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CONTENTS

1. Routes to becoming a prosthetist or orthotist

2. Skills you’ll need

3. Finding work experience

4. How to get a job as a prosthetist or orthotist

5. What it's like to be a prosthetist or orthotist

Routes to becoming a prosthetist or orthotist

Both prosthetists and orthotists use technology to help patients regain mobility. Prosthetists focus on designing and fitting artificial limbs. Orthotists use various aids, such as braces or sprints, to fix nerve, muscle and bone ailments. Both aim to restore and maintain movement that’s free of pain.

You must register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) before you can practice as a prosthetist or orthotist. You can do so by completing an HCPC-approved Prosthetics & Orthotics degree. Most Prosthetics & Orthotics courses at university are HCPC-approved, but make sure you check.

A Prosthetics & Orthotics course will teach you how to:

• Provide prosthetic and orthotic care
• Give surgical advice during amputation
• Develop effective treatment plans based on different needs

Undergraduate and postgraduate courses are available. You’ll spend a lot of time in clinical settings doing practical-based learning, mixed with theoretical class-based learning.

Undergraduate degrees

Bachelor’s degrees in Prosthetics & Orthotics in the UK take three or four years to complete. They take longer if you study part-time. An integrated foundation year is also available, which adds an extra year.

As a Prosthetics & Orthotics student, £5,000 is available to you every year via the NHS Learning Support Fund. This goes towards your tuition fees and doesn’t need to be repaid. You’ll also be afforded an extra £1,000 each year that’s non-repayable, as the government have identified Prosthetics & Orthotics as a subject struggling to recruit.

Currently, only two universities in the UK offer undergraduate courses in Prosthetics & Orthotics: University of Salford and University of Strathclyde.

In our , we outline further the entry requirements for undergraduate courses, what topics are typically covered and how you’ll be assessed.

Degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships are also available. These give you the chance to work and earn while you study part-time for a bachelor’s degree. You apply through an employer, but the course is still coordinated with a university.

You can find available Prosthetics & Orthotics degree apprenticeships at either or . Employers lay out the entry requirements and also pay for your degree, which means you won’t be eligible for any tuition fee loans or grants.

Postgraduate degrees

Master’s, postgraduate certificates, and postgraduate diplomas are all available if you wish to specialise in a particular area of Prosthetics & Orthotics. They’re also ideal if you wish to research and teach once you graduate.

Courses should take one year to complete. If you study part-time, you can expect to complete the course in two years.

Skills you’ll need

The following skills are what make a good prosthetist or orthotist:

• Practical and technical skills when fitting aids and devices
• Building rapport and trust
• Listening skills and empathy to understand patient needs
• Attention to detail
• Clear and confident communication
• Breaking down complex information into simple terms

Finding work experience

Although it’s not a requirement, having work experience will significantly improve your application onto a Prosthetics & Orthotics undergraduate course. It will show evidence of your enthusiasm for the subject and will help you get a foot in the door.

Try any of the following to gain work experience:

• Offer to help with a
• Shadow a prosthetist or orthotist
• Sit down and chat with a prosthetist or orthotist about their experience
• Work in a care home, retirement village, or disability centre
• Help in a local school or daycare centre
• Volunteer with charities such as St John Ambulance

Whether the work is paid or unpaid, or if you’re just volunteering, work experience is encouraged.

How to get a job as a prosthetist or orthotist

You’ll have to successfully complete a degree in Prosthetics & Orthotics, approved by the HCPC. After graduating, you can register to practise professionally. The application will cost £49.06, and you can expect to hear back on your application within 10 working days.

You can find vacant roles at  or , but note that you’ll only be considered once your HCPC registration’s been approved.

What it's like to be a prosthetist or orthotist

You could be working in a rehabilitation centre or across wards in a hospital or health centre. The role may involve travelling to patients’ homes and special needs centres. Daily tasks could include:

• Assessing, diagnosing and treating patients
• Designing and fitting surgical devices
• Working with and checking up on rehabilitating patients
• Taking measurements and using computer modelling
• Making sure limbs and devices are comfortable and working well
• Repairing and adjusting appliances

You could be working alongside technicians and other healthcare professionals such as amputation surgeons. Your patients will be diverse – from children with cerebral palsy to military veterans.

After qualifying, you’ll have Continuing Professional Development (CPD) check-ins, where you discuss your career and future goals. You can become a member of organisations like the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) or the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), where you can take courses, network and attend events.

A working week is typically 37.5 hours, and you may have to work evenings and weekends. Salaries for prosthetists and orthotists are on the Agenda for Change system (the NHS staff grading and pay scale), usually on band 5. The NHS offers generous pension schemes, holiday allowances and health service discounts.

Is a role as a prosthetist or orthotist right for you?

You’ll need good mathematical, practical and technical skills. Work can get physical, as you'll use your hands a lot when adjusting prostheses or aids, so be prepared for this.

There are jobs around the UK, but you may have to relocate to find appropriate work. The role may also involve a lot of travel. You may work with patients recovering from traumatic incidences, which can be both challenging and rewarding.