Among the many types of doctors, a podiatrist is the doctor who provides care and treatment for the feet. It is a completely different medical practice and has its own benefits. Many students aspire to be doctors, but they want to become unique medical practitioners. So, they choose to become podiatrists and serve their purpose by helping their patients with their foot-related issues.

If you are interested in becoming a podiatrist, then it is better for you to gain knowledge about this career. Some students also wonder how long they have to study to finally get their podiatry doctoral degree. Therefore, in this blog, we share a simple overview of this career path and will share what you need to do to become a podiatrist.

Who is a Podiatrist?

A podiatrist is a healthcare practitioner who deals with the medical conditions, diseases, and injuries related to the feet. A podiatrist is also known as a foot doctor. They diagnose, treat, and provide care to patients who have problems related to the foot, ankle, and lower leg. 

Podiatrists are experts in treating the lower extremities, but they are not orthopedic. An orthopedic is a doctor who treats issues related to bones, ligaments, joints, tendons, and other tissues. So, as a podiatrist, your responsibility is only treating issues and diseases affecting the lower leg region.

Foot-Related Conditions That Podiatrists Treat

Podiatrists diagnose and treat conditions of foot. But to pursue this career, you need to have a clear idea of what type of issues you might have to treat in your patients. So, below are the list of conditions that you will treat as a foot doctor:

Ingrown Toenails

The improper growth of the toenail inside the skin causes an ingrown toenail. It happens due to incorrectly cutting the toenail.

Toe Deformities

Toe deformities happen when toes have a deformed shape and appearance. This happens when toes have an abnormal bone or joint structure, which changes their shape.

Bunions

Bunions are bony structures that usually form inside the joint of the big toe. This condition occurs if there is excessive pressure on the toenail joint. 

Foot and Ankle Injuries

Podiatrists treat injuries affecting the foot and lower limb. These foot and ankle injuries include sports injuries, ankle sprains, heel bursitis, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendon ruptures.

Skin Conditions Affecting Toenails and Ankles

In some cases, skin conditions also cause discomfort in the foot and lower limb area. The podiatrists diagnose the skin conditions and treat the patients accordingly.

Swelling Issues in Feet

Sometimes, certain medical conditions like arthritis or an injury may adversely affect the feet. These conditions can cause severe pain and swelling in the feet, and foot doctors treat the swelling in the targeted area.

Leg Wounds

Some injuries may cause leg wounds, and patients may experience a lot of pain until they get treatment from a podiatrist.

Foot and Toe Ulcers

Foot and toe ulcers are a condition in which open wounds and lesions form on the skin. They can also be present deep inside the skin, affecting bones.

Bone Fractures

Podiatrists diagnose and treat bone fractures in the lower extremities, including the foot and toes. These bone fractures include fifth metatarsal fractures, Toe fractures/ dislocations, Lisfranc fractures, Jones fractures, and Talus fractures.

What Treatments Do Podiatrists Provide?

The human body can encounter any issue or disease, and it can affect any part of the body. For the foot and lower leg area, podiatrists provide both treatment and preventive care to restore the normal state of the lower extremity. So, podiatrists provide the following types of treatments to their patients:

Diagnosing Foot-Related Diseases and Conditions

When patients feel any discomfort or inability to walk properly, they visit a podiatrist. The foot doctor diagnoses and treats all conditions and diseases related to the foot and lower leg.

Prescribing Tests and Medicines

After initial diagnosis of the foot and ankle, podiatrists need to undergo scans for a deeper analysis. Therefore, they ask patients to get an X-ray of their foot, and following this, they prescribe medicines to their patients.

Perform Foot Surgery

In some cases, the foot condition worsens. Here, podiatrists have to perform foot or ankle surgery to help patients with mobility. Thus, podiatrists perform foot-related surgeries.

Prescribe Medical and Mobility Devices

Some foot-related conditions require continuous support of medical devices to help patients with mobility. The foot doctor can prescribe their patients foot medical devices, which include orthotics (shoe inserts), walking boots, braces, casts, and prosthetic feet. Additionally, podiatrists also prescribe mobility devices to patients to help them with balance and mobility. These mobility devices include crutches, canes, gait trainers, walkers, wheelchairs, and knee scooters. 

How to Start a Career as a Podiatrist?

All medical fields have their own requirements. Similarly, to become a podiatrist, you have to complete a special degree and gain practical experience. These requirements lead you to become a foot doctor. So, below is a career guide for podiatrists:

Bachelor's Degree

The first step into a podiatry career is to get admission to a bachelor’s degree program. Students have to complete a bachelor's degree in a medical field to get the necessary knowledge about the human body.

Doctor of Podiatric Medicine

To become a podiatrist, you have to complete the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) program. It is a four-year degree program, and it is essential for students to complete this degree to gain full knowledge of foot and ankle anatomy. 

Residency Period

After the Doctor of Podiatry Medicine degree, students have to pass a residency period. It is a practical journey that equips students to learn how to treat the foot and ankle conditions of patients. The residency period is for three years.

License and Certification

After completing the bachelor's degree, the DPM program, and the residency period, the final step is to get the license for a podiatrist. Students have to pass the examination to attain their license. Additionally, students can also choose to do some certifications to make a strong career profile.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Podiatrist?

Before getting into the field of podiatry, students often wonder how long it will take them to become a podiatrist. Normally, it takes around seven years, and after that, you will be able to practice as a podiatrist. However, if a student wishes to do more certifications or specialization after their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree, they can also pursue further paths in their career.

Salary Guide for Podiatrists

Foot doctors are in high demand as they only treat patients with foot-related conditions. The foot conditions are usually hard to treat, and their treatments often go on for longer periods of time or even a lifetime. Thus, patients needing special care for their feet always rely on a podiatrist. Following this demand, foot doctors earn around $241,000 annually.

Where Do Podiatrists Work?

As a podiatrist, where do you aspire to work? Hospitals? Yes. But keep in mind that there are some other medical settings where foot doctors can work. These medical settings are different, and they require specific doctors to serve their duties to treat patients. So, the following are the different medical settings where podiatrists can serve:

• Hospitals

• Private Practices

• Clinics

• Sports Medical Centers

• Community Health Centers

• Long-term Care Facilities

Podiatrist as a Career

Becoming a podiatrist is a good career choice as you become a foot doctor and help patients with mobility problems, foot injuries, and fractures. Students have to complete proper medical education and a residency period, and then achieve their doctoral degree as a podiatrist. Moreover, it takes about seven years of education and practice, and then you can start practicing as a podiatrist and help patients with their problems.

Looking for career opportunities as a podiatrist and their scope in medical settings? Consult Intuitive Health Services, which is a health staffing agency that will help you locate all high-paying podiatrist jobs.