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Podiatrist
Our feet are extremely undervalued and under-appreciated.  Some people are serious about decorating them yet bare no concern for the 26 bones, 19 muscles and tendons, 107 ligaments, and 33 joints that make up the foot.  A very small community of doctors make quite a living on this very concern.  If you would like to become a doctor, if you excel in Science, Math, and Health, and if you don't mind working with feet, then you should pursue a career in Podiatry.  

Podiatrists or Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) examine, diagnose, and treat soreness, disorders, diseases, deformities, and injuries of the foot, ankle, and lower leg, specializing in the medical and surgical treatment thereof.  Common ailments treated by Podiatrists are:  corns, calluses, warts, ingrown toenails, damaged toenails, bunions, heel spurs, arch problems, broken bones, tumors, shortened tendons, cysts, ulcers, abscesses, ankle and foot injuries, deformities, infections, nerve compression, and foot problems associated with diabetes and other diseases.  To treat these problems, Podiatrists (once called Chiropodists) prescribe drugs, massages, exercise, special shoes, and physical therapy, set fractures, perform surgery, and refer patients to other specialists when necessary.

The duties of a Podiatrist include but are not limited to:  interviewing patients to determine the appropriate course of treatment; ordering tests to help diagnose condition and determine extent of illness; creating corrective treatment and care plans; fitting corrective shoe inserts (orthotics); designing plaster casts and strapping to correct deformities; designing custom-made shoes; providing diabetic foot care and preventing troublesome wounds and infections; prescribing medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery; diagnosing foot diseases (vascular, neurological, arthritic, etc.) and deformities using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results; referring patients to specialists when symptoms are indicative of systemic disorders (arthritis, diabetes, etc.); making and fitting prosthetic appliances; treating bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet; performing lower-extremity amputations, reconstruction after sports or traumatic injuries, congenital or arthritic deformity correction, bunion removal, and Morton's neuroma removal; consulting patients on preventive treatments and foot-care techniques; attending conferences to keep up with advances in Podiatric Medicine; educating the public about the benefits of foot care (speaking engagements, advertising, forums, etc.); and conducting research and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming a Podiatrist benefit from taking Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, Biology/Anatomy, Nutrition, Nursing, Health, Physical Science, Chemistry, and Physics.  Students entering Pre-Medical Bachelor's of Science programs with no previous Podiatric training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.  Upon completion of undergraduate studies, candidates must earn a 4-year Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree from an accredited school of medicine/Osteopathy, complete a 3-year Podiatric residency, and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in order to practice medicine as a licensed, credentialed Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.  Licensure is required in all states and by each state.

Some Podiatrists specialize in Surgery and Orthopedics (treating deformities of foot muscles, joints, and bones), while others specialize in Sports Medicine, Pediatrics, Dermatology, Radiology, Geriatrics, or Diabetic Foot Care.  They work in offices of Podiatry, hospitals, group practices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, for the military, and at universities.

Due to the rise of currently practicing Podiatrists set to retire and to the increase in incidence of diabetes, employment of Podiatrists is expected to increase 20 percent over the next decade.  And as the U.S. population both ages and increases, the number of people expected to have mobility and foot-related problems will also rise.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $174,890

Salary Range:  ~$94,090 - $302,850+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
The normal routes to becoming a Podiatrist have been to attain a Bachelor's of Science degree in Pre-Medical, Physics, Biology or Biological Sciences, Physiology or Physiology Sciences, Chemistry (Pre-Professional), Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Engineering Physics, Biochemistry, or Pre-Professional Education.

Pre-Medical students must complete undergraduate work in Physics, Biology, Mathematics, and Inorganic and Organic Chemistry and successfully complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).  Many students volunteer at local hospitals or clinics to gain practical experience in the health professions and to build mentor-mentee relationships with Podiatrists.

During their last 2 years, Podiatric medical students must complete clinical rotations, where they gain supervised experience in hospital settings.  Medical students must pass 3 parts of a board-certification examination in Podiatry, administered by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery:  the first part (after the second year of Podiatry school), the second (after graduating from Podiatry school), and the third (during Podiatric residency).  After graduating from Podiatry school, Podiatrists must complete a 3-year Podiatric residency program, which provides medical and surgical training in Lower-Extremity Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Infectious Diseases, and Anesthesiology.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Medical/Podiatry Schools and related majors are:  Howard University (Washington, DC); Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee); Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (Los Angeles, California); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Livingstone College (Salisbury, North Carolina); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Voorhees College (Denmark, South Carolina); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); and Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia).
Available Scholarships