All Medical Careers

1. Role Overview & Clinical Scope of Practice

Podiatrists—formally titled Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs)—are the only medical and surgical specialists educated and residency-trained exclusively in the complex biomechanics, neurology, dermatology, vascular health, and orthopedic surgery of the human foot, ankle, and lower leg (which contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments per foot).

In outpatient clinics, podiatrists diagnose and treat heel pain (plantar fasciitis), Achilles tendinopathy, ankle sprains and fractures, bunions (hallux valgus), hammertoes, neuromas, pediatric flatfoot deformities, and dermatological nail/skin infections. They prescribe oral and topical medications, order X-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs, and design custom biomechanical orthotics.

In hospital operating rooms and multidisciplinary limb-salvage centers, residency-trained podiatric surgeons perform reconstructive forefoot and rearfoot/ankle surgery, internal fixation of ankle fractures, arthroscopy, and critical diabetic wound debridement and skin grafting that prevent lower-extremity amputations.

2. Core Clinical & Technical Responsibilities

In daily clinical practice, a Podiatrist performs the following core responsibilities:

• Perform vascular, neurological, dermatological, and biomechanical gait examinations of the foot, ankle, and lower leg.
• Order and interpret weight-bearing digital radiographs, diagnostic ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, and non-invasive vascular Doppler studies.
• Perform elective and trauma foot and ankle surgeries, including bunion osteotomies, tendon repairs, ankle arthroscopy, and fracture open reduction internal fixation (ORIF).
• Manage high-risk diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers through surgical debridement, bioengineered skin substitutes, offloading casts, and hyperbaric wound care.
• Prescribe systemic antibiotics, analgesics, antifungal medications, corticosteroids, and custom 3D-scanned functional foot orthoses.
• Collaborate with vascular surgeons, endocrinologists, and infectious disease specialists on multidisciplinary limb-preservation teams.

3. Education Requirements & Accredited Schools

Prospective podiatrists complete a four-year bachelor’s degree with pre-medical coursework (biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry) and take the MCAT examination before entering one of the 11 U.S. colleges of podiatric medicine accredited by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

After earning the four-year Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree, graduates must complete a mandatory 3-year hospital-based Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency (PMSR), with the vast majority earning the Added Credential in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery (PMSR/RRA).

4. National Certification Exams & State Licensure

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require podiatrists to hold an active State Podiatry License and DEA registration. Licensure requires graduating from a CPME-accredited college of podiatric medicine, completing residency training, and passing Parts I, II, and III of the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (APMLE).

Following residency, DPMs achieve board certification through the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) and/or the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM).

5. Salary Percentile Breakdown & Top-Paying Settings

Compensation for a Podiatrist varies based on clinical experience, specialty certifications, shift differentials, geographic region, and facility type.

6. Work Environment & Career Advancement Ladder

Primary Employment Settings: Private solo and group podiatry practices, orthopedic surgery groups, hospital wound care centers, VA medical centers

7. 50-State Licensure, Compact Status & Regulatory Directory

Use the interactive directory below to review state regulatory boards, interstate compact participation, and license renewal requirements for Podiatrist professionals across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.