Prosthetic education: Are occupational therapy students’ needs being met?

Based on a previous survey on prosthetics and orthotics training in occupational therapy (OT) [1], we developed a 14-question online questionnaire that was made available to the directors of 167 occupational therapy programs (Masters and Ph.D.) in the US and Canada. Fiftytwo surveys were completed for a response rate of 31%. Overall, the results indicated that since the previous survey, little has changed in the amount of time and emphasis OT faculty assign to providing training in prosthetics and orthotics, or in the training experiences, OT students receive. Notably, only a few hours of the total OT curriculum is devoted to training in prosthetics. For the majority of programs (62%) the content was embedded within related classes. Only 32% of programs had a required lecture in prosthetics/orthotics. Despite the lack of time given in the curriculum, 85% of program directors thought that training in prosthetics/orthotics was important or very important. The use of prosthetic simulators was reported as the single most desirable training tool. However, lack of time and overcrowding in the curriculum were cited as the greatest barriers to providing more training to students. We elaborate on these findings, discuss their implications for OT students and practitioners, and provide specific recommendations about how to overcome the barriers and enhance upper limb amputee exposure and knowledge through the prosthetic training experience.