Opportunities in the world of Podiatry

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ContentsPodiatry...what’s it all about? 3Scope of Podiatry 6Qualifying as a Podiatrist 10Careers in Podiatry 14Working Overseas 18Thinking outside the shoebox 22

Contact details 24

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Podiatry...what’s it all about?

Podiatrists specialise in the lower limb, taking the patient through the whole journey, including prevention, diagnosis and resolution.

What does a Podiatrist do?A Podiatrist’s primary aim is to improve the mobility, independence and quality of life for their patients. Imagine how amazing that feels!

They are autonomous healthcare professionals who deliver preventative, palliative, biomechanical, pharmacological and surgical interventions for lower limb problems. They work alone or are part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

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Why become a Podiatrist?

* correct as at April 2014

Podiatry...what’s it all about? continued

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• Acareerinhealthcare

• Toworkwithawiderangeofpeople

• Variedemploymentopportunities

• Tobepartofacaringprofession

• Thepotentialtofocusonaspecificareaofclinicalpractice

• NoUniversitytuitionfeestopay*

• Achallengingjobwhereeverydayisdifferent

• Thepotentialtostartyourownbusiness

• Flexibleworkinghours

• Astructuredcareerpath

• Theopportunitytoworkoverseas

• Tobeautonomous

• Technologyandresearchdrivenclinicaladvances

• AnNHSstartingsalaryinlinewithphysiotherapyoroccupationaltherapy

• Thethrillofmakingadifferenceinpeople’slives

• Toworkindependentlyorwithinateam

• Opportunitiesinresearch

Podiatry provides a very flexible and rewarding career but you have to be sure it is the right choice for you. So think carefully. Do you want:

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Now is an exciting time to be a podiatrist!

Thisiswhatpodiatrycanofferyouasacareerchoice.Ifyourelatetoamajorityofthesethenacareerinpodiatrycouldbeforyou.

This booklet has been put together to provide information for anyone making a career decision and wanting an overview of podiatry.

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The wide ranging scope of practice and variety of caseload and patient groups are key elements that attract many people to the profession. The potential to develop their career in a number of different clinical areas, provides practitioners with good career progression.

Maybe one of these areas of clinical practice would interest you:

Scope of Podiatry

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As with most jobs there is a lot more to podiatry than many people realise.

Most podiatrists start their professional life working in general foot care clinics. As their careers progress and their clinical skills develop many identify areas of clinical practice that really interest them and focus their development in these areas.

• Diabetes• Woundcare• Paediatricbiomechanics• Sportsinjuries• Gaitandpressureanalysis

• Rheumatology• Orthoticmanufacture• Nailsurgery• Rehabilitation• Biomechanics

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DrJillFerrari-PodopeadiatricsSenior Lecturer at University of East London and Specialist Podiatrist at Great Ormond Street

My working week is very varied. I start the week at Great Ormond Street Hospital working with the rheumatology team. My role there is to improve the foot and lower limb function of children with autoimmune disease and musculoskeletal pain. I work alongside the physiotherapist and use foot orthoses to improve mechanical alignment.

My other working days are at the University of East London. The first task each week is to meet with the orthotic technician and complete any orthoses for the GOSH children. Then there is usually plenty of administration tasks to be attended to regarding the teaching of students at the University.

I have a group of tutees that may need support with their assignments and I organise the musculoskeletal module for the level 3 students. On one day each week I am in clinic with the level 1 students, facilitating their clinical education.

My working week

is very varied.

Scope of Podiatry continued

AndrewSharpeHigh Risk Specialist Podiatrist – NHS Sefton

I currently work as a community based podiatrist specialising in assessment and care of patients with long-term conditions.

The reason I enjoy this job is that the treatment, assessment and education of podiatry related issues make a real difference to people’s lives. I treat initial problems as well as helping prevent secondary pathologies, giving patients more mobility and a better quality of life. Providing care locally means that many patients no longer need to attend or stay in hospital.

Having a keen interest and good understanding of diabetes and cardiovascular pathology means I am well placed to provide early detection and timely referral of patients. It also means I am able to work as an autonomous practitioner and provide specialist advice on foot complications. Part of my day to day practice involves decisive action in appropriate and prompt antibiotic, consultant, GP and nurse specialist referrals.

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I also really enjoy being a key part of the

multi-disciplinary teams and working with a variety

of allied health professionals, nurs

es and doctors.

TomCooperSenior Podiatrist at Ace Feet in Motion

I specialise in the musculoskeletal side of podiatry and use plantar pressure measurement technology to assess the foot in its dynamic state. Such information allows me to prescribe and supply custom orthoses which are manufactured in my own laboratory.

In my practice most of my work is sport related and we specialise in sports injuries and sports footwear. As such, I am often involved in footwear design and development or the production of fully bespoke footwear. At times we need to involve other professionals as part of the multidisciplinary team and often work with the physiotherapist, chiropractor, osteopaths and orthopaedic surgeons.

As a massive rugby fan and a proud Welshman one of the highlights so far in my career is the work we have done with the Welsh Rugby Team. It was great to meet the players and a fantastic experience working with the medical staff from the Welsh Rugby Union.

ChristineWarnerAdvanced Practitioner – Specialist Podiatrist in Diabetes

What do I enjoy most about my job? As I work as part of a multi-disciplinary diabetic team I have had the chance to work with a lot of interesting people to see how we can make a difference to individuals all with different needs.

I love talking with the patients about their different problems and long term conditions such as the DESMOND course for patients with diabetes. I feel I make a difference; and that also spills over to the students, watching them develop, providing them with guidance and support when they join me on placement.

The highlights of my career so far are the amount of different opportunities that I have had since I qualified. This involves meeting patients from all walks of life, from homeless people when I did volunteer work in central London, the complicated high risk patients I see day to day, the staff and students at University of East London, to the famous people I met when I worked as a Podiatrist for the Festival Medical Service at Glastonbury festival, and I’m just about to start running a clinic at Holloway prison.

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There are 13 podiatry programmes across the UK offering recognised full time Bachelor of Science honours degrees in Podiatry/Podiatric Medicine. The courses take 3 or 4 years to complete depending on where you chose to study.

As the courses are delivered by so many different institutions the structure of delivery and content of each course varies but all of them are modular. You are required to pass all of the course in order to qualify and practice as a podiatrist.

All of the courses involve a significant amount of hands on clinical work with patients, both in academic and placement environments. This equates to approximately 1,000 clinical hours.

Qualifying as a Podiatrist

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In order to be able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and therefore practice as a Podiatrist in the UK you have to complete a recognised podiatry degree. Recognised means that the degree course has been approved by the HCPC which is the regulatory body for Podiatry.

Find out as much as you ca

n

about podiatry to be sure

you

are making the right career choic

e.

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ClaireDuguid a Podiatry Admissions Tutor, provides some

great tips on making your application.

• Keep to the deadlines set out by UCAS.

• Find out as much as you can about podiatry to be sure you are making the right career choice.

• Spend time with an HCPC registered podiatrist if you can before completing your application.

It may not be possible to work shadow a podiatrist but you can at least speak to one to find out

more about what the profession involves.

• Entry Qualifications vary across the 13 Institutions so it is advisable to contact the individual

admissions tutor for each programme. All programmes normally look for some science background.

• In your personal statement include:

• Reasons as to why you want to study podiatry.

• Evidence that you understand the scope of practice of a podiatrist.

• It is also important to mention your personal interests and hobbies and try

and link these to the skills and qualities required to become a podiatrist.

• If invited for interview:

• Be punctual.

• Project a professional image.

• Speak to some existing students if you get the chance.

• Come with some well thought out questions of your own to ask.

• Use it as an opportunity to further identify where you want to study.

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BerthEngelbrecht2nd year Podiatry Student

It had always been an ambition of mine to study Podiatry, however, when I finished school there were limited opportunities for me to study Podiatry in South Africa, which is my home country. I wanted to go into a caring profession so I went to train as a Nurse. I had worked as a Nurse for some years but Podiatry was always a profession I wanted to learn more about it. I had worked alongside Podiatrists and was always extremely interested in their role in the patient’s care.

I was very excited when I learnt that I had been offered a place at university to study podiatry. As a mature student and a mother of three I was apprehensive about going back to formal studies but I am extremely glad that I have pursued this opportunity. I am thoroughly enjoying the course and enjoy the challenge that each module brings. Podiatry is a career where I can continue to work with people, not only patients but other healthcare professionals. I have had many opportunities while studying at University which have allowed me to develop professionally and personally.

SimbaTanyanyiwa2nd year Podiatry Student

I came to study podiatry as a mature student, having previously completed a degree in Biomedical Science and having worked in social care among many other things. I was attracted to podiatry because it is a caring profession that also offers independence and varied working opportunities.

I had initially been apprehensive about returning to university as a mature student, but once I had started I realised many of the students were mature as well. It is therefore exciting to share work and skills with people from across vastly diverse backgrounds and skill sets. One of the subjects I have enjoyed studying is pharmacology, which develops knowledge and theories for Prescription Only Medicines (POM’s) and Local Anaesthesia (LA) in podiatric practice, in accordance to the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) standards.

Qualifying as a Podiatrist continued

I am thoroughly enjoying the

course and enjoy the chal

lenge

that each module brings.

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RubyYates2nd year Podiatry Student

AmySmith2nd year Podiatry Student

Having Science A levels and a helpful nature, I had always wanted to work within a healthcare profession but did not know which one to choose. After travelling the world and having the opportunity to see and do so many exciting things, I wanted to return to study, but needed a course that could keep me motivated and enthusiastic, with a career I could feel proud of.

I discovered Podiatry and I have never looked back. I was blown away by the scope of practice that we have within such a specialised area and enjoy both the theoretical and practical aspects. The lecturers have been extremely supportive, the patients have been heartwarming and I’ve made some good friends. It’s hard to choose a favourite area but the surgical side of Podiatry and treating the high risk foot appeals to me most.

My first interest in Podiatry came from my passion for skiing and working as a ski boot fitter. I would come across a lot of foot complaints and enjoyed the challenge of helping to solve the problem.

I then qualified as a soft tissue therapist and now work with a variety of athletes. I have found that the feet have a profound role in sporting injuries and in achieving maximum performance. This is what encouraged me to study Podiatry and pursue a career in it.

Careers in Podiatry

One of the great benefits of working as a podiatrist is the flexible and varied employment opportunities. A podiatry degree can lead the way to a wide range of roles providing full and part time opportunities.

• NHSemployeeworkingasahospitalorcommunityclinicianorinamanagementrole• Businessownerrunningaprivatepractice• Medicalsalesrepresentative• LecturerorresearcherworkinginaUniversity• Selfemployedlocumworkinginprivatepracticesandprivatehospitals• Clinicianworkingoverseas• Representativeortechnicianworkingwithoneoftheassociatedtradeorganisations• Clinicianworkinginretailoutlets• Specialistpractitionerworkingwiththepoliceasaforensicpodiatrist

Many practitioners work in a combination of these different roles to give them greater job satisfaction and flexible working hours to suit their home life.

As a qualified podiatrist the following are all possible:

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Another great benefit of being a podiatrist is that many of the roles on the previous page provide very clear career progression. For example the following shows the structure of NHS podiatry and a potential career path. This structure is also used in a number of other clinical working environments.

If you are looking for varied challenges and flexible working, podiatry does have the potential to provide a great working solution.

• Entrylevelpodiatrist(band5)

• Specialistpodiatrist(band6)

• Teamleader,Advancedpodiatrist(band7)

• Principalpodiatrist,HeadofService,Registrar/Consultantpodiatristinpodiatricsurgery(band8a-d)

• Consultantpodiatristinpodiatricsurgery,HeadofService(band9)

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Careers in Podiatry continued

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LynnDalrympleNHS Clinician

Since qualifying last year I have been working in an NHS podiatry clinic having been given a post-graduate mentorship contract. I am able to use the many skills I learned at university and build my confidence as a practitioner.

This opportunity was great as it helps with the transition from being a student to a professional practitioner.

Podiatry is a very rewarding profession as you are able to improve the comfort, agility and independence for patients of all ages, from infants to elderly. No two patients are the same which keeps the job interesting.

You have to constantly rely on good diagnostic skills when dealing with abnormalities in the lower limb.

Podiatry is a very

rewarding profession.

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AmritTiwanaPodiatry Practice Owner

I qualified with a degree in podiatry in 2007. In my time at university I think I learnt many life skills as well as enjoying studying podiatry immensely. I got my first job as a podiatrist within 3 months of qualifying which was great.

With a podiatry degree so many avenues are open to you. Since qualifying I have worked in a private practice where I have been able to carry out routine podiatry as well as doing nail surgery using local anaesthesia. I have also got a place with Lloyds pharmacy who are very proactive in trying to get podiatry into their pharmacies.

Now with my podiatry degree I have been lucky enough to set up my own podiatry company with a fellow podiatrist. We run a private clinic in North West London which is going well and we are currently looking to grow it.

Podiatry as a profession is changing all the time and I believe a podiatry degree is a key to an exciting future.

TonyGavinPodiatry Practice Owner

I came to podiatry as a mature student at 28; I had previously been a Prison Officer among other things. I discovered podiatry by accident, and it captured my interest straight away.

I am very fortunate that my working life is now very varied and rewarding, more than I could have imagined. I have my own practice, which is a multidisciplinary clinic. I work alongside physiotherapists at my clinic, and have a caseload which includes palliative care, sports injuries and everything in-between.

Every day is different in practice; you never know what is going to come into your clinic next from an elite athlete with a sports injury, to a child with a verruca.

Every day is different in practice; you never know what is going to come into your clinic next.

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Working Overseas

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A degree in podiatry can be a ticket to some great adventures all round the world and many podiatrists spend some of their career working overseas.

While there are some limitations on the transferability of your qualification to various countries there are still plenty of opportunities for you to use your podiatry degree to work overseas.

Here are some case studies just to give you a taster of what you can do.

LeeBurkeNew Zealand

After graduating, I secured a job in New Zealand working for Foot Mechanics Podiatry. There I had the opportunity to utilise the latest technology in digital gait analysis to assess and treat sporting injuries and other biomechanical issues.

I have also had opportunities to attend a technical fitting session with Adidas and the New Zealand Under 17 rugby squad, where I was responsible for fitting the players with the correct footwear, and have recently written an article for Rugby New Zealand.

Ultimately podiatry has given me the opportunity to fulfil my career goals as well as fulfilling my ambitions in life.

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In 2007 I moved to Port Augusta South Australia having worked for 7 years in the NHS as a specialist podiatrist. I am now the coordinator of podiatry services in Outback South Australia.

We deliver care to communities in conjunction with the Royal Flying Doctors Service, flying around the outback every week. Part of my role is ensuring that small outlying communities receive a multidisciplinary service. In the main town where I work we have a podiatry clinic, gait lab and orthotic lab. We hold a vascular clinic which podiatry lead on, with a visiting surgeon and stenographer. This is a high-risk foot clinic where the diabetes nurse and dietician provide joint consultation with us to manage

the complex issues associated with the diabetic foot. We also do routine clinics, podopaediatric clinics and nail surgery. The hospital also has the largest renal clinic outside Adelaide and provides us with many podiatric challenges.

Working and living in rural South Australia has been a great experience. There is a real community spirit and many social activities. The famous Clare wine region is only a short drive; the flinders ranges offer great bush walking and hiking, and the gulf provides all the water sports you can imagine.

NatalieRoeAustralia

JillWoodsNepal

While working as a lecturer teaching podiatry I was lucky enough to be given a sabbatical to go to Nepal and spend four months in a small leprosy hospital. My time was mostly spent in the out patients department teaching the nursing staff wound care and nail surgery skills.

Even though I was helping them learn new skills, my own clinical skills developed enormously. Being faced with large numbers of foot ulcers every day and having very little in the way of equipment or dressings you become very resourceful and creative with treatment plans.

Nowhere I have ever worked has used my clinical podiatry skills to such great effect. Spending time in such close contact with hundreds of very poor and stigmatised leprosy patients was a very humbling experience and something I will always remember.

Working Overseas continued

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Nowhere I have ever worked has used my clinical podiatry skills to such great effect.

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JennyKindallSingapore

Shortly after qualifying I was appointed to a post at the “Foot Care & Limb Design Centre” in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore. Singapore has a high prevalence of diabetes and from the beginning I was involved with treating high risk patients with ulceration.

Working in this multidisciplinary and multicultural department has enabled me to develop strong clinical skills in wound management and offloading. It has also increased my depth of knowledge and made me aware of the importance of understanding the patients’ culture and beliefs.

Singaporeans are responsible for paying for their health care and I have to think “outside the box” for alternative treatments if the patients have financial difficulties.

I have to think “outside the box” for alternative treatments.

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Thinking outside the shoebox

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You have probably got the idea by now that a podiatry degree can lead your career in many different directions. Here are a couple of examples of people using their podiatry degree to work in some unusual roles.

AlisonGardinerSpecialist Podiatrist for Homeless and Vulnerable People. Central London Community Healthcare

My role is to improve access to podiatry services for ‘vulnerable groups’ such as those with learning disabilities, rough sleepers, and people with mental health problems. This includes providing podiatric care in day centres for rough sleepers, arranging training for colleagues and foot health promotion.

I enjoy my job because there is the opportunity to provide healthcare in a creative way for those ‘on the margins’ whose health is suffering as a consequence. A podiatrist can quickly build a trusting relationship with someone whose life experiences make this difficult.

The highlights of my career so far have been running the podiatry service for Crisis (the charity for single homeless people), lecturing on homelessness and healthcare at the University of East London and volunteering for the Special Olympics.

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ProfessorWesleyVernonOBEResearch and Forensics Head of Podiatry Service and Research Lead, Sheffield PCT

My day to day work varies, depending on whether it is a research, forensic case work, clinical or management day. On a research day, I may be checking through literature for relevant items, or giving advice on research matters, considering data, or writing up research reports.

I regularly travel to the USA or Canada to give presentations about my research findings at International Conferences. Through my research, I am often asked to provide an expert opinion as a Forensic Podiatrist in criminal cases. In this, I will collect all information relating to the case, plan my approach and collect the equipment required. I would then examine items of evidence and through a process of comparison, determine whether a particular person could be linked to a crime scene through footwear, footprints or CCTV recordings. I would finish by writing a report of my findings.

I enjoy the creative aspects of my work the most, whether this is finding out new knowledge about the foot and podiatry by research, developing new approaches to podiatry practice or new techniques in Forensic Podiatry.

I enjoy the creative aspects of my work the most.

For further information on life as a podiatrist, and practitioner and patient profiles please visit: www.careersinpodiatry.com

E-mail: enq@scpod.org

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