Podiatrist

A podiatrist (US English), or chiropodist (British English), is a podiatryprofessional, a person devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the footand ankle. Translated literally, chiropody refers to medicine of the "hand and foot", but today chiropody is merely another name for podiatry. In the United Statesboth terms were used interchangeably until the mid-twentieth century.

United States

In the United Statespodiatry is practiced by a licensed Doctor of Podiatric Medicine(D.P.M.). Education consists of a doctoral level four-year program followed by a two or three year residency. Like regular Medical School this training follows their college degree. The first four years of Podiatric Medical School are similar to training that traditional, medical (MD) and osteopathic (DO), physicians receive, but with more emphasis on foot and ankle problems and slightly less emphasis on other topics such as pathology and neonatology. Some of the Podiatric Medical schools are integrating into MD and DO schools for the first year or two.

The four year Podiatric Medical School is followed by a residency, which is the hands-on post-doctoral training. This training has varried extensively in the past; however, there are now two standard resicencies named Podiatric Medicine and Surgery 2 or 3. These represent the two or three year residency training. Podiatric residents rotate through all main areas of medicine such as Emergency, Pediatric, Internal Medicine, Orthopedic and General Surgery and of course Podiatry -both clinic and surgery. During these rotations, attending physicians train the resident physicians in medicine and surgery. The surgical training varies from basic bunion and hammertoe surgery to more complex foot and ankle reconstruction and salvage as well as trauma.

Podiatrists may independently diagnose, treat and prescribe medicine and perform surgery for disorders of the foot and in some states the ankle and leg. There are three Board Certification possibilities for Podiatrists. First is the Board of Primary Care and Orthopedics which is the nonsurgical Board Certification. The surgical Board Certification is divided into foot surgery and rearfoot/ankle reconstruction surgery. The rearfoot and ankle Board Certification requires at least a three year residency to qualify. All of the Surgical Board Certifications require applicants to submit their surgical cases to the Board committee who heavily scrutinize them. The applicants then take written and oral exams prior to becoming Board Certified. The exams are rigorus and the pass rate reflects the difficulty.

Practice characteristics

Podiatrists in the main practice in solo practice. However, there has been a movement toward larger group practices as well as the use of podiatrists in multi-specialty groups treating diabetesor in multi-speciality surgical groups. Some podiatrists work within clinic practices such as the Indian Health System (IHS), the Rural Health Centers (RHC) and Community Health Center (FQHC) systems established by the Federal government to provide services to under insured and non-insured patients as well as within the United States Department of Veterans Affairsproviding care to veterans of military service.

• Scope: The differences in podiatry practice are determined by state law. Each state allows or limits the practice of podiatry to the foot, ankle or and in many cases includes portions of the leg. This may include surgery above the ankle in several states. Many states require completion of a residency to practice. Many podiatrists work in hospital settings doing both medical and surgical treatments for patients. As in many other specialties some podiatrists work in nursing homes and some perform house calls for patients. Podiatry patients range from newborns and infants to the geriatric.

• Medical and orthopedic practice: Some podiatrists limit their practices to the non-(hospital)surgical treatment of patients. Because much work in podiatry involves cutting of some kind, many procedures are considered surgical by insurance companies including tasks such as the (cutting of nails, removing of cornsor callus) which the general public would not ordinarily consider to be surgery. These podiatrists use their skills in handling arthritic, diabetic, and other medical problems associated with the feet and lower extremities. Some use devices fitted in shoes (orthotic devices) or modify the shoeitself to make walking better or easier. Some practices focus on sports medicine and treat many runner, dancers, soccer players and other athletes.

• Surgical Practice: Within the scope of practice, podiatrists are the experts at foot surgery. Podiatrists have specialized training and interest in the lower extremities as well as one to three year surgical residenciesin the United States. Some podiatrists have solely surgical practices. Most podiatrists mix medical, orthopedic, biomechanics and surgical practices. Indeed surgical podiatric principles rest on a base of orthopedicand kinestheticknowledge.

Job opportunities and description

The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statisticsexpects need for podiatrists to rise but slowly because podiatrists tend to have long practice lives, stopping practice when they retire. Podiatrists need a State license that requires the completion of at least 90 hours of undergraduate study, the completion of a four year program at a college of podiatric medicine, and in most states, a postdoctoral residency program of at least one year. This has now changed to all 50 states requiring a residency and there are two year and three year residencies available as well a fellowship for advanced training. Podiatrists are commissioned officers in all the armed services and serve as department heads in the Veterans Affairs system. Practice income is relatively high for most podiatrists.

Colleges and education

There are eight colleges of podiatric medicine. These are governed by the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM). The AACPM describes its mission as to enhance both academic podiatric medicine and the education of future podiatric physicians.

List of colleges of podiatric medicine

• Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
• Barry University School of Graduate Medical Sciences Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Program
• California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merrit College
• Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgey
• New York College of Podiatric Medicine
• Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
• Midwestern University Arizona Podiatric Medicine
• Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

Board specialties in podiatry

Thee are two recognized certifying boards for podiatry. The purpose of board certificationis two-fold. Board certification primarily recognizes a level of achievement. For most examinations candidates must prepare cases, sit for written and then oral examinations to become a Diplomateof a board. In effect these are doctors who have chosen a sub-specialty. Although completion of a board does not guarantee competency, it does acknowlege that that candidate has been judged by peers to have a fund of knowledge and competence in a particular area of practice.

The second use for board certifications is so that organizations such as a hospital medical staff, surgicenter, or HMO can make decisions about the skills of the applicant.

To allow doctors of podiatry time to qualify to become diplomates of a board, there is a holding status, board qualifiedwhich permits those doctors to practice while waiting to complete the boards. Doctors who have passed their boards may say they are diplomates of the board, are board certified or are certified by a certain board. Those who are awaiting may only call themselves board qualified.

• Podiatric medicine: The certifying board for primary care in podiatry, now combined with the [podiatric orthopedic] board as the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine(ABPOPPM).
• Podiatric surgery: The certifying board for surgery in podiatry is the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Until 2000 there was only a single certification; however now there is an additional certification for rearfoot and ankle surgery. Podiatrists must qualify for this board by completing a two year surgical residency program (three or its equivalent for the ankle certification portion).

See also

• Dr. Scholl's

External links

• Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists(UK)
• American Podiatric Medicine Association
• American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine
• American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
• epodiatry.com
• Podiatry Career Analysis

US colleges of podiatric medicine

• Barry University School of Graduate Medical Sciences Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Program
• California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merrit College
• Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine
• New York College of Podiatric Medicine
• Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
• Midwestern University Arizona Podiatric Medicine
• Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
• Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

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It uses material from the Wikipedia article Podiatrist.