Foot and Ankle Doctors: FAQs About Podiatrists

A podiatrist is a doctor whose medical practice focuses on the treatment of foot and ankle conditions . A podiatrist has a separate medical degree called a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).

Podiatric medical school is a 4-year, post-graduate degree that includes rigorous training and education regarding the foot and ankle. There are nine podiatry schools accredited by the American Podiatric Medical Association in the US. Following completion of one of these nine programs, most graduates undergo a hospital-based surgical residency that is three years in duration.

In my case, I attended Spring Hill College, a small liberal arts college in Mobile, AL. My undergraduate degree is in English literature, but I also had to complete pre-health science course work as well which included classes like biology, organic chemistry and physics. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I pursued my podiatric medical training at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.

Part of the appeal of Temple University was that many of the medical and surgical rotations were blended with the Allopathic Medical students (MDs), introducing them to areas like vascular surgery, radiology and infectious diseases. After obtaining my DPM, I spent an additional three years obtaining my foot and ankle surgical training in Atlanta, GA at Dekalb Medical Center .

Not all states and hospitals require board-certification in order to perform surgery.

The American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) is the most recognized and respected board in the field of podiatric medicine. It sets strict and rigorous standards that must be met for a podiatric surgeon to achieve a board-certification. Only a select number of foot surgeons complete this process and attain certification.

Louisiana also allows podiatrists to obtain separate surgical ankle certification from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) . I am proud to hold both certifications.

To learn more about my education, training, and certifications, please visit the About Patrick Hall, DPM section of this site. Or, if you are currently suffering from a foot or ankle condition, click the button below to request an appointment.