Question about Podiatrist training

[SteinmetzMD]

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I know Pods are trained to deal mainly with the lower leg and foot, but are you guys also taught basic first aid and medical skills (EKG reading, CPR, IV's, etc) in Pod School? And DPMs can prescribe medications, right?

I'm asking because I've seen posts about Podiatrists being called into the ER, asked to read EKGs and do things you wouldn't expect a lower leg specialist doing. Also, do Pods deal with the hands as well? The hands and feet seem pretty similar.

 

[postbacpremed87]

I know Pods are trained to deal mainly with the lower leg and foot, but are you guys also taught basic first aid and medical skills (EKG reading, CPR, IV's, etc) in Pod School? And DPMs can prescribe medications, right?

I'm asking because I've seen posts about Podiatrists being called into the ER, asked to read EKGs and do things you wouldn't expect a lower leg specialist doing. Also, do Pods deal with the hands as well? The hands and feet seem pretty similar.

Not serious....don't bother mods...I am closing this thread down here.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

Sorry if my questions seem ignorant? I, and I think the public in general, am a little on the ignorant side when it comes to Podiatry. So enlighten me.

 

[postbacpremed87]

Sorry if my questions seem ignorant? I, and I think the public in general, am a little on the ignorant side when it comes to Podiatry. So enlighten me.

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Origin:
< Neo-Latin < Greek -pod-, stem of -pous, adj. derivative of poús foot

You are not a serious individual. No one here will believe you are in search of answers to serious questions. This is a serious profession and you are not a serious person. You fail.

We could smell the flame a mile away....

 

[feet2017]

from what i recall i think in Michigan you can treat hands.......not trolling....

 

[heybrother]

The answer to all of your questions is "yes" followed by a qualifier such as "during residency." You can see the curriculum of each podiatry school online for an idea of the coursework and residency websites (and their CASPR/CRIP summary pages) often contain a description of the off-service rotations you will be a part of during residency. A discussion of the legal scope of practice is beyond my current level of interest to devote to this thread. Suffice it to say a podiatrist with excellent training should be an expert of the foot and ankle and have the skills necessary to interact with a multi-disciplinary health team to assist in coordinating care.

 

[EK18]

SteinmetzMD isn't trolling. Some states actually have (old) statues where podiatrists are permitted to treat both the hands and the feet.

Example of Michigan Scope of Podiatry: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(dk...0))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-368-1978-15-180.pdf

From what I understand, this has something to do with the old definition of chiropody. I doubt most modern podiatrists would treat the hands or wrists.

SteinmetzMD: To further answer your one of your questions, yes, Podiatrists have an unlimited prescriptive authority as long as it has to do with the foot or ankle. I don't know how much training they receive in reading EKGs and such, as I haven't started formal training yet. Perhaps one of the podiatry students will be better equipped to answer that question.

 

[jonod1107]

I believe in terms of being able to treat hands, that is just for palliative procedures such as warts, etc. Not SURGICAL! Also, I can't believe you think the hand is similar to the feet. The hand is not at all similar to the feet. Hand surgeons are one of the most elite surgeons out there and it takes more training to be a hand surgeon than most surgical specialties.

In Podiatry school, you do learn all basic medical procedures. In fact, at the NY school, during the 2nd semester, you take classes to be CPR and First Aid certified. As for prescribing medication, yes, Pods prescribe anything from pain killers to antibiotics to anti-inflammatory. They can also be the referring doc. for cardie-vascular testing, physical therapy , etc.