Examine a painful foot
Ask when the pain started, look the foot over, and read an X-ray if the case needs one.
Career profile
Podiatrist
Podiatrists diagnose and treat foot problems, from sore joints to trouble caused by diabetes.
When walking hurts, the patient's story and a hands-on exam start the search for a medical cause and for care that might help.
A day in the life
Explain the treatment choice
You walk the patient through whether a shoe insert, medication or other care suits their problem and why.
Correct a painful bunion
In practices that do surgery, you operate on a bunion to fix the misshapen spot that hurts.
Refer patients to another doctor
If the exam points to something like arthritis or diabetes, send the patient on to another doctor.
Quick facts
Doctoral or professional degree
United States
$160,300 median
United States · May 2025
2% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Doctoral or professional degreeA Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree takes four years after college preparation, followed by residency.
Pay
$160,300 medianNational annual median for podiatrists; the hourly equivalent is $77.07.
Outlook
2% projected growthAbout 200 openings per year are projected nationally, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy connecting symptoms with anatomy.
- You like precise work with your hands.
- You want to explain choices directly to patients.
Things to weigh
- You work close to patients and encounter infections.
- Some jobs include evenings, weekends or emergency call.
- College preparation comes before four years of professional school and usually three years of residency.
Where AI may help
Researchers have tested shoe insoles that measure foot temperature and send readings through a phone app. This could help clinicians notice changes between visits in people at risk of diabetic foot wounds.
What people still lead
In that research approach, a clinician interprets persistent alerts and decides how to respond. A temperature reading supplies information for a treatment decision.
What we can’t predict yet
How much monitoring can move home remains uncertain. Reliable readings, patients using the equipment consistently, and clinics responding to alerts all affect whether it changes everyday care.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national figures describe employed podiatrists across experience levels. They are not a starting salary or the take-home income of a practice owner.
The median and spread
The May 2025 median was $160,300 a year, equivalent to $77.07 an hour. The 10th-percentile wage was $66,010 and the 90th-percentile wage was $309,670. Those points describe the national wage distribution, not a beginner-to-expert pay ladder.
A small occupation with replacement openings
Employment is projected to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 200 openings annually on average. Openings include replacing people who leave the occupation as well as growth.
Getting started
Complete college preparation and podiatric medical school
- What the route involves
- Complete at least 90 semester hours of college, including required science labs and English; most entrants have a bachelor's degree. Check each school's admissions test policy, commonly the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). Then study medical sciences and treat patients in clinical rotations during the four-year DPM program.
- What it can lead to
- Graduation earns the DPM degree and leads into postgraduate training. The American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination (APMLE) series separately assesses basic science and clinical competence.
Train in a hospital residency
Usually three years; some programs take four.
- What the route involves
- After the degree, build medical and surgical skills through supervised inpatient and outpatient care in a podiatric medicine and surgery residency.
- What it can lead to
- You develop the experience needed for independent clinical work and enter pathways toward specialty board certification.
- What to check
- Residency may require a training or full license. Check the licensing board in the state where you will train.
These are two linked parts of the training path: professional school first, then residency. You also need a state license to practice.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Build a dependable routine for patient records and follow-up.
Deepen your judgment
Build experience with patients whose foot problems are complicated by diabetes or other chronic illnesses.
Choose a focus
Develop a practice focused on sports injuries, children's feet or surgery.
- Practice ownership adds responsibility for staffing and supplies.
Where you can work
Your own podiatry office
Patient care shares your attention with hiring and ordering supplies. Ownership may give you more control over office hours.
- Indoors
- Office
A group medical practice
You work alongside other physicians or specialists, with more of your working relationships inside a shared practice.
- Indoors
- Office
An urgent-care facility
Emergency call can interrupt your schedule; some podiatrists must be available when urgent problems arise.
- Indoors
- On call
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Imagine someone says, “My heel hurts when I walk.” Write five questions you would want to ask before choosing a treatment, then mark what would require an examination or test. Notice whether gathering clues interests you as much as finding an answer.
Stay safe: Keep this a paper exercise; do not diagnose or treat anyone.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. 29-1081.00 — Podiatrists. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- American Podiatric Medical Association. FAQ about Today's Podiatrists. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook — Podiatrists. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — National estimates. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Projections Table 1.2 — 2025–2035. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. Admissions. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. Podiatric Education. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine. Residencies. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners. What Is on the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Examination. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- Trials; study authors via PubMed. Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of sensor-equipped insoles and photo documentation. Accessed 2026-10-09.