The Salary and Professional Skills of a Podiatrist

by - 5/29/2018 08:24:00 AM



Do you want to become a podiatrist? Is your career goal to become a successful podiatrist?



A career as a podiatrist is very rewarding. In this article, you will get to know about everything about choosing podiatrist as a job line.

Who is a podiatrist?
Also referred to as a chiropodist or a foot doctor, a podiatrist is the one who provides surgical as well as medical care for people who have ankle, lower leg, and foot problems. These issues include injuries, defects, and infections, in addition to nail and foot conditions associated with other chief health disorders like diabetes. Podiatrists diagnose diseases, perform surgery, and treat injuries of the lower limbs.


Educational requirements
In order to become a podiatrist, aspirants must get an approved and accredited Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) Degree, which can be completed within 4 years following a 3-year undergraduate course.

After you complete your DPM, you have to finish a residency of 3 years as well in the same field. A few podiatric specialties also require fellowship that is a maximum of 3 additional years. Plus, you have to register yourself with the HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council).

Skills and abilities
Podiatrists should have some special skills and abilities. These include:
  • ·         Compassion: They should have a caring, understanding, and compassionate personality since they treat patients who suffer from pain.
  • ·         Good communication skills: Podiatrists must have good interpersonal skills since they interact with their patients a lot. Effective communication and listening skills are a must.
  • ·         Critical-thinking skills: Podiatrists must have an analytical and sharp mind so that they can properly diagnose their patients and tell them the best treatment course.



Duties and responsibilities
As a podiatrist, you will provide treatment, diagnosis, and preventive care to a wide range of problems pertaining to the lower legs, ankles, and feet. You will give advice to your patients on how they can improve their mobility, quality of life, and independence. A podiatrist can get a job in a hospital, private practice, or GP surgery and work with many people, including doctors, physiotherapists, and nurses.




Working hours
Majorly, podiatrists work full time. Their offices are also open on the weekends as well as evenings in order to treat their patients. However, private podiatrists with their own practice have their own working hours. In hospitals, podiatrists sometimes work occasional weekends or nights and sometimes on call.

Salary
The average salary of a podiatrist in 2018 in the US is $120,700 as reported by Salary Sumo. Podiatrists receive a lucrative salary every year. In order, to know which cities and countries give out the highest salaries to podiatrists see podiatrist salary by Salarysumo.

Perks
Besides their base salary and yearly earnings, podiatrists also receive certain other benefits as well as bonuses for their jobs. Some of these valuable benefits include pension, vacation, social security, disability, 401K, and healthcare, along with additional bonuses.


So, this was everything about a podiatrist career. Now, get set and take the right measures to become a podiatrist.



You May Also Like

0 comments