The Industry...
First of all you must, and this is very important, you MUST take charge of your care. You WILL NOT receive a good result if you do not become proactive. The main reason for this is that the entire process of getting an artificial leg depends on your choices and your analysis. You have to choose the prosthetist, the leg parts, and the socket type. Then as you are getting fitted for an artificial leg, good results depend on your feedback. The process involves you telling your prosthetist how you feel and any analysis you may have. The prosthetist cannot feel what you are feeling. Also, if the prosthetist himself is not an amputee, he does not even have a clue what it feels like to be an amputee, and he may also not have a very good idea of what to look for to create a successful outcome.
Second, an artificial leg is the perfect product for creating profit for the producer. Sorry for the cynicism, but the business of prosthetics is indeed in it for a profit, which by itself is not immoral. However, an artificial leg can be a very lucrative product to sell. Why? first, because, the customer (you), does not shop on price. When you can't walk, you are not looking for a low cost "cheapie" leg. Frankly you probably don't care so much about cost (especially if insurance covers most of it). This allows for the prices to stay very high. Second, an active AK amputee is prone to need new legs (or parts of legs) several times due to shape changes in the residual limb and parts breakages. So, not only do you have to have it, you will come back and buy more when it no longer is good for you (or was never good for you). Third, bad workmanship, or bad care is not punished in this industry. If you can't walk after you get your leg, you don't have much choice. You can try to get it "adjusted" until you are worn down, but there are no money back guarantees. Poor care, which can involve everything from the socket shape, to the leg alignment, to the parts used, IS NOT guaranteed. A bad outcome is assumed to be due to the fact that you are disabled and shouldn't be able to walk very good anyway. So, a bad leg will actually tend to increase business, because you are going to be looking to get a new leg as soon as possible!!
Third, prosthetists are not doctors.The capabilities from one to another prosthetist vary greatly, some are very good and some are very bad. This is yet another barrier to getting a good result. You are dependent on this person to create what you will walk on, and he/she may not have the knowledge to do so. Yet, again, failure will not reflect on the prosthetist. Failure will simply be put on your shoulders and you will have to go get a new leg or give up.
AboveKneeAmputee.com™ has noticed that prosthetists that have graduated from a reputable college with a 4-year degree majoring in prosthetics tend to have better skills. In the United States there are only a handful of colleges that teach prosthetics. One of the best schools seems to be The University of Texas at Southwest (in Dallas, Texas).
If you are having a hard time finding a prosthetist that has gone to a college to learn the trade, look for one that is certified. They will have "CP or CPO" next to their name on their business cards. Certification is definitely easier to obtain than graduation from a college program, but it is better than nothing. The goal here is to make sure you have a professional person making your leg. This person has to care about his/her work and have the sufficient analytical skills to work with you and understand the problems you will encounter. An artificial leg is something you are going to put on every day and walk on everywhere. You cannot afford to get a lemon !!!