What Is a Podiatric Surgeon and How to Become One
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What Does a Podiatric Surgeon Do?
As a podiatric surgeon, your duties are to consult with patients and their families when they require surgery or other medical procedures related to the foot. As a medical clinician, your first role is to assess your patient’s condition and determine if there are non-surgical ways to correct or manage the issue, such as pain management or physical therapy. If not, your responsibilities are to determine the most appropriate type of surgery and then conduct the operation. Common surgeries include removing bone spurs, repairing fractures to the foot or ankle, or correcting deformities.
How to Become a Podiatric Surgeon
To become a podiatric surgeon, you need a number of educational qualifications, beginning with a bachelor’s degree. To go to podiatry school, you need to take the MCAT. You then enroll in an accredited college of podiatric medicine, which follows a similar course of study as medical school, including courses in anatomy and physiology, pathology, and pharmacology, as well as clinical rotations. You then complete a three-year residency which includes clinical and surgical components. Finally, you must become board certified. Important skills for a podiatrist include compassion, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication.
