What Does a Podiatrist Do?
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 is to the foot what a dentist is to the mouth or an ophthalmologist to the eye a specialist who has undergone lengthy, thorough study to become uniquely well-qualified to treat a specific part of the body.
A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot disorders, diseases, and injuries. A DPM makes independent judgments and performs or orders all necessary diagnostic tests. They perform surgery; administer medications, including DEA-restricted medications; and prescribe physical therapy regimens.
DPMs often detect serious health problems that may otherwise go unnoticed, because a number of diseases manifest first through symptoms of the lower extremities (i.e., diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, or kidney disease). Podiatric physicians are educated in state-of-the-art techniques involving surgery, orthopedics, dermatology, physical medicine, and rehabilitation.
What should I major in?
Although the majority of Podiatry Schools do not require a specific undergraduate major, due to the academic preparation required for the application, the most common Pre-Podiatry major at NMSU is: Biology
Required Courses:
General Biology (BIOL 2610G/2610L and BIOL 2110G/2110L)
General Chemistry (CHEM 1215G and CHEM 1225G)
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 313, 314 and 315)
Biochemistry (BCHE 395)
Physics (PHYS 1230G/1230L or PHYS 2230G/2230L & PHYS 1240G/1240L or 2240G/2240L)
Human Anatomy & Human Physiology: BIOL 353/BIOL 353L and BIOL 354/BIOL 354L or SPMD 2210/2210L and SPDM 3210/3210L
General Microbiology (BIOL 311/311L)
English Composition (ENGL 1110G and 2210G)
Recommended Courses:
Calculus Genetics Cell Biology Zoology Immunology Embryology Medical Terminology Communication Psychology
*Although coursework listed is recommended by most Podiatry Schools, admissions requirements may vary from school to school. Please check specific podiatry school admission websites for detailed prerequisite requirements.
