Podiatrists
Additional Information
Duties
Podiatrists frequently treat the following conditions, among others:
- By examining their medical history, talking with them about their issues, and completing an examination on them, examine the feet and lower legs of a patient to determine how they are doing.
- Determine the cause of foot, ankle, and lower limb pain using a variety of diagnostic tools, including physical examinations, x-rays, and tests performed in a laboratory.
- To help a patient's mobility, prescribe orthotic inserts (orthotics) in the form of custom-made shoe inserts.
- Conduct procedures on the feet and ankles, including the removal of bone spurs, the repair of fractures, and the correction of various foot and ankle malformations; perform.
- Educate patients on proper foot and ankle care as well as health practices in general.
- Write prescriptions for medicines.
- Involved in patient care coordination with other doctors.
For bigger health issues, such diabetes or cardiovascular disease, doctors should refer their patients to experts.
Keep up with the latest developments in podiatric medicine and surgery by conducting research, reading journals, and attending conferences.
Calluses, ingrown toenails, heel spurs, arthritis, congenital foot and ankle abnormalities, and arch difficulties are among the conditions that podiatrists treat. They also address foot and limb disorders that are linked to diabetes and other conditions. Surgery, such as foot and ankle reconstruction, is a major focus for certain podiatrists Those who want to specialize can go into fields like sports medicine, pediatrics, or diabetic foot care.
For podiatrists who run their own practice, time may be spent on administrative tasks including employing staff and maintaining inventory.
Education
For a podiatrist to practice, they need to obtain a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). A four-year DPM program is required to earn a diploma. The Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) certified nine podiatric medical schools in 2017.
Applicants to podiatric medicine schools must have completed at least three years of undergraduate study, which must include particular laboratory science courses in biology, chemistry, and physics as well as general education requirements such as English composition. In reality, almost all aspiring podiatrists complete their undergraduate studies before enrolling in a school of podiatric medicine. Take the MCAT to get into DPM programs! (MCAT).
As with other medical degrees, coursework for a DPM is very similar. They encompass anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology, among other topics. –> Podiatric medical students do clinical rotations throughout their final two years of study.
Training
Podiatrists must undergo a three-year residency in podiatric medicine and surgery (PMSR) after receiving their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree. Hospital-based residencies offer both medical and surgical training.
For example, podiatric wound care or diabetic foot care may require further training for podiatrists.
Registration, Licenses, and Certifications
Every state requires a license for podiatrists. The National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME) offers the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam (APMLE), which all aspiring podiatrists must pass. Podiatrists in several states are also required to complete a state-specific examination.
As a board-certified podiatrist, many opt to further their education. Work experience and passing a certification test are the most common ways to obtain certification. The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, the American Board of Podiatric Medicine, and the American Board of Multiple Specialties in Podiatry all provide board certifications in the field of podiatric medicine.
Characteristics of Critical Importance
Compassion. Patients in pain should be treated with compassion and understanding by podiatrists, while they offer care for them.
Analytical abilities. You need an analytical mind in order to appropriately diagnose and treat patients with podiatric conditions.
Dedicated to accuracy. A podiatrist's attention to detail is critical to the quality of his or her patient treatment. When diagnosing an issue, a podiatrist, for example, must consider both the patient's medical history and the present state of his or her ailment.
The ability to interact with others. It's important for podiatrists to be empathetic and excellent communicators since they spend a lot of time with patients. As an example, they need to be able to soothe the nerves of a patient who is about to undergo surgery.
Pay
The median annual wage for podiatrists was $152,800 in May 2024. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $57,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $239,200.
Job Projections
Employment of podiatrists is projected to grow 1 percent from 2023 to 2033, slower than the average for all occupations.