Accredited Schools and Colleges of Podiatry

For more information on careers in podiatric medicine, contact any of the following:

There are eight colleges of podiatric medicine in the United States. They all receive accreditation from the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, which is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. All of the colleges grant the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). Students who are interested in attending a college of podiatric medicine can contact any of the colleges directly for more information.

Approximately 95% of all first-year students entering the colleges of podiatric medicine possess baccalaureate degrees and about 10% have advanced degrees. As with institutions granting MD and DO degrees, the colleges may consider candidates who show unusual promise and have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours at accredited undergraduate colleges or universities. Applicants for admission are also required to complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as a prerequisite, although some of the colleges accept the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as well.

Candidates for podiatric medical schools can apply online by contacting the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine at www.aacpm.org. In addition, the AACPM has a mentor network that matches students interested in podiatric medicine to podiatrists in their area. 

The course of instruction leading to the DPM degree is four years in length. The first two years are devoted largely to classroom instruction and laboratory work in the basic medical sciences, such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, pharmacology and pathology. During the third and fourth years, students concentrate on courses in clinical sciences, gaining experience in the college clinics, community clinics and accredited hospitals. Clinical courses include, but are not limited to, general diagnosis, dermatology, general medicine, podiatric surgery, trauma and biomechanics.

 

After completing the four-year course of study in podiatric medicine and receiving the DPM degree, the doctor then normally begins a postdoctoral residency program. These programs are designed to strengthen and refine the practitioner’s podiatric medical primary care, orthopedic, and/or surgical skills. Residency programs are based in accredited hospitals and last two or more years. Podiatric residents often rotate through private offices as well, in order to learn important business and interpersonal skills.