Member

Fellow

FAAOP
02

Professional Member

Fellow with Distinction

FAAOP(D)
03

Associate Member

Fellow

FAAOP(A)

How it works

One Honor. One Membership Renewal.

Earn Fellowship

Meet the Academy’s established criteria through demonstrated, sustained contributions to O&P and the Academy.

Renew Annually

Renew your Academy membership each year using the Fellow category that matches your membership and recognition.

Stay Recognized

Remain an active Academy member and continue carrying the distinguished Fellow recognition you’ve earned.

For current & previous Fellows

Here’s What This Means for You

Current Fellow

You’re Moving Automatically.

Current Fellows will transition to the appropriate Fellow membership category. No additional application or documentation is required.

Lapsed Fellow status

You May be Eligible to Restore It.

If your Fellow status lapsed within the last five years while you maintained continuous Academy membership, you’re eligible to restore your Fellow status.

Contact rsparks@oandp.org
Recently renewed Fellowship

We’ll Review Your Account.

If you recently paid the prior five-year Fellow renewal fee, the Academy will review your account on a case-by-case basis.

Request an Account Review
Lapsed Academy membership

Start with Membership.

Active Academy membership is required to maintain a Fellow membership category. If your membership has lapsed, contact the Membership team about reinstatement.

Contact membership@oandp.org

Frequently asked questions
What You Need to Know         

Everything you need to know about earning, maintaining, and renewing your Fellow designation.

Ask Membership a Question.
Why is the Academy making this change?

This enhancement streamlines the Fellowship experience by eliminating the separate five-year renewal process while preserving the rigor and prestige of earning the Fellow of the Academy designation.

Are the requirements for becoming a Fellow changing?

No. The eligibility requirements and approval process remain the same. Candidates must continue to meet the Academy’s established criteria and demonstrate sustained contributions to the profession and the Academy.

What happens after I become a Fellow?

Once you’ve earned the Fellow of the Academy designation, maintaining your Fellowship is as simple as renewing your Academy membership. There is no longer a separate Fellowship renewal application or five-year review process.

What if I am already a Fellow?

Current Fellows will automatically transition to the appropriate Fellow membership category. No additional application or documentation is required.

What membership category will I select when I renew?

Select the category that reflects both your membership type and Fellowship status: Professional Member Fellow, Professional Member Fellow with Distinction, or Associate Member Fellow. A $25 annual fee will be built into your membership renewal fees to cover administrative costs.

Will I still need to renew my Academy membership each year?

Yes. Fellowship will become a membership category, so you’ll continue to renew your Academy membership annually and select the appropriate Fellow category during the renewal process.

Does this change affect the prestige of the Fellow designation?

No. Fellowship remains one of the Academy’s highest professional honors. The standards for earning the designation have not changed; this update simply streamlines how Fellows maintain their designation after earning it.

What if I let my Academy membership lapse?

To maintain your Fellow membership category, you must remain an active Academy member. If your membership lapses, contact the Academy’s Membership team at membership@oandp.org for information on reinstatement.

What if my Fellow status lapsed under the previous renewal requirements?

If your Fellow status lapsed within the last five years while you maintained continuous Academy membership, you are eligible to restore your Fellow status. Contact rsparks@oandp.org to inquire about rejoining the program.

What if I recently paid the previous five-year Fellow renewal fee?

Recently renewed Fellows may contact rsparks@oandp.org to have their account reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Fellow of the Academy

The Recognition Stays Distinguished.
The Process Gets Simpler.

Questions? Contact Membership