Podiatrist Careers
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What Podiatrists do:
Podiatric medicine involves medical care provided to the foot and ankle. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) also known as a Podiatrist, focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the foot and ankle.
As a number of diseases e.g. diabetes and heart disease first show symptoms in the extremities, a Podiatrist is often the first healthcare professional to detect serious health problems. These problems may otherwise go unnoticed for some time.
The main duties of a Podiatrist include:
- Diagnosing and treating disorders, diseases, and injuries of the foot and lower leg
- Treating corns, calluses, bunions, ingrown toenails and arch problems
- Working with ankle and foot injuries and infections
- Prescribing drugs and physical therapy
- Performing surgery
- Fitting corrective shoe inserts or orthotics
- Correcting deformities by using plaster casts and strappings
- Ordering X-Rays and Laboratory tests
Education & Qualifications:
To become a Podiatrist you will need to attend a college of podiatric medicine. Many colleges require that applicants have previously completed a Bachelor's Degree with semesters in Chemistry, Biology, Physics and English. Applicants are also required to sit the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
Some colleges accept applicants who have passed the Dentistry Admission Test (DAT) or the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) also. When choosing a college, ensure that it is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).
Upon graduating from a 4 year college of podiatric medicine program, Podiatrists are then required to complete a Hospital based residency. Residency programs can last from 2 to four years depending on the area of specialty. All states require Doctors of Podiatric Medicine to be licensed.
Salary & Job Prospects:
Podiatrists earn salaries of $120,000 - $220,000, depending on qualifications, years of experience and positions held. Podiatrists can work in large hospitals or in private practice. Podiatrists who work for themselves should also have a good business sense. As the demand for Podiatric services increases, employment opportunities are excellent.
Below is a list of some of the various types of allied health careers / professions: