Career Intentions and Clinical Exposure in Amputee Rehabilitation and Prosthetics and Orthotics Among Turkish Physiotherapy Students
Keywords:
Amputees, Physical Therapy, Education, Prosthetics and OrthoticsAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the career preferences and self-perceived competence of fourth-year physiotherapy students in Türkiye regarding amputee rehabilitation and prosthetics/orthotics.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 220 fourth-year physiotherapy students from seven universities in Türkiye. The survey evaluated students' interest in pursuing careers in amputee rehabilitation and prosthetics/orthotics, their clinical exposure to amputee patients, and their self-perceived competence in these specialized fields.
Results: Over 50% of the surveyed students expressed no intention to work in amputee rehabilitation or prosthetics/orthotics after graduation. Most students reported observing fewer than three amputee patients during their education, indicating limited clinical exposure. Despite increased interest following the 2023 earthquake in Türkiye, 81.8% of students felt incompetent to participate in post-earthquake amputee rehabilitation.
Conclusion: The findings indicate insufficient clinical exposure in these fields, which may contribute to low perceived competence and limited career intentions. These findings emphasize the need for curriculum reforms and strategies to increase structured clinical exposure, such as systematic placements and collaborations with prosthetics and orthotics clinics, to enhance students' competence and confidence in amputee care and rehabilitation.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Halit Selçuk, Büşra Mehder Akbaş, Muhammed Şeref Yıldırım , Hilal Keklicek
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