Should I be a prosthetist?

Do you want to give someone a hand? How about an arm or a foot?

A prosthetist makes prosthetic limbs (artificial limbs or other body parts) for people who are missing, have injured, or have lost arms, fingers, and even eyes. A prosthetic body part is known as a prosthesis (or plural: prostheses).

Try to say this 3 times really fast:

"A prosthetist makes prostheses."

If you want to help people solve physical challenges with bionic technology, a career as a prosthetist might be the right one for you!

Here is a quick overview of prosthetist awesomeness:

Video above 0:01 - 0:41

And yes, the narrator of the prosthetist video above mispronounced prosthetist ¯\(ツ)/ (as you know from your own practice above).

Prosthetists also:

• Talk to patients about what they need

• Choose materials

• Design devices

• Measure patients and prosthetic devices

• Adjust or fix prostheses

You might enjoy being a prosthetist if you...

• like to work with people but don't mind working alone at times

• can work with machines and tools

• have a creative mind

• want to help others improve their lives in a meaningful way

Skip this career if you...

• can't take being in college for six years or more

• want a predictable daily schedule

• are unwilling to study for exams and certifications

• prefer to work outdoors

• Limb specialist: prosthetist

• Eye specialist: ocularist

• Teeth specialist: prosthodontist

• Facial reconstruction: anaplastologist

• Pet specialist: veterinary prosthetist

In the United States, the median pay for prosthetists is $75,440. Not bad! It comes out to $36.27 USD per hour.

In Canada, a prosthetist would typically make $38.08 CAD an hour , which results in a nice $79,102 for the year.

Prosthetists work in manufacturing facilities, doctor offices, clinics, health and personal care stores, and hospitals.

• People with limbs missing at birth

• Accident victims

• Amputees

Prosthetists can make a big difference in someone's life as seen in the TikTok below:

Want to learn more about the wonderful work of prosthetists?