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Podiatrists Do It All -An excerpt for the American Podiatric Medical Association website www.apma.org:

“Podiatrists do it all.” What does that mean? According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, it means that with a career in podiatric medicine, each day is varied and every patient presents a unique challenge. In one day you may act as a sports medicine specialist, a surgeon, a dermatologist, a primary care physician and/or a pediatrician. That’s because while podiatric medicine specializes in the care and treatment of feet and ankles, those same feet and ankles present a multitude of issues for the doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) to diagnose and treat.

Most specialties in medicine force a physician to choose between being a diagnostician and a proceduralist. With a career in podiatric medicine, you don’t have to choose. Each and every day, with hard work and dedication, you can have a wide-ranging career that will hold your interest, afford the challenges you seek and provide you with the lifestyle you’ve always wanted.

Doctors of podiatric medicine are physicians and surgeons qualified by their education, training and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot and ankle. Students interested in a career in podiatric medicine have a vast array of opportunities to look forward to. The profession is challenging, satisfying, flexible and rewarding.
Challenging
Podiatrists are the only doctors to receive specialized medical training and board certification solely in the care of the lower extremity. As a doctor of podiatric medicine you can:
Perform comprehensive medical history and physical examinations
Prescribe drugs and order and perform physical therapy
Set fractures and treat sports-related injuries
Prescribe and fit orthotics, insoles, and custom-made shoes
Take and interpret X-rays and other imaging studies
Doctors of podiatric medicine receive basic and clinical science education and training which is comparable to that of their medical colleagues.

Education
Students interested in applying to podiatric medical schools must complete an undergraduate education from an accredited college or university with an emphasis on science or a pre-med curriculum. Approximately 95% of all first-year students entering the colleges of podiatric medicine possess baccalaureate degrees and about 10% have advanced degrees. As with institutions granting MD and DO degrees, the colleges may consider candidates who show unusual promise and have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours at accredited undergraduate colleges or universities. Applicants for admission are also required to complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as a prerequisite although some of the colleges may accept other exams as well.

There are eight colleges of podiatric medicine in the United States. Each college is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, which is recognized by the US Secretary of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. All of the colleges grant the degree of podiatric medicine (DPM). Students who are interested in attending a college of podiatric medicine can contact any of the colleges directly for more information.
Candidates for podiatric medical schools can apply online by contacting the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine at http://www.aacpm.org/. In addition, the AACPM has a mentor network that matches students interested in podiatric medicine to podiatrists in their areas.

The course of instruction leading to the DPM degree is four years in length and provides general medical training with a focus on the lower extremities. The first two years are devoted largely to classroom instruction and laboratory work in the basic medical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and pathology. During the third and fourth years, students concentrate on courses in the clinical sciences, gaining experience in the college clinics, community clinics, and accredited hospitals. Clinical courses include but are not limited to general diagnosis, dermatology, general medicine, podiatric surgery, trauma, and biomechanics.
Training
After completing the four-year course of study in podiatric medicine and receiving the DPM degree, the doctor will begin a postdoctoral residency program. These programs are designed to strengthen and refine the practitioner’s podiatric medical and surgical knowledge and skills. Residency programs are based in accredited hospitals and last from two to four years. Podiatric residents often rotate through private offices as well, in order to learn important business and interpersonal skills.
Experience:
In addition to private practices, podiatric physicians serve on the staffs of hospitals and long-term care facilities, and on the faculties of schools of medicine and nursing. They can also be commissioned officers in the Armed Forces and US Public Health Service, work in the Department of Veterans Affairs and in municipal health departments. Many podiatrists today are also members of group medical practices. They generally are active in their communities as well.

While podiatric medicine is already a medical specialty, many practitioners can focus on a particular area of podiatric medicine. These options can include surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatrics, pediatrics, orthopedics, and primary care.

Podiatric physicians are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to treat the foot, ankle and related or governing structures by medical, surgical, or other means. Nearly all private and public health insurance plans provide coverage for the services of doctors of podiatric medicine.

Satisfying
As the American population ages and the incidence of diabetes increases, the demand for podiatric services is going to rise significantly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects job growth of about 16% in podiatric medicine between 2004 and 2014. And, a recent workforce study conducted by the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the School of Public Health, University at Albany indicates that the nation’s nine colleges of podiatric medicine would have to triple their graduates in the next three decades in order to meet growing population demands.

Foot and ankle disorders are among the most widespread and neglected health problems affecting people in this country. As more Americans engage in exercise and fitness programs, more of them become aware of the limits that foot and ankle pain places on full participation. In addition, the number of older Americans is increasing almost three times as fast as the population as a whole, creating a true need for the services of podiatric medical practitioners.

Flexible
Students interested in podiatric medicine should consider a number of factors. First and foremost, the lifestyle offered by a career in podiatric medicine fits the goals of many young people today. While podiatrists work hard, they also have the time to pursue their own individual interests. DPMs work an average of 35-42 hours a week, leaving time for family, hobbies, and outside interests.
Rewarding
A recent survey done by the APMA (2007) indicated that the average podiatrist had a net income of $150,000. Net income is higher for those DPMs who see more patients per week and those who are in group practices. The potential is outstanding for doctors who are willing to work hard, keep up with current trends and practice good patient care.

Most podiatrists are happy to have chosen this profession and are willing to educate young people about careers in podiatric medicine. The profession created a network of volunteer mentors who work with students, answer questions, and allow shadowing in their offices. Students can find a DPM mentor in their area and learn more about podiatric medicine by logging onto the APMA Web site and accessing the DPM Mentor Network.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) was founded in 1912 to promote levels of understanding of the profession; it continues to work to improve the quality of foot and ankle care in the United States, to attract qualified men and women to the field, and to increase awareness of the importance of foot and ankle health among the general public and other health professionals. APMA has more than 20 affiliated and related organizations, which focus attention on education, research, and specialty areas of interest, such as dermatology, pediatrics, radiology, sports medicine, surgery, and others.

For this article and other articles on the podiatry profession please view their website at http://www.apma.org/ .

As a member of the APMA Dr. Vail has mentored Podiatric students into this challenging and rewarding field. If you are looking at a career in podiatry please feel free to post a question and Dr. Vail will be glad to respond and give you advice.