Podiatrist

Duties and Responsibilities:

A podiatrist provides care for the foot, this involves the ankle and the lower leg as well. A podiatrist also diagnoses and treats any illness or injuries in this region. Some ,may perform surgical procedures involving the body’s lower extremities.

Typically a podiatrist would:

• Assess and see what the condition of the patient’s foot is shown to be
• Review the patient’s concerns
• Perform a medical exam
• Provide any treatment/s needed for the foot, ankle or lower leg
• Advise the patient of any foot and/or ankle care
• Prescribe medications( if needed)
• Refer a patient to any other physicians or specialist if any other larger health problems are found.                                                                 

Salary: $119,340

Education: To become a podiatrist one must obtain their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine(DPM) degree as well as to complete a 3 year residency by state to be licensed. With the time to receive your DPM, it would approximately be a span of 7-9 years to be licensed and allowed to practice.

Demand for this particular career:

This career is seen to increase in occupation from the year 2014 to 2024 by 14%. Although it is a small occupation, the career is seen to gain 1,400 new jobs over the span of 10 years.

Reflection: Do you think you would like to be one? Why? Why not?

I would not like to be a podiatrist, for the reason i would not like to work with one’s feet. It may interest me, but not to the point where I would go to college and have a license to practice. Many things disgust me, like touching someone’s feet besides my very own. I would not like to attend school in order to practice this career, as i would like to work with children in the future.