Ever Thought About a Career as a Podiatrist?

Is your career goal to run a successful business or work as an NHS or private consultant, work part time or train as a surgeon? Perhaps you want to get a management position or work with children, become a medical researcher, work abroad or even work with a professional sports team.

It may surprise you to know that a career in Podiatry can offer you all of these possibilities and many more.

What exactly is Podiatry?

Podiatrists are healthcare practitioners responsible for assessing, diagnosing and treating problems relating to the lower limb.

Good foot function is dependent on a complex interaction of bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and nerves. Any resulting abnormal movement has the potential to impact on other areas of the body. Equally, seemingly unrelated illnesses and diseases may affect how the feet work. In addition the strain and pressure feet are put under each day adds to these problems and affects the well being, mobility and independence of patients and this is why podiatrists are in high demand.

As with any medically related subject, practice is constantly evolving. With the progress of technology and the advances in medical research, podiatry is no exception. The word podiatry has now mostly replaced the word chiropody and reflects the technical advances within the profession and changes in the scope of practice.

Podiatrists are independent clinicians working with a huge range of patients to relieve symptoms, treat conditions and maintain their quality of life. The patients range from 1 to 100+ years old and come from all walks of life. The scope of practice of a podiatrist includes musculoskeletal assessment, orthotic provision, administering local anaesthetics to enable pain free specialist foot treatment, wound care, vascular/tissue viability and neurological assessment, skin, nail and bone surgery, care planning and health promotion.

Where will I work?

Podiatrists can work in many different settings. Podiatry offers excellent employment flexibility with the opportunity to work in the NHS, private practice, commerce, leisure, education and occupational health to name but a few. All of the work requires a combination of technical knowledge, specialist practical skills, and great interpersonal skills.

What can I earn?

A new graduate in podiatry would have a starting salary of approximately 21k in the NHS but the earning potential could be in excess of 100k depending on which career path you choose.

How do I train?

In the UK the term Podiatrist is protected and in order to practice you must pass a Degree in Podiatry. Thirteen institutions across the UK offer the course which is generally 3 years full time or up to 4 years in Scotland. Some Universities also offer a part time route. (a full list institutions running the podiatry programme can be found on the careers pages on our website www.feetforlife.org)

Entry levels vary but generally applicants require science based A levels / Highers or equivalent qualifications
 
The courses are NHS funded and for UK and EU students there are no tuition fees to pay. Additionally you may be eligible for a bursary to help with other costs, which in these days of big student debt is a great bonus. 87% percent of recent graduates who were looking for work found employment within 6 months of graduating, which compared to many other graduate employment rates is fantastic.

Which Subjects will I study?

Courses are modular and subjects covered in the course include:

•    Anatomy
•    Physiology
•    Clinical Skills
•    Medical Pathology
•    Pharmacology
•    Local Analgesia
•    Nail Surgery
•    Biomechanics

All students complete 1,000 clinical hours whilst training. This includes time spent on clinical placements in a variety of settings.

Career Progression

A career in podiatry can cover many elements of clinical work and healthcare management. After graduation, and an initial post in general clinical practice, many podiatrists go on to develop their career in specific areas. These include:

•    Rhumatology
•    Diabetes
•    Biomechanics
•    Forensics
•    Surgery
•    Sports Injury
•    Research

Obviously what you do, where you work and what you earn are down to the career choices you make but whatever you choose you will find Podiatry a challenging and rewarding career. It provides the opportunity to work in many different areas of clinical and non-clinical practice, geographical mobility and flexible working patterns but most importantly you can make a real difference to the quality of your patients life.

Contact Information:

For further information please visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/podiatry or www.feetforlife.org