Overview

Podiatric medicine is a branch of the medical sciences devoted to the study of human movement, with the medical care of the foot and ankle as its primary focus. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) undergoes lengthy, thorough study to become uniquely well-qualified to treat a specific part of the body. Many practitioners focus on a particular area of podiatric medicine, including surgery, sports medicine, biomechanics, geriatric care, pediatrics, orthopedics, and primary care. Additionally, care of diabetic patients is a rapidly growing field of podiatric medicine as lower extremity problems often develop in those with diabetes. The skills of podiatric physicians are in increasing demand because disorders of the foot and ankle are among the most widespread and neglected health problems. The skills of podiatric physicians are in increasing demand because disorders of the foot and ankle are among the most widespread and neglected health problems. 

For more information on podiatric medical education and careers in podiatric medicine, check out the career profiles from the American Podiatric Medical Association.

For more information about pursuing a degree in podiatric medicine, see the Website for the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM). AACPM also operates the AACPM Application Service, a centralized application service for students interested in pursuing graduate or postgraduate study in podiatry.

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