From conversations with both legal and other (health) professionals it is very evident to me that Podiatry is something of an unknown. So here is my presentation of what UK Podiatry is, does, and the difference between UK Podiatry and Podiatry in the USA (the two are often confused).
What is Podiatry?
Podiatry is a science based healthcare profession which places emphasis on the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of foot health. A Podiatrist is autonomous, in that he or she can direct treatment without the patient being referred by their doctor.
What are the qualifications for Podiatry and how long does it take to study?
Like most other healthcare professions nowadays, Podiatry is a degree course. The degree runs for three years (four in Scotland where it can be accessed at the age of seventeen rather than the usual eighteen).
The end qualification is either a BSc(Hons) Podiatric Medicine, or more usually BSc(Hons) Podiatry. The two degree have much the same content.
Study consists of:
Year 1 - Podiatric Foundation Studies, Lower Limb Anatomy, General Anatomy and Physiology, Knowledge and Skills for Professional Practice Placement, Communication and Psychology for Health Sciences.
Year 2 - Introductory and Applied Biomechanics, Patient Assessment, Pharmacotherapeutics for Podiatrists and Pathophysiology.
Year 3 - The High Risk Foot, Medicine and Surgery for Podiatrists, Prescribing in Practice, Evidence Based Practice and Professional Issues for Allied Health Professionals. Surgical tuition in Year 3 is not confined to the foot - the first operation I witnessed as a third-year student many years ago was a hip replacement.
Although Podiatrists have prescribing rights for, and can inject local anaesthetics, and can carry out limited surgery, they are not qualified to carry out bone surgery procedures like bunion removal and toe-straightening. This requires a further period of study, both theory and practical. This is not, as one newspaper published recently (having been fed misinformation by some interested third party) a matter of a year or so.
Bone surgery theory is covered by an MSc. Supervised practical work is then carried out within the NHS over a period of some years.
So, a Podiatrist has done some surgical training, but is not qualified to carry out bone surgery.
A Podiatric Surgeon is qualified to carry out bone surgery. He or she has done the same Podiatry undergraduate degree, but has then completed a further course of surgical training.
All Podiatrists qualifying in the USA are qualified to prescribe drugs and carry out bone surgery.
And just to confuse matters further, some of us have done some additional bone surgery training without becoming Podiatric Surgeons........
More about our Expert Witness services here.
What is Podiatry?
Podiatry is a science based healthcare profession which places emphasis on the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of foot health. A Podiatrist is autonomous, in that he or she can direct treatment without the patient being referred by their doctor.
What are the qualifications for Podiatry and how long does it take to study?
Like most other healthcare professions nowadays, Podiatry is a degree course. The degree runs for three years (four in Scotland where it can be accessed at the age of seventeen rather than the usual eighteen).
The end qualification is either a BSc(Hons) Podiatric Medicine, or more usually BSc(Hons) Podiatry. The two degree have much the same content.
Study consists of:
Year 1 - Podiatric Foundation Studies, Lower Limb Anatomy, General Anatomy and Physiology, Knowledge and Skills for Professional Practice Placement, Communication and Psychology for Health Sciences.
Year 2 - Introductory and Applied Biomechanics, Patient Assessment, Pharmacotherapeutics for Podiatrists and Pathophysiology.
Year 3 - The High Risk Foot, Medicine and Surgery for Podiatrists, Prescribing in Practice, Evidence Based Practice and Professional Issues for Allied Health Professionals. Surgical tuition in Year 3 is not confined to the foot - the first operation I witnessed as a third-year student many years ago was a hip replacement.
Although Podiatrists have prescribing rights for, and can inject local anaesthetics, and can carry out limited surgery, they are not qualified to carry out bone surgery procedures like bunion removal and toe-straightening. This requires a further period of study, both theory and practical. This is not, as one newspaper published recently (having been fed misinformation by some interested third party) a matter of a year or so.
Bone surgery theory is covered by an MSc. Supervised practical work is then carried out within the NHS over a period of some years.
So, a Podiatrist has done some surgical training, but is not qualified to carry out bone surgery.
A Podiatric Surgeon is qualified to carry out bone surgery. He or she has done the same Podiatry undergraduate degree, but has then completed a further course of surgical training.
All Podiatrists qualifying in the USA are qualified to prescribe drugs and carry out bone surgery.
And just to confuse matters further, some of us have done some additional bone surgery training without becoming Podiatric Surgeons........
More about our Expert Witness services here.
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