Educational Condition for a Podiatrist
Educational Condition for a Podiatrist
Podiatrists begin their studies with an undergraduate degree that meets the requirements of most Medical Schools. These requirements include: 90 hours of pre-medical undergraduate study, a qualifying grade point average and a qualifying score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCATs).
Most students who want to specialize in the field of podiatry attend one of the seven accredited podiatry colleges in the United States. These colleges, which have been reviewed by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, offer a degree that follows the format standard to most medical schools.
The degree requires 4 years to complete. The first 2 years are dedicated to coursework (both coursework specific to podiatry and general medical coursework such as anatomy, pathology and pharmacology). The final two years of the degree are spent in rotations in hospitals and clinics. Students work across fields of medicine (neurology, dermatology, clinical skills, biomechanics) but focus on the lower extremity. Successful graduates of podiatry schools do not receive a M.D. but a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). In order to complete their training, they spend the next 2 to 4 years as residents in hospitals where they receive advanced podiatric training and practice surgery techniques.
