Podiatrist

Other Titles

Doctor, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, Doctor Podiatric Medicine, Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Physician, Podiatric Physician, Podiatric Surgeon, Practitioner

Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot. Podiatrists are healthcare professionals who specialise in diagnosing and treating various medical conditions related to the feet, ankles and lower limbs. These include everyday foot and ankle conditions as well as serious conditions related to the lower limbs. In this role, they carefully examine the patients and study their medical histories to reach an accurate diagnosis. They may also conduct lab tests and interpret their results as part of the diagnostic process. A part of their job is to perform surgeries to treat a wide range of conditions such as cysts or calluses on the lower limbs. They also recommend therapy and write prescriptions as part of the treatment process.

Surgically treat conditions such as corns, calluses, ingrown nails, tumors, shortened tendons, bunions, cysts, or abscesses.

Diagnose diseases and deformities of the foot using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results.

Prescribe medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery.

Advise patients about treatments and foot care techniques necessary for prevention of future problems.

Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.

Refer patients to physicians when symptoms indicative of systemic disorders, such as arthritis or diabetes, are observed in feet and legs.

Make and fit prosthetic appliances.

Correct deformities by means of plaster casts and strapping.

Perform administrative duties, such as hiring employees, ordering supplies, or keeping records.

Educate the public about the benefits of foot care through techniques such as speaking engagements, advertising, and other forums.

Treat deformities using mechanical methods, such as whirlpool or paraffin baths, and electrical methods, such as short wave and low voltage currents.

Active Listening→ Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking→ Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Reading Comprehension→ Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking→ Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning→ Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making→ Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving→ Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Science→ Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Social Perceptiveness→ Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Writing→ Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Coordination→ Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Monitoring→ Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Service Orientation→ Actively looking for ways to help people.

Instructing→ Teaching others how to do something.

Learning Strategies→ Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Management of Personnel Resources→ Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Time Management→ Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Persuasion→ Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Systems Analysis→ Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Assisting and Caring for Others→ Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems→ Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Documenting/Recording Information→ Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Getting Information→ Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Processing Information→ Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge→ Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public→ Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events→ Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships→ Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings→ Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Performing Administrative Activities→ Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others→ Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Analyzing Data or Information→ Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards→ Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others→ Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates→ Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates→ Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Interacting With Computers→ Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization→ Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work→ Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Training and Teaching Others→ Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Developing Objectives and Strategies→ Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People→ Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others→ Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material→ Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Scheduling Work and Activities→ Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources→ Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information→ Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Operate on patients to treat conditions.

Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.

Diagnose medical conditions.

Prescribe assistive medical devices or related treatments.

Prescribe medications.

Prescribe treatments or therapies.

Treat chronic diseases or disorders.

Advise patients on preventive care techniques.

Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.

Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.

Fabricate medical devices.

Maintain medical facility records.

Manage healthcare operations.

Order medical supplies or equipment.

Communicate health and wellness information to the public.

Treat patients using alternative medical procedures.

Deductive Reasoning→ The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning→ The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Problem Sensitivity→ The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Comprehension→ The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Speech Recognition→ The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Written Comprehension→ The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression→ The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Speech Clarity→ The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Near Vision→ The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Category Flexibility→ The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Flexibility of Closure→ The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Information Ordering→ The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g. , patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Finger Dexterity→ The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Originality→ The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Perceptual Speed→ The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Speed of Closure→ The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

Visualization→ The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Arm-Hand Steadiness→ The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Fluency of Ideas→ The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Manual Dexterity→ The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Medicine and Dentistry→ Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Customer and Personal Service→ Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Language→ Knowledge of the structure and content of a language - English, French, Swahili et cetera - including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Education and Training→ Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Administration and Management→ Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Clerical→ Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Biology→ Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Computers and Electronics→ Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Therapy and Counseling→ Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

Mathematics→ Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Psychology→ Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Personnel and Human Resources→ Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

Economics and Accounting→ Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Chemistry→ Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Law and Government→ Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Database user interface and query software -- e.g., Microsoft Access

Electronic mail software -- e.g., Zoho Mail; Microsoft outlook

Graphics or photo imaging software -- Scanner imaging software

Internet browser software -- e.g., Apple Safari; Windows Explorer; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox

Medical software -- Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS; Medical procedure coding software; OpenMRS; Healthbridge; Evolve Medical; GoodX; athenaClinicals; Epic Systems; MEDITECH software

Word processing software -- e.g., Corel Wordperfect; Microsoft Word; Google Docs

Automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles→ Automated external defibrillators AED

Bandage scissors or its supplies→ Bandage scissors

Blood pressure cuff kits→ Sphygmomanometers

Cast cutters or saws→ Cast cutters; Cast spreaders

Cast vacuums

Cryosurgery equipment or accessories→ Cryoprobes

Desktop computers

Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment→ Cauterizing equipment; Hyfrecators

Extremity hydrotherapy baths or tanks→ Therapeutic extremity whirlpool baths

Floor grade forceps or hemostats→ Bone forceps; Curved hemostats; Ingrown nail forceps; Phalangeal forceps; Splinter forceps; Straight hemostats

Floor grade nail nippers→ Cuticle nippers; Nail splitters

Medical acoustic stethoscope or accessory→ Mechanical stethoscopes

Medical diagnostic pinwheels→ Neurological pinwheels

Medical exam or non surgical procedure gloves→ Medical examination protective gloves

Medical staff isolation or cover gown→ Sterile gowns

Medical staff isolation or surgical masks→ Surgical masks

Medical syringe with needle→ Hypodermic syringes

Medical tape measures→ Medical measuring tapes

Medical x ray units for general diagnostic use→ Portable x ray machines; Stationary x ray equipment

Notebook computers→ Laptop computers

Orthopedic splint systems→ Orthopedic splints

Personal computers

Reflex hammers or mallets→ Neurological hammers

Safety glasses

Scanners→ Digitizers

Steam autoclaves or sterilizers→ Steam autoclaves

Surgical bolt or cable or pin or wire cutter instruments→ Pin and wire cutters; Surgical wire cutters

Surgical burr or its accessories→ Surgical bone burs

Surgical chisels or gouges→ Bone chisels; Mastoid gouges; Nucleus knives; Podiatry chisels

Surgical clamps or clips or forceps or accessories→ Allis forceps; Sponge forceps; Surgical thumb forceps; Surgical tissue forceps; Towel clamps

Surgical curettes or loops→ Bone curettes; Double-ended curettes; Excavator curettes

Surgical elevators or levers→ Locke elevators; McGlamry elevators

Surgical hammers or mallets→ Surgical bone mallets

Surgical hand or twist drills or drill kits or accessories→ Surgical hand drills

Surgical needle holders for general use→ Surgical needle holders

Surgical pliers→ Wire extraction pliers

Surgical pneumatic or battery or electric saws or drills or pin drivers or accessories→ Oscillating bone saws; Powered surgical drills; Sagittal bone saws

Surgical punches or punch holder or accessories→ Biopsy punches

Surgical rasps→ Bone rasps

Surgical retraction hooks→ Skin hooks

Surgical retractors for general use→ Weitlaner retractors

Surgical rongeurs→ Bone ronguers

Surgical scalpels or knives or blades or trephines or accessories→ Surgical scalpels

Surgical scissors→ Curved surgical scissors; Mayo scissors; Straight surgical scissors; Iris scissors; Tenotomy scissors; Metzenbaum scissors

Surgical spatulas→ Packer and spatula tools

Surgical spreaders→ Metatarsal spreaders

Suture removers→ Suture scissors

Tablet computers

Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packs→ Therapeutic cold packs; Therapeutic hot packs

Therapeutic paraffin baths or accessories→ Therapeutic paraffin baths

Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation units→ Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation TENS equipment

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment→ Ultrasonic cleaners

Ultrasonic therapy apparatus or supplies→ Therapeutic ultrasound equipment

Investigative→ Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Social→ Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Realistic→ Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Integrity→ Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail→ Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Initiative→ Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Concern for Others→ Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Persistence→ Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Self Control→ Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.

Dependability→ Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Achievement/Effort→ Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Analytical Thinking→ Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Stress Tolerance→ Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Cooperation→ Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Independence→ Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Leadership→ Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Adaptability/Flexibility→ Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Innovation→ Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Social Orientation→ Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Achievement→ Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Relationships→ Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.