This program was made possible by an Academy grant from the U.S. Department of Education (H235J060001). The Certificate Program for Professional Development focusing on the Prosthetic Foot/Ankle Mechanism incorporates the findings from the April 2005 State-of-the-Science Conference with general education on the biomechanics of foot function and gait; the rationales and practice of prescribing prosthetic feet; the mechanical analysis of feet and how they are studied; how research can improve prosthetic prescriptions and patient outcomes; the relationship between prosthetic foot selection and outcomes; and future research priorities. The conference of engineers, biomechanists, prosthetists, physical therapists, and physicians set out to examine the body of scientific evidence that supports the clinical prescription and use of prosthetic foot and ankle mechanisms.