What is a Podiatric Surgeon?
A doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM), also referred to as a podiatric physician or surgeon, is competent to diagnose and treat problems affecting the foot, ankle, and associated structures of the leg by education and training.
This system is also referred to as the lower extremity when treating patients. Based on their education, training, and experience, podiatric surgeons are particularly suited among medical specialists to treating the lower extremity. The federal government classifies podiatrists as physicians.
A podiatric surgeon is an independent practitioner who diagnoses patients using x-rays and laboratory tests, provides medications, directs physical therapy, sets fractures, and performs surgery. The DPM collaborates closely with other medical experts as a member of a healthcare team to treat and manage disease.
Podiatric doctors can pursue a number of specializations within the field, including surgery, orthopedics, or public health. Podiatrists may practice a specialization such as sports medicine, pediatrics, dermatology, radiography, geriatrics, or diabetic foot care in addition to these certified areas. Only doctors who specialize in medicine and surgery and who have passed a board exam in the treatment of the lower extremities are considered podiatric physicians.
Cases
Specialties
- Dermatological podiatry (skin disorders)
- Diagnostic podoradiology (foot and ankle radiology)
- Forensic podiatry (the study of footprints and shoe prints for crime scene investigations)
- Gerontological podiatrist (geriatric foot conditions)
- Podopediatrics (pediatric podiatry)
- Podiatric diabetology (diabetes foot care)
- Podiatric oncology (skin cancers)
- Podiatric orthopedics (the treatment of foot abnormalities with orthotics, prosthetics, and footwear)
- Podiatric rheumatology (involving rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases)
- Podiatric sports medicine
- Podiatric vascular specialist (circulation disorders)
- Neuro Podiatry (nerve disorders)
- Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery (also known as consultant podiatric surgery)
Centers & Institutes
Healthcare Delivery by Podiatric Surgeons in the US
Podiatric surgery is a subset of the podiatry profession. According to its definition, it is "the surgical management of problems affecting the foot, ankle, and related lower extremity structures by certified and competent specialist podiatrists."
Podiatric surgeons can undertake reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle because they have completed substantial post-graduate medical and surgical training. Before earning the title of surgeon, a typical podiatric surgeon would have treated 20,000 patients and spent ten years learning about illnesses of the foot and ankle. Of course, this makes it possible for a podiatric surgeon to have a unique and enhanced medical, biomechanical, and functional understanding of the foot and ankle.
To guarantee each patient receives the best possible care and the greatest possible clinical results, podiatric surgeons collaborate with vascular consultants, diabetologists, orthopedic surgeons, interventional radiologists, and other specialists on multidisciplinary teams.
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The material presented above is only meant to be informative and is not intended to take the place of advice from your doctor or another health care practitioner. We advise you to talk to your provider about any questions or issues you may have.
