Is becoming a podiatric doctor something you’re considering? If you are a veteran, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a variety of educational incentives to assist pay for college. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of becoming a podiatric physician, from deciding on a specialty to learning about the typical income and how veterans may utilise their benefits to pay for school.
Becoming a podiatric doctor calls for a lot of hard work and commitment, but it is feasible with the correct support and tools. Learn what courses to take, what certifications to get, and how to get your foot in the door at the podiatry clinic with this comprehensive guide. Let’s dive in right now!
Become a Podiatrist
A podiatrist, often called a podiatric physician or surgeon, is a medical doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating problems of the foot, ankle, and corresponding tissues of the leg.
In medical terminology, this structure is also referred to as the patient’s lower extremities. Due to their extensive education, training, and competence, podiatrists stand out from other medical experts in their ability to treat the lower extremities. The federal government recognises podiatrists as medical doctors.
A doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) specialises in the study and care of the lower limbs. A podiatrist is a self-employed medical professional who treats foot and ankle injuries, diagnoses them using imaging and laboratory testing, writes prescriptions, directs patients to physical therapy and surgical procedures. The DPM collaborates closely with other medical specialists in the treatment and prevention of illness.
Podiatrists can choose from a number of subspecialties, including orthopaedics, surgery, and public health. Podiatrists can focus on subspecialties such sports medicine, paediatrics, dermatology, radiography, geriatrics, and diabetic foot care in addition to their primary certifications. Podiatric physicians are the only medical professionals who focus their education, clinical rotations, and board certification only on the treatment of foot and ankle conditions.
How Can a Podiatrist Help Me?
Doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs) focus on the lower extremities, including the foot, ankle, and any associated connective tissues. The Florida Orthopaedic Institute lists the following as the most prevalent conditions that podiatrists treat:
- “Achy legs, feet, or ankles”
- Edoema and tingling in the lower limbs
- Conditions like hammertoes and bunions are best treated conservatively.
- Foot fractures involving the digits
- Ankle tendonitis or sprain
- Pain in the heel: Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis
- Gout
- Fibromas, ganglion cysts, and lipomas are all types of soft tissue tumours.
- Treatment of wounds, including those caused by trauma, diabetes, and slow wound healing.
- Diseases and abnormalities of the toenails, such as fungal infections, ingrown nails, and unusual colouring
- Warts, tinea, and other dermatological diseases that need a biopsy
- Bracing and orthotics made to order”
Podiatrists are regarded medical professionals despite the fact that they are not trained in the traditional Western medical model of either allopathy or osteopathy. Podiatrists earn their degrees from podiatry colleges, which are quite similar to regular medical institutions with the exception of the obvious emphasis on foot and ankle care.
How to become a podiatrist
To become a podiatrist, think about the following.
Earn a bachelor's degree
The initial requirement for entering the field of podiatry is the completion of a four-year bachelor’s programme. If you want to become a podiatrist, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree, and there are many other paths you might take to get there. Most schools of podiatric medicine require applicants to have at least 90 semester hours of college credit from an authorised university, which is the equivalent of three years of full-time study.
Get your Podiatric Medicine Doctorate.
Those interested in becoming podiatrists need a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent before enrolling in a four-year Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) programme at an approved university. There are now nine schools in the United States that have been granted accreditation by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) to provide programmes in podiatric medicine. To get accepted into a podiatry school, you’ll need to do well on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and satisfy additional criteria.
This path is not like the one taken by a typical doctor who graduates from medical school. While both DPM and MD programmes cover comparable ground, DPM focuses more on treating conditions of the foot and ankle. The first two years of a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) programme are dedicated to academic coursework. Students in a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) programme spend their last two years rotating across several clinical settings.
Seek for and finish a residency programme in podiatry
A three-year residency in podiatric medicine and surgery is required of those who earn a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree. In order to gain the essential expertise in medical and surgical podiatry, these types of programmes are often completed at hospitals.
Students in residency programmes gain expertise in a variety of medical fields through rotations in settings as diverse as anaesthesia, paediatrics, emergency care, and surgery. Podiatry students may also opt to pursue subspecialty education in areas like diabetic foot care. One cannot become a podiatrist by completing a residency in any other medical field.
Become certified and licenced.
Podiatrists might choose to become licenced before beginning practise independently. The American Podiatric Medical Licencing Exam (APMLE) is given by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME) and must be passed in order to practise podiatry. Individuals may also be required to take and pass a state examination in some states.
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 further certification for podiatrists beyond the basic licence. Certification often necessitates not just taking and passing an exam, but also meeting some degree of experience requirements.
Common Procedures Performed by a Podiatrist
Conditions of the Foot and Ankle and Their Diagnosis and Treatment Bunions, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, and heel spurs are just some of the conditions that podiatrists treat on a regular basis. X-rays, ultrasounds, and other imaging modalities are only some of the tools at their disposal for making diagnoses and planning treatments for various disorders.
Surgical Procedure-
Surgery is an option for treating foot and ankle issues that can be performed by podiatric doctors. Surgery for bunions, plantar fasciotomies, and arthroscopies of the ankle are all examples. Podiatric surgeons get extensive training in both open and laparoscopic approaches.
Orthotics prescription-
Custom orthotic devices, such as shoe inserts or braces, may be prescribed by podiatrists to aid patients with foot and ankle issues. Pain is reduced, stability is enhanced, and foot and ankle deformities are corrected with the use of these devices.
Managing Wounds-
Injuries and ulcers to the foot and ankle are common, and podiatrists are equipped to treat them. They can be used to treat infections, disinfect and bandage wounds, and speed recovery.
Educating Patients-
Podiatrists are trained to instruct patients in all aspects of foot and ankle care, from injury prevention to correct shoe selection and hygiene.
Podiatric physician salary
As of May 2020, the median annual compensation for podiatrists in the United States was $136,180, according to data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Earnings for the bottom 10% of podiatrists were below $66,950, while those for the top 10% were above $208,000.
A podiatric doctor’s compensation may change based on their geographic region, number of years of experience, and area of specialty. Podiatrists in major cities typically make more money than their rural counterparts. As of May 2020, the best-paying states for podiatrists were California, Florida, and New York, as reported by the BLS.
Also, podiatrists who focus on a particular specialty, like surgery or sports medicine, may be able to command larger wages than their general practise counterparts. In addition, a podiatrist’s income might be affected by their level of expertise, with more senior practitioners commanding greater wages.
Salary ranges might change not just from one company to the next, but also from one sector to the next. Podiatrists can find employment in a variety of settings, including private practise, hospitals, and clinics.
Final Takeaway
Dedication and perseverance are necessary for success in this field, but becoming a podiatric physician is attainable with the correct training and credentials. There are significant advantages available to you as a veteran that may be used to pay for higher education and vocational training. If you are a veteran interested in pursuing a lucrative career as a podiatric physician, you may do so by following the procedures mentioned in this article and making use of your VA education benefits.
Frequently asked questions
What is the work environment for podiatrists?
Most podiatrists work either in private or group practises or in hospitals. Podiatrists have the option of working alone or as part of a larger medical team. Patients are the primary focus of a podiatrist’s workday, but they may also work with other medical professionals to develop comprehensive care regimens for their patients.
What hours does a podiatrist work?
Podiatrists often put in between 40 and 50 hours a week. Depending on the schedule of the medical centre where they are employed, a podiatrist may work nights and weekends. Some podiatrists have the option of working whenever they want.
How optimistic is the job market for podiatrists?
The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) projects a 2% growth in demand for podiatrists between 2021 and 2031. Due to the fact that some patients seek out medical treatments pertaining to their feet from non-podiatrist physicians, this increase is a little slower than the average growth for all vocations, which is 5%. Still, rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses that can impact the foot and lower limbs bode well for this industry.
Are Podiatrists Doctors?
Podiatrists are doctors, much like their allopathic and osteopathic counterparts, although they train at a different kind of school. Podiatrists are also known as DPMs or Doctors of Podiatric Medicine.
