Podiatry focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. Individuals seeking care often encounter the title Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) and are unsure if the practitioner is qualified to perform surgery. Understanding the modern scope of practice for these specialists is important for anyone considering treatment for foot or ankle ailments. Many podiatrists are indeed trained and licensed as surgeons within their specific anatomical focus.
The Surgical Scope of Podiatry
A podiatrist is legally recognized as a physician and surgeon providing comprehensive medical and surgical care for the lower leg, foot, and ankle. The Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree licenses them to diagnose and treat ailments within this specific region. Their practice includes medical, physical, and surgical methods to manage diseases, disorders, and injuries of the foot and ankle complex.
The anatomical boundary of their surgical practice generally encompasses the foot, ankle, and the governing tendons and muscles. State licensing laws define the precise scope, which may include procedures like total ankle replacement or complex reconstructive surgery. Podiatric surgeons are credentialed to address a wide range of conditions, from common deformities to traumatic fractures.
Training and Surgical Qualifications
The path to becoming a podiatric surgeon is an intensive and structured medical education journey. It begins with four years of specialized medical school at a college of podiatric medicine. The curriculum covers foundational sciences like anatomy and pathology, with an added concentration on lower extremity medicine and biomechanics.
After earning the DPM degree, graduates must complete a mandatory, hospital-based residency program, typically lasting three years. This postgraduate training is known as the Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency (PMSR). The residency provides extensive experience in surgical and medical management, including rotations in general surgery, internal medicine, and anesthesiology.
Following residency, many podiatric surgeons pursue board certification through specialty boards like the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS). Certification requires fulfilling training requirements, demonstrating clinical experience, and passing comprehensive written and oral examinations. This process confirms surgical competence and ensures the podiatric surgeon is qualified to perform complex procedures.
Common Podiatric Surgical Procedures
Podiatric surgeons regularly perform operative procedures aimed at correcting structural issues, repairing injuries, and alleviating chronic pain. Frequent interventions include the bunionectomy, which involves removing the bony prominence and realigning the joint at the base of the big toe. They also commonly perform surgery to correct hammertoes, a deformity often requiring joint fusion or tendon release.
Surgical skills are also applied to traumatic injuries, such as complex fractures of the foot and ankle, often requiring plates, screws, or pins to stabilize the bones. Reconstructive procedures are performed for conditions like flatfoot, involving tendon transfers or osteotomies to restore the arch and improve function. They also treat severe cases of plantar fasciitis, which may require surgery to release tension in the plantar fascia.
Podiatric Surgeons Versus Orthopedic Surgeons
The distinction between a podiatric surgeon and an orthopedic surgeon often confuses patients with foot and ankle problems. Orthopedic surgeons (MD or DO) complete four years of general medical school, followed by a five-year orthopedic residency covering the entire musculoskeletal system. Their expertise encompasses the bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints throughout the whole body, including the spine, hip, and knee.
Podiatric surgeons, holding the DPM degree, focus their entire medical education and training exclusively on the foot, ankle, and lower leg. While both can perform surgery on the foot and ankle, the podiatrist’s training is hyperspecialized to the lower extremity. This difference means that for issues isolated to the foot and ankle, a podiatric surgeon offers highly concentrated expertise.
The scope of practice for an orthopedic surgeon allows them to treat conditions across the entire body, while the podiatric surgeon’s practice is anatomically limited to the lower leg and foot. Despite this difference, both specialists are qualified to treat fractures, arthritis, and deformities in the foot and ankle region. Patients should consider whether their issue is localized or part of a broader musculoskeletal concern when choosing between the two.