Clinical Competence and Job Market Readiness of Prosthetics and Orthotics Graduates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Clinical competence is a fundamental outcome of prosthetics and orthotics (P&O) education and is expected to facilitate graduates' transition into professional practice. However, limited evidence exists regarding the relationship between clinical competence and job market readiness among P&O graduates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

To examine the relationship between perceived clinical competence and job market readiness among prosthetics and orthotics graduates in Jordan and to investigate whether openness moderates this relationship.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics program at the University of Jordan who had graduated within the previous five years. Data were collected between 1 July and 31 August 2025 using a structured online questionnaire comprising measures of clinical competence, job market readiness, and openness. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to assess the reliability and validity of the measurement model, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the proposed relationships. The moderating effect of openness was further evaluated using Hayes' PROCESS macro.

A total of 231 questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and overall model fit. Clinical competence was a significant positive predictor of job market readiness (β = 0.427, p = 0.013), explaining 37% of the variance in job market readiness. Openness did not have a significant direct effect on job market readiness (p = 0.072); however, it significantly moderated the relationship between clinical competence and job market readiness (B = 0.295, p = 0.021), indicating that the positive association between clinical competence and job market readiness was stronger among graduates with higher levels of openness.

Clinical competence plays a central role in enhancing graduates' readiness for professional employment in prosthetics and orthotics, while openness strengthens this relationship. These findings suggest that prosthetics and orthotics educational programs should integrate strategies that foster both clinical competence and adaptive personal attributes, and they may inform curriculum development and educational policies aimed at improving graduate employability and workforce readiness.