The Vital Role of Prosthetists

By: Nida Azeemi

Currently in the United States, there are 1.7 million people who rely on the use of prosthetics. This is all possible because of prosthetists: healthcare providers who make and fit artificial limbs for disabled individuals. The role of prosthetists is incredibly significant, and their hard work should be addressed. 

In a prosthetist's day to day life, they often focus on tasks such as, assessing people’s needs, taking measurements of the body area which needs a prosthetic, creating prosthetics, educating patients on the use of the artificial limbs, etc. They focus on each patient separately, as prosthetics are custom-made to cater the specific needs of the patient. There are also various skills that align with the tasks prosthetists perform. They should be able to clinically assess individuals, communicate properly, problem solve if issues occur, and work manually with the prosthetics. Their ability to perform these tasks and hone these skills is what allows them to support their patients and help them in the best way possible. 

To become a prosthetist, you first have to earn a bachelor’s degree. There’s no specific major you have to do during undergrad, but there are certain classes needed to move on to a graduate program. Such as, biology, anatomy, chemistry, etc. You would need to maintain a GPA of 3.0 and have a minimum of 21 hours in science courses. After earning a bachelor’s degree, you would need to complete a master’s degree in prosthetics and orthotics, which would take around 2 years. These graduate programs need to be accredited by CAAHEP, and these programs contain clinical training. During the clinicals, you’ll work under professionals to learn and you’ll be able to gain the 500 hours of experience that’s necessary. After that, you would need to complete a 1 year residency program, then take the exam to earn your certificate. 

Overall, being a prosthetist can be a very rewarding job as it consists of working with each individual patient, and helping them improve their mobility and gain their independence. Prosthetics is an incredibly fascinating kind of technology, and as this field is constantly evolving and changing, there’s always a need for more individuals to specialize in this field. 

Works Cited

“11 Fascinating Facts about Prosthetics: What You Need to Know About This Life-Changing Technology | OP Centers.” Orthotic and Prosthetic Centers of Florida - OPC, 3 September 2022, https://opcenters.com/11-fascinating-facts-about-prosthetics-what-you-need-to-know-about-this-life-changing-technology/. Accessed 26 February 2025.

“How to Become an Orthotist or Prosthetist.” Hospital Careers, https://hospitalcareers.com/career-paths/how-to-become-an-orthotist-or-prosthetist/. Accessed 26 February 2025.

“Orthotist and Prosthetist.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/orthotist-and-prosthetist. Accessed 26 February 2025.

“Orthotist & Prosthetist: Who They Are & What They Do.” Cleveland Clinic, 7 August 2024, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/orthotist-prosthetist. Accessed 26 February 2025.