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Hospitals
Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, HCA Healthcare
Podiatrists
Podiatrists diagnose and treat problems in the feet and ankles, from sports injuries and deformities to bone, muscle, and joint disorders. The work is a mix of exams, X-rays, procedures, and patient coaching, so you need to be comfortable with both hands-on care and long-term prevention. The tradeoff is strong pay and specialized work, but it takes years of training for a small field that is growing only slightly.
Also known as Foot and Ankle SpecialistPodiatric PhysicianPodiatry PhysicianFoot DoctorDoctor of Podiatric Medicine
Median Salary
$152,800
Mean $163,960
U.S. Workforce
~10K
0.3K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+1.8%
9.7K to 9.9K
Entry Education
Doctoral or professional degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Podiatrists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~10K workers, with a median annual pay of $152,800 and roughly 0.3K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 9.7 K in 2024 to 9.9K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) or other doctoral/professional degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Podiatry Resident and can progress toward Practice Owner / Medical Director. High-value skills usually include Foot & Ankle Examination and Biomechanics, X-rays and Diagnostic Imaging Review, and Electronic Health Records (Epic, Cerner), paired with soft skills such as Active Listening, Critical Thinking, and Clinical Judgment.
Core Responsibilities
- Examine patients' feet and ankles, asking about pain, swelling, injuries, and trouble walking.
- Review X-rays, lab results, and medical history to pinpoint the cause of a problem.
- Use casts, straps, braces, or other devices to correct deformities and support healing.
- Prescribe medicine, therapy, or surgery when a problem needs more than basic treatment.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Examine patients' feet and ankles, asking about pain, swelling, injuries, and trouble walking.
02 Review X-rays, lab results, and medical history to pinpoint the cause of a problem.
03 Use casts, straps, braces, or other devices to correct deformities and support healing.
04 Prescribe medicine, therapy, or surgery when a problem needs more than basic treatment.
05 Fit custom inserts or prosthetic devices and adjust them so they work comfortably.
06 Teach patients how to care for their feet and refer them to other doctors when symptoms may point to diabetes, arthritis, or another wider health issue.
Industries That Hire
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Outpatient Specialty Clinics
Kaiser Permanente, Optum, Summit Health
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Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Groups
Hospital for Special Surgery, Rothman Orthopaedics, OrthoCarolina
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Academic Medical Centers
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Mass General Brigham, Stanford Health Care
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Ambulatory Surgery Centers
Surgery Partners, Tenet Healthcare, United Surgical Partners International
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong, with a median annual wage of $152,800 and a mean of $163,960.
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The job does not require prior work experience, so the path is mostly about formal training and residency.
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Work is hands-on and varied: one day might involve exams and imaging, the next a cast, brace, or minor procedure.
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You can directly improve mobility and pain, which makes the results of good treatment easy to see.
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The specialty is small and focused, which can make skilled clinicians especially valuable in hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers.
Challenges
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Training is long and intense: a doctoral or professional degree plus internship or residency is the standard path.
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Growth is weak, with employment projected to rise only 1.8% from 9.7K to 9.9K jobs by 2034 and about 0.3K annual openings.
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The field is narrow, so career movement can be harder if you want to switch into a broader medical specialty later.
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A noticeable share of the work is documentation, imaging review, and coordination, not just procedures and patient interaction.
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Many patients have chronic conditions like diabetes or arthritis, so treatment is often ongoing management rather than a quick fix.
Career Progression
Podiatry Resident
0-3 years
$60K-$90K
Learns under supervision, assists with patient care and procedures, and builds diagnostic and surgical skills.
Podiatrist
3-8 years
$140K-$175K
Handles routine and moderate foot and ankle cases, orders tests, prescribes treatment, and performs office procedures.
Senior Podiatrist THIS ROLE
8-15 years
$175K-$225K
Manages more complex cases, takes on difficult procedures, and may mentor junior clinicians or residents.
Practice Owner / Medical Director
12+ years
$225K-$320K
Leads a clinic or specialty group, balancing patient care with staffing, referrals, and business decisions.
Education Paths
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) or other doctoral/professional degree
The most common entry point, held by 52.89% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
Post-doctoral residency or internship
A major part of preparation after the degree, listed for 32.36% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
First professional degree in a related medical field
A smaller route into the occupation, shown for 14.09% of workers in the O*NET distribution.
State licensure and podiatric board certification
A realistic non-degree credential path that matters in practice even though it does not appear as a separate percentage in the education distribution.
Key Skills
Technical
Foot & Ankle Examination and Biomechanics 74%
X-rays and Diagnostic Imaging Review 74%
Electronic Health Records (Epic, Cerner) 73%
Orthotics, Casts and Bracing 73%
Minor Procedures and Wound Care 72%
Medication Management and Referral Coordination 72%
Soft Skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingClinical JudgmentClear Patient CommunicationMonitoringSocial Perceptiveness Job Outlook and Trends
+1.8%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.3K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 9.7K to 9.9 K over the next decade, representing 1.8% growth. Around 0.3 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.