Pre-Podiatric Medicine

Advisor: M. Fultz

Podiatric medicine is the branch of medical sciences devoted to the study of human movement with primary focus being the ankle and foot. The podiatric physician is a health professional who is involved with examination, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot disorders by physical, medical, and surgical means. A podiatric physician makes independent judgments, utilizes x-rays and laboratory tests for diagnostic purposes, prescribes medications, orders physical therapy, sets fractures and performs surgery.

Admission to a college of podiatric medicine generally requires completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours of coursework at an accredited undergraduate institution. However, because of the competitive applicant pool, it is strongly recommended that students obtain a bachelor's degree prior to entering a college of podiatric medicine. All applicants must take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) prior to admission to their podiatry school of choice. To assure proper course selection and to meet all admission requirements to the professional program, students should work closely with their faculty advisor.

A wide range of opportunities exist for the podiatric medical practitioner in today's healthcare system. Many communities are in critical need of the skills, techniques, and knowledge that a podiatrist can contribute to the team approach of providing comprehensive healthcare.