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In the United States, podiatric medicine and surgery is practiced by a licensed Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). Education consists of a professional doctoral degree which is a four-year program followed by a two or three year residency. This training follows a four-year undergraduate college degree. The first year of podiatric medical school is similar to training that other physicians (either medical doctors or osteopathic doctors) receive, but with more emphasis on foot, ankle and lower extremity problems and less emphasis on other topics such as embryology, pediatrics and psychiatry. Some of the podiatric medical schools are integrating into MD and DO schools for the first year or two. Being classified as a second entry degree, in order to be considered for admission an applicant must first complete a minimum of 90 semester hours at the university level and/or complete a bachelor's degree. In addition, potential students are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). The DPM degree itself takes a minimum of four years to complete. Thus there are three professions in the United States that allow for independent diagnosis and surgical treatment: doctors of medicine or osteopathic medicine (MD or DO), podiatric medicine (DPM), dental medicine (DDS and DMD).
A podiatric medical student examines the adduction angle of the hallux.The four-year podiatric medical school is followed by a residency, which is hands-on post-doctoral training. There are two standard residencies named Podiatric Medicine and Surgery 24 or 36 (PM&S 24 or PM&S 36). These represent the two- or three-year residency training. Podiatric residents rotate through all main areas of medicine such as emergency, pediatric, internal medicine, and general surgery and of course podiatry — both clinic and surgical. During these rotations, attending podiatrists train the resident physicians in medicine and surgery.
Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS) have successfully completed an intense board certification process comparable to that undertaken by individual MD and DO specialties. Certification by the ABPS involves written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions, in addition to submission of surgical case logs. Prerequisites for board qualification in Foot and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery require successful completion of a three-year podiatric surgical program and passing a written examination. ABPS board certification in Foot Surgery is a prerequisite for board certification in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery. A candidate must pass both the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Foot Surgery as well as the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery. In addition, ABPS requires submission of 65 cases for certification in Foot Surgery and an additional 30 cases for certification in Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery, for a total of 95 cases. ABPS requires four years of post-DPM degree clinical experience before taking the certification examination. Additionally, diplomates must re-certify every 10 years to maintain their board-certified status.
In the United States, the previous titles used for the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree were Doctor of Surgical Chiropody (DSC) and Doctor of Podiatry (PodD). Podiatry in the US currently encompasses a broader spectrum of medical practice than it used to. Podiatrists can now perform medical and surgical procedures in all 50 states, though the specific scope of practice varies slightly in each state.
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