Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners

How to become a Podiatrist

Official title: Podiatrists

Also called: Attending Physician, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery), Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Physician, Podiatric Physician, Podiatric Surgeon, Podiatrist

Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.

Main tasks

Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.
Diagnose diseases and deformities of the foot using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results.
Advise patients about treatments and foot care techniques necessary for prevention of future problems.
Prescribe medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery.
Surgically treat conditions such as corns, calluses, ingrown nails, tumors, shortened tendons, bunions, cysts, or abscesses.
Refer patients to physicians when symptoms indicative of systemic disorders, such as arthritis or diabetes, are observed in feet and legs.
Make and fit prosthetic appliances.
Correct deformities by means of plaster casts and strapping.

How to become one

Podiatrists must earn a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree and complete a 3-year residency program. Every state requires podiatrists to be licensed.

Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Allied Health degrees, Offered by 15 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 50 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $160,300 a year The middle half earn $103,730 to $225,910.
About 10,000 people work in this job now, and about 10,200 are projected by 2035. (+2%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Podiatrist?

Podiatrists must earn a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree and complete a 3-year residency program. Every state requires podiatrists to be licensed.

How much does a Podiatrist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $160,300 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $103,730 to $225,910.

Is a Podiatrist a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 10,000 people now and 10,200 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Podiatrist?

Usually. 100% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Podiatrist?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.