About Lipscomb
QUICK FACTS: PODIATRY
Description of profession: Podiatrists are doctors specializing in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot disorders resulting from injury or disease. They take care of feet and ankles much as optometrists take care of eyes and dentists take care of teeth and gums. Generally, work hours can be flexible.
Salary and employment opportunities: According to the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine, there is an increasing demand for podiatrists. Part of this demand comes from the aging of the population, but also the increased emphasis on fitness has led to an increased demand for podiatric services. The average net income for podiatrists ranged, in 2001, from about $63,000 for beginning practitioners to as much as $159,000. The average net income for 2008 was $176,000.
Education required:
Undergraduate: Podiatry schools generally require 3 years of undergraduate training (about 90 hours). Most of their applicants hold a bachelor’s degree.
Professional: 4 years of podiatry school and at least 1 year of residency training. Two years of residency are required for board certification. There are both 24 month and 36 month medicine and surgery residencies. The longer residency increases the kinds of surgery which may be performed.
Admission requirements:
| Required courses: | 8-12 hours Biology |
| 8 hours General Chemistry | |
| 8 hours Organic Chemistry | |
| 8 hours Physics | |
| Grade Point Average: | Average overall GPA for the 2009 applicants was 3.3; average science gpa was 3.1. |
| Admissions tests: | Podiatry schools generally require the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) but some will accept the DAT or the GRE (including the science section). Average MCAT score for accepted students for 2009 was 22. |