Truths About Podiatric Medicine and Surgery

Having been a podiatric physician and surgeon for over 11 years, and a student for many years before that, I have heard many outdated views of my profession, which I now wish to address with facts.

1. Podiatrists went to medical school.  Colleges of podiatric medicine and surgery in the United States are accredited four-year post-baccalaureate medical schools that grant the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree.  There are two other medical degrees granted in our nation, the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Doctor of (Allopathic) Medicine degrees.  All three degrees define physicians and surgeons, and many more define doctoral level health professionals.

2. Podiatrists went through residency.  There was a time in the first half of the 20th Century when podiatrist’s offices were often the centers of post-graduate training.  As more and more hospitals granted privileges to podiatric physicians and surgeons in the latter half of the 20th Century, residency programs were set up to enable advanced hospital training.  The profession is approaching the stage where three years is the standard residency length for all graduates, and in California, talks are underway for an unlimited scope of practice.  Today’s foot and ankle surgeons are trained to do the most advanced of procedures, including ankle replacement surgery and external fixation procedures for Charcot reconstruction.

3. Podiatrists perform surgery.  Podiatric medicine and surgery is a surgical specialty as well as a medical one.  We perform many surgical procedures, as defined by the American Medical Association, both in the office and the hospital.  More often than not, hospital surgery, which includes bone and joint reconstructive surgery and urgent/emergent surgery for trauma and infections, are central to most podiatric practices today.  In fact, podiatrists perform more foot and ankle surgery than any other medical specialist.

4. Podiatrists practice in the hospital.  While there are some podiatrists who work mostly in an outpatient setting, most have hospital privileges and see inpatients.  Common admissions include post-surgical observation or medical complications, infections requiring IV antibiotics, and trauma requiring pain management.  Inpatients are sometimes followed by a team of consulting physicians in addition to the admitting podiatrist, just like any other medical specialty.

5. Podiatrists do not perform pedicures.  We are specialists to whom other physicians and surgeons refer for medical and surgical treatment of the foot and ankle.  One component of our practice is making sure that patients with compromised circulation and nerve sensation do not have dangerous nails or calluses that would cause infections, wounds or necrosis.  We treat these, and painful, nails and calluses.  These are medical and surgical procedures that in no way constitute aesthetic pedicure services.

In conclusion, podiatrists are physicians and surgeons who are licensed to treat medical and surgical conditions in the United States.  They graduated from medical school, and most perform surgery and work in hospitals.  They are the premier medical and surgical specialists of the foot and ankle.