Podiatrist Career
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Podiatrist Job Description
A podiatrist diagnoses and treats disorders and deformities of the foot. He/she manages various foot diseases, such as, fractures, claudication, osteomyelitis, flat foot, foot imbalances, ulcers, tumors, skin and nail ailments, corns, bunions, calluses, in-growing nails, shortened tendons, cysts, and abscesses, and congenital or acquired deformities.
A podiatrist uses mechanical and electrical procedures, like: whirlpool / paraffin baths, and short wave and low voltage currents for the treatments. He may also use surgical methods, like suturing along with the appropriate medications and local anesthesia.
He corrects foot deformities using plaster casts and strapping, makes and attaches prosthetic devices and prescribes corrective foot wear.
Podiatrist Skills/Duties
A podiatrist manages neurological, arthritic and vascular foot disorders. A podiatrist can give injections to ease leg and foot pain.
He provides specific and expert wound care for leg abscesses and ulcers. Depending on the acuteness, ulcer and abscess removal can be done in the clinic or in a hospital under anesthesia.
A podiatrist's proficient skills are essential for diabetic foot care and to prevent infections and wounds. Because diabetics have reduced lower extremity blood circulation and healing abilities, even a tiny cut can result in threatening consequences.
A podiatrist conducts procedures that could range from minor clinic methods to major surgeries needing general anesthesia.
At the clinic, a podiatrist eliminates corns, warts, calluses and in-grown toenails.
In the hospital, he performs re-construction after traumatic injuries, lower extremity amputations, congenital and arthritic deformity rectification, bunion treatment and Morton's neuroma excision.
Podiatrist Education and Training
• `Undergraduates need to take English, chemistry, biology, and physics. English is mandatory for admission in to a podiatry school. Most podiatry schools need one to complete the undergraduate degree for admission.
• Once you graduate from the podiatry school (a 4 year program), you have to complete a 2 or 3 year Podiatry Residency Program, which offers medical as well as surgical training in lower extremity surgery, infectious diseases, emergency medicine and anesthesiology.
• To practice podiatry, you must complete 3 parts of a Board Certification Examination in Podiatry. The exam is conducted by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. The 1st part is appeared for after the second year of podiatry school, while the 2nd part is taken after graduation from the school. During the Podiatry Residency, you pass the 3rd part and get certified in Podiatric Medicine.
• The podiatrist ought to be licensed by the State in order to practice.
Podiatrist Job Outlook
The job outlook for podiatrists is fair. Most physicians have solo / group private practices, while some are attached to hospitals; some work in insurance companies, in the armed forces or as teaching fraternity in podiatry schools.
Veterans Administration hospitals frequently have an active podiatric department. A podiatrist employed by the Veterans Administration or one who works at a hospital, may have on-call shifts and might have to work for long hours as compared to a podiatrist having his private practice.
Podiatrist Salary
The mean salary of a podiatrist is in the range of $43,000 to $145,000 per annum.
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