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How to become a Prosthetist and Orthotist

Takes casts and measurements, makes and fits artificial limbs and braces for people who have lost part of their body or its function, under a doctor's direction.

Workers in this job say vocational college (senmon gakko) or university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

You need a national qualification to become a prosthetist and orthotist. There are several ways to become eligible for the national exam: studying at a prosthetist and orthotist training institution for three years or more after high school; studying at a university or similar for at least one year (four years at a koto senmon gakko, or college of technology) and completing set subjects, then studying at a training institution for two years or more and gaining the required credits; or gaining the national trade skills test (ginou kentei) in prosthesis and orthosis making set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and then studying at a training institution for one year or more. Passing the exam gives you the prosthetist and orthotist qualification. Experience and skill matter a great deal, so you can keep working whatever your age. As your skills grow, you can also set up your own business. Clients' situations vary widely, so you need broad specialist knowledge and advanced skills, and knowledge of engineering as well as medicine. You often work with physical therapists, occupational therapists and others. You also need an artistic sense to recreate the shape of the human body and the engineering skill to make a device work properly as part of the body.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Prosthetist and Orthotist?

You need a national qualification to become a prosthetist and orthotist. There are several ways to become eligible for the national exam: studying at a prosthetist and orthotist training institution for three years or more after high school; studying at a university or similar for at least one year (four years at a koto senmon gakko, or college of technology) and completing set subjects, then studying at a training institution for two years or more and gaining the required credits; or gaining the national trade skills test (ginou kentei) in prosthesis and orthosis making set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and then studying at a training institution for one year or more. Passing the exam gives you the prosthetist and orthotist qualification. Experience and skill matter a great deal, so you can keep working whatever your age. As your skills grow, you can also set up your own business. Clients' situations vary widely, so you need broad specialist knowledge and advanced skills, and knowledge of engineering as well as medicine. You often work with physical therapists, occupational therapists and others. You also need an artistic sense to recreate the shape of the human body and the engineering skill to make a device work properly as part of the body.

How much does a Prosthetist and Orthotist earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,541,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other health care workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Prosthetist and Orthotist?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 45% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Allied Health degrees; National trade skills test (技能検定); Vocational college (専門学校) course: Other medical courses.

Will AI change the work of a Prosthetist and Orthotist?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026