Podiatrists are physicians who diagnose and treat conditions of the foot and ankle, ranging from ingrown nails and bunions to fractured ankles and bone spurs. Sometimes the treatment is as simple as prescribing orthotic shoes or as complicated as performing total ankle implant surgery.

David Yeager first visited a podiatrist for an ingrown nail during his undergraduate years at Seattle University. He started chatting with Douglas Ichikawa of Bellevue Podiatric Physicians about medicine, and Ichikawa asked if Yeager had ever considered podiatry as a career. At the time, Yeager didn’t know a lot about the specialty, but Ichikawa started informing him. "He also knew I was a student and knew I was broke, and he didn’t charge me," Yeager says. 

That appointment stuck with Yeager, and the more he looked into the field, the more interested he became. Another fact that resonated with Yeager is that podiatrists work with patients who range in age from infancy to geriatrics. The ability to help people in a meaningful way and still have a pretty good work-life balance appealed to Yeager, who is now a podiatrist with the KSB Foot & Ankle Center outside of Chicago. "I work four days a week, though if you ask my wife, I work seven," he says. "But I still get to coach my daughter’s soccer team and attend my other daughter’s dance recitals." 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 1.0% employment growth for podiatrists between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 100 jobs should open up.

To be admitted into a podiatric medicine program, one needs at least three years of an undergraduate education with an emphasis in the sciences, though most podiatrists have earned a bachelor’s degree. A good score on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is usually another requirement for getting into a four-year podiatric medical school.

Once armed with a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree from an accredited program, podiatrists next complete three years of residency training in a hospital. Finally, podiatrists must pass the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam to get their licensure. Some states may have additional requirements. Similar to other medical professions, podiatrists can complete a fellowship to sub-specialize in sports medicine, pediatrics or diabetic care, among others.