A career in podiatric medicine involves diagnosing and treating conditions of the foot, ankle and lower leg, including fractures, sprains, infections, arthritis, arch problems and foot deformities. They also treat foot and leg problems associated with diabetes, obesity and other health conditions. Podiatrists may use a variety of methods, including medication, surgery and orthotics to provide patients with relief from pain and restore mobility. Some may choose a specialty such as sports medicine, pediatrics or diabetic foot care. They may work in private practice, hospitals or clinics and often collaborate with other healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care. Podiatric medicine requires extensive education and training, including a four-year doctoral program, followed by a three-year residency program and state licensing. They must pass all parts of the , offered by the National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners.
Note: It is not recommended to self-advise. There are many things to consider besides the required courses such as prerequisites and course sequencing, balancing your schedule, building in time for volunteering, shadowing, research, entrance exam preparation, and planning for the application cycle. See the for individualized long-term planning.
Students who are planning to apply to podiatric programs will need the following:
- Bachelor’s degree with a competitive cumulative and science GPA
- Required prerequisite coursework which can vary from school to school
- Research experience
- Clinical experience and service
- Communication and leadership skills
- Letters of Recommendation
- Personal Statement
- Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
- Understand the application timeline
- Illinois Podiatry programs
- Pre-Podiatry resources
Degree and GPA
A baccalaureate degree is not always required but is highly recommended. It can be in any field as long as the prerequisites are met. Biology and Biochemistry majors can meet all prerequisites within their programs. Other majors will still need to take the prerequisite courses in addition to their major and degree requirements.
To be a competitive applicant students must have a strong grade point average (GPA). Professional programs will look at several GPAs:
- Cumulative GPA: all courses and from all schools attended including repeats, remedial courses, and possibly graduate-level courses
- Science GPA: includes biology, chemistry physics, and often math (or BCP/BCPM)
- Prerequisite GPA: calculated only on the prerequisites necessary for that particular professional school program.
- All other GPA: calculated on all courses except your science courses
Professional schools do not honor “grade forgiveness” or “grade replacement” for repeated courses. All grades count and repeats are averaged together. There is also no expiration date on courses taken many years ago.
Prerequisite Coursework
The following list indicates the most common classes required or highly recommended by most podiatry schools. Applicants should always check directly with each program they are applying to and see the Preprofessional Advisor for more information.
Required
| Writing I & II | ENG 101 & 102 |
| Biology I & II | BIOL 201 & 202 |
| General Chemistry I & I | CHEM 211 & 212 |
| Organic Chemistry I or Biochemistry | CHEM 231 or BIO 362 |
| Physics I & II | PHYS 201L & 202L |
Additional courses to consider
Any additional advanced Biology such as Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, etc. and Social/Behavioral Sciences (Psychology)
Prerequisite Notes
- AP and IB credits are generally not accepted toward prerequisites.
- Community college credits can be viewed differently by each program. Check before applying.
- Some programs do not accept international courses to meet prerequisites. Check before applying.
- Online lab courses are not accepted toward prerequisites. Some programs will not allow any online coursework. There may be some exceptions for courses taken at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check before applying.
- Too many withdrawals (W's) on your transcripts can reflect negatively on your application.
- Some programs have expiration dates on their prerequisites. Make sure you have taken them within the program's time requirements.
Research Experience (Recommended)
Undergraduate research is not required for admission. However, they all value the experience and it can make an applicant stand out. Always check with the programs you are planning to apply to. Subjects can include basic science, biomedical, and clinical research, as well as social science and health systems research. You can reach out to the Student Center for Science Engagement for help finding research opportunities.
Clinical Experience and Service
Experiences should be meaningful to you on a personal level and reflect your professional goals. Remember that you will be expected to write thoughtful descriptions of your experiences in the application process. Quality over quantity is most important. Programs would rather see commitment and dedication over time than hopping from one short-term experience to the other. Keep a journal not just to document your hours, but to express how various interactions impacted you and your long-term goals.
Shadowing/Clinical Experience (100+ hours recommended)
Ask a practitioner to observe their work. This will give you a glimpse into their daily routine and allow you to see if you’re really a good fit for the profession. Shadowing opportunities can be very hard to find, so start looking as soon as possible. The most common way to find shadowing opportunities is through networking: ask family, friends, and colleagues if they know a professional that would allow you to shadow them. Another option is to engage in clinical experiences first. If you are volunteering in a hospital or clinic, working as a CNA or EMT, etc., ask the professionals you work with. The more they know about your aspirations as a future health professional, the more likely they are to take you on for shadowing or refer you to a colleague who will. Professional schools like to see as much hands-on, direct patient care as possible. Competitive applicants complete 100-200 hours of shadowing and medical experience combined.
Volunteer/Community Service
You are preparing for a "helping" profession and it is assumed that you care about those you are planning to serve. Therefore, it is important to have volunteer experiences demonstrating a commitment to service. This should be ongoing throughout your college years. Medical professions often play a big role in the community. Getting involved in your community is a great way to experience this. You can volunteer at a church or other religious facility, community centers, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, etc.
Volunteering in a health setting will give you exposure to various practitioners working with patients. Look for opportunities to assist, be part of a team, make decisions, and lead others. There are many ways to volunteer in the health setting such as hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, nursing/retirement homes, doctors’ offices, public clinics, suicide hotlines, hospice centers, crisis centers, or study abroad experiences like medical mission trips.
Communication and Leadership Skills
Get involved on campus through student government, honors programs, or student organizations that are related to your major or future profession such as the . Get involved by participating in their events. They often conduct enrichment programming and even community service. Try to become an officer in an organization to gain leadership experience. You must take this role seriously though and live up to the commitment you make. You can search all of to find others that are a good fit for you.
As a health professional, you will be a leader and team member with your patients, staff, colleagues, and in your community. Other ways to gain leadership experience include offices held in organizations, committee work, leadership in religious activities, coordinating a project; managing, training, and supervising at work, teaching or training experience of any kind, tutoring, as well as peer counseling or mentoring.
Letters of Recommendations (2-3)
You will need at least two to three strong letters of recommendation ideally from science faculty and/or relevant professionals that have supervised you in a work, internship, research, or volunteer setting. You will need to give them at least two months’ notice so be sure to research the letter of recommendation requirements for each program you're planning to apply.
Get to know people from these categories so you will feel comfortable asking them to write excellent letters for you.
- Science professor
- Podiatrist - confirming shadowing experience
- Non-science professor (if needed)
- Research professor/supervisor (if needed)
Learn more on how to request letters of recommendation. Please note that Northeastern does not offer a committee or composite letter.
Personal Statement
You will have to write a personal statement/essay as part of your application. It should be about two pages double-spaced and discuss how your life has led you to your desired career. While most personal statements are general in nature and can be used for multiple applications, some programs want applicants to follow specific guidelines and answer prompts that they will provide. Check with the schools you’re applying to and make sure you’re following directions. Look up examples of personal statements and have several people read yours before submitting it. If you would like to talk about why you’re interested in a particular program you can write several statements and customize them as needed.
This is also your opportunity to show the admissions committee who you are beyond your GPA, test scores, and experiences. It communicates what is important to you and explains in-depth your reasons and motivations for pursuing professional school. Additionally, a personal statement can help explain any gaps in education or experiences, as well as any weaknesses in an application.
Learn more about how to write Personal Statements.
Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
The is administered in January, and March through September. Taking the exam by spring will enable you to apply earlier. The MCAT, developed and administered by the AAMC, is a standardized, multiple-choice examination created to help medical school admissions offices assess your problem-solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.
The MCAT is divided into four multiple-choice sections:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Living Systems
- Psychological, Social/Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
You can obtain the most updated information on the .
MCAT preparation resources
Application Timeline
The application cycle for podiatry school begins about 12 months before you intend on enrolling, in the summer of the year prior to enrollment. However, the exact timing depends on when you will take the MCAT, complete prerequisites, etc. Meet with your pre-professional advisor to develop a long-term plan for applying. Keep in mind that course scheduling, extra-curricular activities, exam preparation, and even your personal and family life can all contribute to the need of having flexibility in your timeline.
Primary Applications are processed through the and can be sent to every school affiliated with that service. The application opens online in August of the year prior to enrollment. You should have selected which medical schools to apply to, have contacted those who will write letters of recommendation for you, ordered official transcripts from all colleges attended, and completed your personal statement by the time you plan to apply. Deadlines are typically in June of the following year however early application submission is highly recommended. Application services verify primary applications and notify applicants of verification or problems.
