Orthotist / Prosthetist
What the work is
Prescribes, designs and fits orthoses and prostheses to improve function impacted by illness, disability or amputation.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assesses clients' emotional, psychological, developmental and physical capabilities using clinical observations and standardised tests
- Administers muscle, nerve, joint and functional ability tests
- Assesses clients' functional potential in their home, leisure, work and school environments, and recommends appropriate assistive technologies to maximise their performance
- Develops individual orthotic/prosthetic service plans, considering relevant material science, biomechanics and anatomical factors
- Prescribes, designs and fits orthoses and prostheses to meet clients' needs, including their functional, emotional, psychological and developmental goals
- Provides gait training, education and continual monitoring, assessment and evaluation of orthoses and prostheses and treatments
- Collaborates with other Health Professionals in overall case management, including team consultation as required, about clients' challenges, needs and progress
- Adjusts and modifies orthoses and prostheses to accommodate minor changes to clients' neuromuscular and skeletal systems
- Maintains accurate records of client assessments, device specifications and adjustments
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a clinic and workshop where artificial limbs and supportive braces are designed and fitted. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A teenager takes their first confident steps on a limb you built for them
- A patient comes in for an adjustment and mentions they ran for a bus
- The workshop smells of resin and you finish something that fits perfectly
Hard days
- A fitting that is almost right, and a patient who is tired of coming back
- A deadline from a client who wants a device in time for an event
- Explaining to someone that their expectations are higher than a device can deliver
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 262931, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.