Foot Doctors Are Real Doctors Too?

Answer 1

Although many people like to claim that foot doctors, officially known as podiatrists, aren’t real doctors, they actually are. Podiatrists are doctors that specialize in the treatment of the foot, ankle and lower leg. Another name for a podiatrist is a chiropodist, but this term has become rather uncommon. In countries that do not speak English, podiatrists are sometimes known as podologists. Podiatrists have been around for centuries –ancient carvings from 2400 BC were found in Egypt depicting doctors working on hands and feet.

To become a podiatrist in the United States, you must complete several years in college and training. A podiatrist needs to first complete a standard four-year bachelor’s degree, then a four-year doctoral degree at a podiatric medical school. At podiatric medical school, students cover the same basic and clinical scientists as regular medical students, but with a much greater emphasis on the foot and ankle that begins early in the first year. To get into podiatry school, applicants are required to take the same test as all other medical students: the Medical College Admission Test, popularly known as the MCAT.

The doctoral degree is followed by two to three years of residency. Some podiatrists will choose to do a fellowship afterwards as well. There are many different specialties in podiatry to choose from. A doctor may choose to specialize in surgery, biomechanics, pediatrics, orthopedics, sports medicine or primary care.

The problems podiatrists deal with can range from simple common ones such as corns and calluses to more serious ones like deformed feet and broken ankles. The most serious and potentially life threatening issues they may have to deal with include gangrene, limb salvage and amputation. Some podiatrists specialize in forensic podiatry, which is the study of footprints, shoe wear and other feet related issues that show up at crime scenes.

On average, a podiatrist can make around $176,000 a year. Statistics in the United States predict a rise in the number of podiatrists in the future, but it will be a slow increase, as podiatrists tend to have long careers before they retire.