Podiatric surgeons are medical practitioners that deal with medical care of the lower extremity. They are concerned with the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of medical conditions affecting ankles and feet. Orthopedists are related to podiatrists in the medical care they provide because they also care for the lower extremity in general. To find a certified podiatric surgeon Austin presents one of the best places to visit before any other place. Austin is filled with several highly qualified podiatrists who have the right qualifications to care for a wide variety of medical conditions in feet and related areas.

The board that governs podiatric practices enforce a strict academic curriculum, which must be completed before one can become a qualified podiatric surgeons. A bachelor degree is a compulsory during admission into school of podiatry for people who do not have alternative academic qualifications. The degree should put emphasis on Chemistry, English, Physics, Biology, and Organic Chemistry. Generally, laboratory based courses are required.

Even though a bachelor degree is mandatory during admission, not all students get admitted with it. Of all admissions granted, around 5 percent of them are given to students with alternative academic qualification while 95 percent have degrees. Apart from a bachelor degree and alternative qualifications, students need to take the Medical College Admission Test, MCAT. Before a student is considered for admission, they must take and pass the test first. Failing the test can deny one a chance for admission.

Recommendation letters and superior skills in co-curricular activities can earn one an advantage in the admission process. During the first year of podiatry school, the courses covered are the same as those covered students taking Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine. However, generally, the courses stress more on feet, ankles, and lower extremity. Students in podiatry schools study for four years before completing the training.

In total, there are seven schools accredited by the governing body in the US. After studying for four years, students receive a degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, DPM. After the four years are over, a surgical based residency comes next. The residency is normally purely practical since it is post-doctoral training. Although the period of residency varies with the state, it takes three years in most cases.

There is rotation in core fields of surgery and medicine during the residency. The residencies bring together podiatrists and doctors of Osteopathic medicine and medicine to work as a team. Core fields in which rotation happens are behavioral medicine, general surgery, vascular surgery, podiatric medicine and surgery, dermatology, and plastic surgery among several others. After completing residency, fellowship training in fields such as limb salvage and ankle and foot traumatology is available to equip residents with further knowledge.

Becoming a surgeon of podiatry requires further training in surgery. This further training is meant to equip trainees with knowledge in surgical practices and surgery. Surgical training encompasses all fields in treatment of lower extremity.

After one has completed training, they need to start the certification process. The US has several bodies that do certification and one can choose any of them. An exam is administered as part of the certification process. The exam determines suitability of candidates and those who fail are not given the license to practice.