How to Be Podiatrist in 3 Steps

What is Podiatry? Podiatry (from the Latin pedis, meaning “foot”) is the branch of medicine that treats diseases of the feet, ankle, knee, and lower legs, as well as the lower back and the whole of the foot. No wonder some athletes visit a sports podiatrist to fix their foot.

Ankle and foot problems such as bunions, arthritis and Achilles tendon problems are the most common diagnoses in podiatry. In this field of medicine, doctors often address many other medical problems, including arthritis of the hands, lower back and knee problems. Podiatrists focus on the treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle. It is often a two- to three-year professional school, with additional residency training in orthopedic medicine. The most common orthopedic problems treated by podiatrists are arthritis and fractures of the foot. A specialty of podiatry is diabetic foot care, which focuses on preventing ulcers and gangrene. Podiatrists also often treat problems of the lower leg and ankle. These include:

• Common foot problems treated by podiatrists
  
• Bunions, which are painful swellings on the tops of the toes caused by pressure.
• Deformities of the foot, in which the bones of the foot are positioned in a different way than they should be.
• Erosive arthritis (chronic inflammatory arthritis), where one or more joints of the foot become inflamed.
• Hammertoes, in which one or both big toes are bent and stuck under the first toe.
• Hyperkeratosis, a condition in which the nails become thick, hard, and rough.
• Malignant tumors of the foot or ankle.

Podiatric physicians (also called “podiatrists”) must have a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree, the equivalent of a Doctor of Medicine (MD).

Medical school for podiatrists

The first two years of podiatric education typically include preclinical courses in anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, physical diagnosis, surgery and pathology. While still at medical school, the podiatrist typically will spend a third year learning orthopedic medicine, including anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. The fourth year is a residency period in which the podiatrist is supervised by a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who acts as the podiatrist’s primary medical mentor. This fourth year is primarily focused on orthopedic medicine. After completing residency, a podiatrist will complete an additional year of subspecialty training in a variety of specialties. Podiatrists must attend the College of Podiatric Medicine to receive licensure. It is also possible to become a licensed podiatrist through a post-doctoral residency. The residency usually consists of at least three years of training in a variety of podiatric subspecialties including: Advanced foot and ankle care Diabetic foot care Foot and ankle surgery Geriatric podiatry Orthopedics Sports medicine After completing their residency, podiatrists are board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. Many podiatrists continue in podiatric residency after passing the board. Education requirements to become a podiatrist A podiatrist’s training is designed to give them a well-rounded understanding of medical science as it applies to the foot. The training also helps students understand how people develop, how diseases are transmitted and why one body part becomes injured while another does not. A student must successfully pass the American Board of Podiatric Medicine board exam and graduate with a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree to be eligible to take the podiatric medical boards. Each board-certified podiatrist undergoes a thorough testing regimen to ensure they meet the physical, mental and emotional qualifications to practice. Many podiatrists in residency also pursue additional education in their subspecialty and receive certification through the American Board of Podiatric Specialties.