What Training Does a Podiatrist Receive?
Podiatrists diagnose and treat diseases and other ailments of the feet and lower leg. Just like any field of medicine, podiatrists must go through extensive education and training before they can begin to practice.
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Education
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The first step in podiatry education is a bachelor's degree, ideally in pre-med. Still, any bachelor's degree that provides adequate coursework--in biology, chemistry, physics and English, should suffice. With completion of an undergraduate degree, an acceptable grade point average, and high enough scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the would-be podiatrist is off to medical school.
A four-year program at a school of podiatry is similar to other four-year medical programs. The first two years are spent on classroom instruction. The next two years focus on clinical rotations in clinics or hospitals. Upon completion, students are awarded a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree.
Residency Programs
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Upon graduation, most graduates will continue on to a residency program of two to four years for further, and often more specialized, study. This time can be spent in emergency medicine, pediatrics, general surgery and more.
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Licensure
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Licensure is required in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. While licensure requirements can vary from state to state, most states grant reciprocity to podiatrists licensed in other states.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit foot image by Ingrid Walter from Fotolia.com
