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School of Podiatric Medicine

What is Podiatric Medicine?

Podiatric medicine refers to the branch of medicine that is devoted to the diagnosis, treatment and care of disorders of the foot, ankle and related structures. A podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM). Podiatrists are often the first to recognize arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease, skin disease, neurological ailments — all conditions that can affect the lower extremities. As a podiatrist, you can expect to be well trained to diagnose, treat, operate on, and prescribe medications for any disease, injury, deformity, or other condition of the foot or ankle.ÌýA career in podiatry offers the opportunity to specialize in many branches of podiatric medicine.

Specialties 

  • crutches

    Podiatric Orthopedics

    Treatment of imperfect foot and leg structure and function using special footwear, orthotic and prosthetic devices, and physical therapy.Ìý

  • foot surgery

    Podiatric Surgery

    Utilization of modern operative procedures for the alleviation of various foot and ankle problems.Ìý

  • foot insole

    Podiatric Sports Medicine

    The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of lower extremity disorders in athletes. 51²Ö¿â sponsors the only fellowship in podiatric sports medicine that is accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education.

  • Podopediatrics

    Podopediatrics

    Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of children's foot and leg problems.Ìý

  • foot clinic

    Podiatric Primary Care

    Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of podiatric conditions as related to the total family health care environment.Ìý

  • foot bandage

    Wound Care and Management

    Care and prevention of wounds, ulcers, and injuries of the lower extremities, especially related to diabetes and other chronic systemic diseases.Ìý

  • Medical Professional

    Podiatric Research

    Podiatric medical research seeks to develop and understand alternative and effective methods for diagnosis and treatment options to improve the health of patients under the care of podiatric physicians.

The Profession

Salary/ Professional BenefitsÌýÌý

Podiatric medicine is a wonderful and flexible career path. With an average annual salary of $181,000, podiatrists enjoy an excellent work-life balance. According to the 2019 Podiatry Management annual survey, 62% of podiatrists work regular 40-hour weeks. In addition, podiatrists will always be in high demand, considering foot care is critical for the aging population.Ìý

Professional ExpectationsÌý

Doctors of podiatric medicine (DPM) are in-demand physicians and surgeons who are trained with four years of schooling and a three-year, hospital-based residency to treat the foot and ankle. DPMs are in high demand — there is only one DPM per 20,000 Americans and 8 in 10 Americans experience foot problems that require their care.Ìý

Specialty Boards and Professional Associations

Certification in specialty boards in podiatric medicine testifies to the qualifications of podiatric physicians in their field. Getting certified by a board assures that the physician meets the highest level of achievement and skill to treat foot and ankle pathologies in that specialty area. There are several that you can join such as the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM), American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABFAS), American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), or American Board of Wound Management (ABWM). Podiatrists can also serve on academic boards such as the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM), the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (NBPME) or the Council on Teaching Hospitals (COTH).

Barry Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Program

51²Ö¿â School of Podiatric Medicine has extensive clinical affiliations in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale areas including three hospital-based Foot and Ankle Institute clinics and an extensive array of other hospital-based clinics. All locations offer students broad hands-on experience with a wide range Ìýof patient populations. The University also offers a DPM/MBA dual degree to help graduates manage their medical practices and a Podiatric Sports Medicine Fellowship program with national accreditation.

Once our podiatric medicine students graduate, they are eligible to practice podiatric medicine in post-graduate residency training across the nation. 51²Ö¿â boasts a 100% 3-year average in Residency placement rate for students graduating from the DPM program.

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