What is Podiatry?

What is Podiatry?

A podiatrist, also called a doctor of podiatric medicine, is a specialist who provides medical diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems. In addition to undergraduate medical school training, podiatrists also attend professional medical school for a doctorate degree in podiatry.

Subsequently, podiatrists undergo a residency program for surgical and practical training. Podiatrists are required to take state and national exams, as well as be licensed by the state in which they practice.

Dr. Solimeo completed a top three-year surgical residency, is well-trained in general and surgical podiatric services. Dr. Solimeo is a board certified podiatric physician:

Why choose a Podiatrist?

Deciphering healthcare can be a daunting challenge for patients. This is particularly true when the healthcare decision is between specialist physicians that are apparently similar, like Podiatrists and Orthopedic Surgeons. How is a patient to know which specialist is better suited for their particular need?

There are a great many similarities between Podiatrists and Orthopedic Surgeons. Simply put, a a general orthopedic surgeon is capable of treating all bones, joints and soft tissues of the body, while a podiatrist is focused on the foot and ankle, specifically. In the context of a foot-related health issue, both Podiatrists and Orthopedic Surgeons manage all aspects of the foot and ankle that pertain to the bones, soft tissues and joints of the foot and ankle as well as the biomechanics of the foot and ankle.

From an educational background, both specialist attend 4-years of medical school with the core difference between the two specialties being orthopedic doctors specialize in medical and surgical management of all the bones and joints of the entire body, while podiatric doctors focus on the foot and ankle from day one of podiatric medical school. Podiatrists typically follow their training with 3 years of surgical residency focused solely on the foot and ankle. All orthopedists serve a one-year surgical internship. That is followed by at least four years of hospital residency. During each year, about 25% of training is foot and leg surgery. Some orthopedic surgeons also take an additional year devoted to specializing in the foot and ankle.

With so many similarities, how does a patient choose? Ultimately, a patient should always choose a specialist in whom they are completely confident. Feet First Podiatry strives to instill confidence by delivering positive health outcomes. Dr. Solimeo completed a top three-year surgical residency and is well-trained in general and surgical podiatric services. Dr. Solimeo is a board certified podiatric physician. The real proof is in what our patients say. Read what our patient’s have to say about their care HERE.