The board that governs podiatric practices enforce a strict academic curriculum, which must be completed before one can become a qualified podiatric surgeons. A bachelor degree is a compulsory during admission into school of podiatry for people who do not have alternative academic qualifications. The degree should put emphasis on Chemistry, English, Physics, Biology, and Organic Chemistry. Generally, laboratory based courses are required.
Although a bachelor degree is required, not all students have it at the time of admission. About 5 percent of all students admitted use alternative requirements to gain admission while 95 percent have a bachelor degree. Besides having the required degree, one is required to take and pass the Medical College Admission Test, MCAT. This test is administered by the governing body and all applicants must sit for it to be considered for admission.
Being good at co-curricular activity and having recommendation letters may be advantageous in admission. Students of Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and podiatry cover the same courses during the first year of studying in the school. The main difference is that podiatry students learn courses that put more emphasis on the lower extremity. School of podiatry takes 4 years for learners to graduate.
The United States has seven schools that are accredited by the governing board. Students are awarded a degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, DPM, after the four years of study. After completing the four years of podiatry school, one must proceed to undertake a surgical based residency. The residency is a post-doctoral training that is purely practical. In most cases residencies last at least three years, but the period may vary from state to state.
There is rotation in core fields of surgery and medicine during the residency. The residencies bring together podiatrists and doctors of Osteopathic medicine and medicine to work as a team. Core fields in which rotation happens are behavioral medicine, general surgery, vascular surgery, podiatric medicine and surgery, dermatology, and plastic surgery among several others. After completing residency, fellowship training in fields such as limb salvage and ankle and foot traumatology is available to equip residents with further knowledge.
One must train further in surgery to become a licensed surgeon of podiatry. Further training gives skills in surgery and practices in the field. Qualified individuals have all the necessary skills in treating all conditions that affect the lower extremity.
Completing training opens way for certification. There are many certification board through which one can get certified. Certification involves sitting for an exam, which determines whether one is competent enough to practice or not.
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