How long does it take to become a podiatrist?
After 4 years of undergraduate study (though some podiatry schools have joint programs with local universities that allow you to attend podiatry school after 3 years of undergrad), you will need to attend an accredited School of Podiatric Medicine for 4 years, pass board examinations to receive your license and become a D.P.M, and then attend a residency program. It is about to be mandated that all residency programs become 3 year programs, with varying intensities of surgery, depending on the program. So, on average, it will take you about 11 years to become a full-fledge podiatrist, whether you are specializing in podiatric surgery or routine foot care in the U.S. This is actually the quicker route to foot and ankle surgery, as orthopedic surgeons with M.D.s or D.O.s have to do a residency in general surgery before specializing in the foot and ankle (as a result, not as many orthos opt to specialize in the foot and ankle).
