Career
Center Resources
Nature of the Work | Working
Conditions | Employment
| Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement | Job Outlook
| Earnings | Related
Occupations | Sources of
Additional Information Significant Points Americans spend a great deal of time on their
feet. As the Nation becomes more active across all age groups, the
need for footcare will become increasingly important to maintaining
a healthy lifestyle. The human foot is a complex structure. It contains 26 bones - plus
muscles, nerves, ligaments, and blood vessels - and is designed
for balance and mobility. The 52 bones in your feet make up about
one-fourth of all the bones in your body. Podiatrists, also known
as doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs), diagnose and treat disorders,
diseases, and injuries of the foot and lower leg to keep this part
of the body working properly. Podiatrists treat corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, bunions, heel
spurs, and arch problems; ankle and foot injuries, deformities and
infections; and foot complaints associated with diseases such as
diabetes. To treat these problems, podiatrists prescribe drugs,
order physical therapy, set fractures, and perform surgery. They
also fit corrective inserts called orthotics, design plaster casts
and strappings to correct deformities, and design custom-made shoes.
Podiatrists may use a force plate to help design the orthotics.
Patients walk across a plate connected to a computer that "reads"
the patients' feet, picking up pressure points and weight distribution.
From the computer readout, podiatrists order the correct design
or recommend treatment. To diagnose a foot problem, podiatrists also order x rays and laboratory
tests. The foot may be the first area to show signs of serious conditions
such as arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease. For example, diabetics
are prone to foot ulcers and infections due to poor circulation.
Podiatrists consult with and refer patients to other health practitioners
when they detect symptoms of these disorders. Most podiatrists have a solo practice, although more are forming
group practices with other podiatrists or health practitioners.
Some specialize in surgery, orthopedics, primary care, or public
health. Besides these board-certified specialties, podiatrists may
practice a subspecialty such as sports medicine, pediatrics, dermatology,
radiology, geriatrics, or diabetic foot care. Podiatrists who are in private practice are responsible for running
a small business. They may hire employees, order supplies, and keep
records, among other tasks. In addition, some educate the community
on the benefits of footcare through speaking engagements and advertising. Podiatrists usually work in their own offices. They also may spend
time visiting patients in nursing homes or performing surgery at
a hospital, but usually have fewer after-hours emergencies than
other doctors. Those with private practices set their own hours,
but may work evenings and weekends to meet the needs of their patients. Podiatrists held about 18,000 jobs in 2000. Most podiatrists are
solo practitioners, although more are entering partnerships and
multispecialty group practices. Others are employed in hospitals,
nursing homes, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs. All States and the District of Columbia require a license for the
practice of podiatric medicine. Each defines its own licensing requirements.
Generally, the applicant must be a graduate of an accredited college
of podiatric medicine and pass written and oral examinations. Some
States permit applicants to substitute the examination of the National
Board of Podiatric Examiners, given in the second and fourth years
of podiatric medical college, for part or all of the written State
examination. Most States also require completion of a postdoctoral
residency program. Many States grant reciprocity to podiatrists
who are licensed in another State. Most States require continuing
education for licensure renewal. Prerequisites for admission to a college of podiatric medicine
include the completion of at least 90 semester hours of undergraduate
study, an acceptable grade point average, and suitable scores on
the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). All require 8 semester
hours each of biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and
physics, and 6 hours of English. The science courses should be those
designed for premedical students. Potential podiatric medical students
may also be evaluated on the basis of extracurricular and community
activities, personal interviews, and letters of recommendation.
More than 90 percent of podiatric students have at least a bachelor's
degree. Colleges of podiatric medicine offer a 4-year program whose core
curriculum is similar to that in other schools of medicine. During
the first 2 years, students receive classroom instruction in basic
sciences, including anatomy, chemistry, pathology, and pharmacology.
Third- and fourth-year students have clinical rotations in private
practices, hospitals, and clinics. During these rotations, they
learn how to take general and podiatric histories, perform routine
physical examinations, interpret tests and findings, make diagnoses,
and perform therapeutic procedures. Graduates receive the doctor
of podiatric medicine (DPM) degree. Most graduates complete a hospital residency program after receiving
a DPM. Residency programs last from 1 to 3 years. Residents receive
advanced training in podiatric medicine and surgery and serve clinical
rotations in anesthesiology, internal medicine, pathology, radiology,
emergency medicine, and orthopedic and general surgery. Residencies
lasting more than 1 year provide more extensive training in specialty
areas. There are a number of certifying boards for the podiatric specialties
of orthopedics, primary medicine, or surgery. Certification means
that the DPM meets higher standards than those required for licensure.
Each board requires advanced training, completion of written and
oral examinations, and experience as a practicing podiatrist. Most
managed care organizations prefer board-certified podiatrists. People planning a career in podiatry should have scientific aptitude,
manual dexterity, interpersonal skills, and good business sense. Podiatrists may advance to become professors at colleges of podiatric
medicine, department chiefs of hospitals, or general health administrators. Employment of podiatrists is expected to grow
about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2010. More
people will turn to podiatrists for footcare as the elderly population
grows. The elderly have more years of wear and tear on their feet
and legs than most younger people, so they are more prone to foot
ailments. Injuries sustained by an increasing number of men and
women of all ages leading active lifestyles will also spur demand
for podiatric care. Medicare and most private health insurance programs cover acute
medical and surgical foot services, as well as diagnostic x rays
and leg braces. Details of such coverage vary among plans. However,
routine foot care - including the removal of corns and calluses
- is ordinarily not covered, unless the patient has a systemic condition
that has resulted in severe circulatory problems or areas of desensitization
in the legs or feet. Like dental services, podiatric care is more
dependent on disposable income than other medical services. Employment of podiatrists would grow even faster were it not for
continued emphasis on controlling the costs of specialty healthcare.
Insurers will balance the cost of sending patients to podiatrists
against the cost and availability of substitute practitioners, such
as physicians and physical therapists. Opportunities will be better
for board-certified podiatrists, because many managed care organizations
require board-certification. Opportunities for newly trained podiatrists
will be better in group medical practices, clinics, and health networks
than in a traditional solo practice. Establishing a practice will
be most difficult in the areas surrounding colleges of podiatric
medicine because podiatrists are concentrated in these locations. Over the next 10 years, members of the "baby boom" generation
will begin to retire, creating vacancies. Relatively few job openings
from this source are expected, however, because the occupation is
small. Median annual earnings of salaried podiatrists were $107,560 in
2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $77,440 and $134,900
a year. According to a survey by Podiatry Management magazine, median
net income of podiatrists in solo practice, including the self-employed,
was $89,681 in 2000. Those in group practices or partnerships earned
median net income of $96,200 in 2000. Self-employed podiatrists
must provide for their own health insurance and retirement. Workers in other occupations who apply scientific knowledge to
prevent, diagnose, and treat disorders and injuries are chiropractors,
dentists, optometrists, physicians and surgeons, and veterinarians. For information on podiatric medicine as a career, contact: American Podiatric Medical Association American Association of Colleges of Podiatric MedicinePodiatrists
A limited number of job openings for
podiatrists is expected because the occupation is small
and most podiatrists remain in the occupation until they
retire.
Most podiatrists are solo practitioners,
although more are entering partnerships and multispecialty
group practices.
Podiatrists enjoy very high earnings.
Nature of the Work
Working Conditions
Employment
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement
Job Outlook
Earnings
Related Occupations
Sources of Additional Information
9312 Old Georgetown Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20814-1621
Internet: http://www.apma.org
Information on colleges of podiatric medicine, entrance requirements,
curriculums, and student financial aid is available from:
1350 Piccard Dr., Suite 322
Rockville, MD 20850-4307
Internet: http://www.aacpm.org
