The medical science of podiatry has advanced a lot in the course of the last half a century. But there are still a lot of different places, where recognition or even understanding of this advance by people or the medical commune has not happened correctly. Podiatry is not a trade that merely checks toenails, calluses or corns. Podiatry is a branch of medical science which has particular expertise in treating the problems of the feet and ankles. This article will help you to dispel some common myths that surround podiatry.
- Podiatrists go through just two years of medical school: Podiatrists have to graduate after doing an undergraduate course for four years; they go to a school for the same duration as a regular medical doctor or MD. The initial two years of the studies that podiatrists do are the same as what MDs learn in medical school. The main difference will start in the third year; this is the time when podiatry students will begin to develop experience in their foot and ankle medicines. Podiatry students will be serving in a lot of similar departments in the hospital to learn the general medical training like the MD student during the third and the fourth years, but most of their time is spent on learning to treat the problems and ailments of the foot. After completing graduation, the podiatrists will become resident physicians in the hospitals for about two to four years where they will learn a lot of advanced medical techniques and methods of surgery. They will usually be tasked with similar responsibilities as the MD interns are. After finishing this, podiatrists will finally start their practice.
- Podiatrists will only treat your nails and your calluses: Once upon a time in the middle of the twentieth century when the podiatrists, at that time known as chiropodists, would strictly treat just toenails, basic foot pain, calluses, and so on. But that time has gone away completely. In the last thirty years, the science of podiatry has advanced a lot and podiatrists have gone on to treat almost all the different conditions which can go on to affect anyone’s foot or ankle, beginning with bunions, hammertoes, flat feet, to severe issues like infections, fractures, bone problems and also extensive birth deformities. Podiatrists treat disorders of the skins, diseases of the bones, disorders in nerves, injuries and even roles in blood circulation disorders. Also, they will still handle your toenails and corns like they always did.
- Podiatrists cannot do surgery: The primary role of podiatry is related to surgery as a lot of treatments that are done by podiatrists will involve some form of hands-on procedures. Podiatrists will perform actions which include some traditional surgeries also. Thus, podiatrists are quite aware of how surgical procedures and treatments get undertaken.
If you are looking for the services of a podiatrist, you can take an appointment with a Podiatrist Adelaide.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the information mentioned in this article will dispel some of the incorrect assumptions you had about podiatrists.
