Podiatrist Practitioner BSc - Level 6
Podiatry
Podiatrists are registered healthcare professionals specialising in the lower limb (feet, ankles, legs), providing high-quality clinical care to people of all ages. A Podiatrist’s job is to work to protect people’s feet, providing preventative advice, care, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of problems affecting the lower limb. Keeping mobile and retaining independence affects the quality of people’s lives. Podiatrists aim to reduce the impact of disability and dysfunction and have a role in rehabilitation. They play a pivotal part in reducing the risk of amputation, infection, pain, deformity and hospital admissions. They will undertake a range of podiatry interventions including wound care, routine skin and nail care, nail surgery, scalpel work or care for long term conditions. They provide musculoskeletal assessment and then instigate a treatment plan to improve or enhance movement or reduce pain. They prescribe functional insoles for the management of foot / lower limb conditions.
Skills and knowledge
To become a Podiatrist you will need:
- the ability to work well with others
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- thinking and reasoning skills
- knowledge of medicine and how the human body works
- to enjoy working with other people
- knowledge of English language
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Qualifications
To become an Podiatrist, you must first successfully complete an approved degree. The undergraduate course takes three to four years to complete and involves a lot of practical work with patients, as well as theoretical knowledge. There is also a postgraduate option which takes 2 years. Once you’ve completed your degree, you’ll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) before you can start practicing.
Routes into this job
You can get into this role through a podiatrist degree apprenticeship.
This typically takes 4 years to complete as a mix of workplace learning and academic study at an approved university.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
You'll usually need:
2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, preferably including biology, for a degree apprenticeship
You'll need to complete a degree in podiatry approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
If you already have a degree in a healthcare or science related subject, you can apply for an accelerated degree in podiatry.
You may be able to get additional student financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
You'll usually need:
2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology for a degree
You could work as a podiatry assistant and study part-time for a degree to qualify as a podiatrist.
You'll find it helpful to get some paid or voluntary experience in the health or care sector before you apply for a course.
You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice.
Career progression
Once you’ve qualified, you’ll have annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) check-ins, where you will discuss your career aspirations and plan how to achieve them, so you’re always moving forward. You’ll be encouraged to join the College of Podiatry where you can take courses and attend conferences or seminars.
You may also choose to specialise in sports injuries, diabetes or work with children. You could move into teaching or management in podiatry services where you’d be responsible for a team and manage budgets. Or you could also continue your training to become a podiatrist surgeon.
Advanced Clinical Practitioner - Level 7
Advanced Clinical Practitioners are experienced clinicians who demonstrate expertise in their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment from the time an individual first presents through to the end of the episode, which may include admission, referral or discharge or care at home. They carry out their full range of duties in relation to individuals’ physical and mental healthcare and in acute, primary, urgent, and emergency settings (including hospitals, general practice, individuals’ homes, schools, and prisons, and in the public, independent, private and charity sectors). They combine expert clinical skills with research, education, and clinical leadership within their scope of practice. Advanced Clinical Practitioners work innovatively on a one-to-one basis with individuals as well as part of a wider team. They work as part of the wider health and social care team and across traditional professional boundaries in health and social care.