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Studies & Degrees in Podiatry

Podiatry is the health profession that deals with the foot, the ankle and the lower leg. Podiatrists diagnose and treat conditions that range from corns, nail problems and skin infections to deformities, sports injuries and the foot complications of diabetes. They also study how people stand and walk, and prescribe insoles and other orthotics to improve mobility. In the United Kingdom the older word chiropodist means the same thing: both titles are protected by law.

What a podiatrist may do depends on the country. In the United States podiatrists are doctors of podiatric medicine who perform foot and ankle surgery. In Spain and the United Kingdom podiatry is a regulated health profession with its own university degree, separate from medicine.

What students learn

The Spanish requirements for the degree show the usual content. They include basic health sciences such as anatomy and physiology (60 ECTS credits), biomechanics and general podiatry (24), podiatric pathology with orthopaedic, physical and pharmacological treatments (36), chiropody and podiatric surgery (24), and a practicum with a final degree project (36). The practicum is done with patients in university podiatry clinics and affiliated centres, so clinical work takes a large part of the final years.

Qualifications and levels

  • Spain. Podólogo is a regulated profession that requires the official bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits. At the Universidad de Sevilla, for example, the Grado en Podología lasts four years, is taught face to face in Spanish at the Facultad de Enfermería, Fisioterapia y Podología and qualifies graduates for the profession of podiatrist.
  • United Kingdom. According to NHS Health Careers, the usual route is an approved degree or master's degree in podiatry, which takes two to three years full time, followed by registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The BSc (Hons) Podiatry at The University of Northampton, for example, lasts three years full time and is accredited by the HCPC. The university lists international fees of £18,000 for 2026-27.
  • United States. Podiatrists need a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree, which takes four years, and then a three-year residency, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Admission requires at least three years of undergraduate education, applicants usually submit MCAT scores, and every state requires a licence.
  • Postgraduate study. Master's degrees in areas such as podiatric surgery, sports podiatry, the diabetic foot or biomechanics allow graduates to specialise, and doctorates lead to research and teaching.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 17 active schools for podiatry. Nine are in Spain. Australia and the United States have two each, and the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Russia have one each. Spanish examples in the directory are the Universidad de Sevilla, the Universitat de Barcelona, the Universidad de A Coruña, the Universidad de Extremadura, the Universidad Miguel Hernández in Elche and the Universidad Católica de Valencia. Abroad, the directory includes The University of Northampton in the United Kingdom, Temple University in the United States, and Charles Sturt University and Central Queensland University in Australia.

Degrees in Spain are taught in Spanish, sometimes together with the co-official language of the region; those in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia are taught in English. Because the profession is regulated, a degree from one country does not give the right to practise in another. Ask the school and the regulator of the country where you plan to work what recognition the qualification has before you enrol.

Careers

Podiatrists work in private clinics, often their own, and in hospitals, health centres and sports medicine. NHS Health Careers describes typical patients: children with lower limb pain, people with diabetes who have circulation problems and may be at risk of amputation, and people with sports injuries. Podiatrists work alongside other professionals such as physiotherapists, doctors and nurses.

In the United States, podiatrists held about 10,000 jobs in 2025, according to the BLS. It projects employment to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 200 openings a year, most of them to replace podiatrists who retire or change occupation.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become a podiatrist?

In Spain the bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years. In the United Kingdom an approved degree usually takes two to three years full time. In the United States the DPM degree takes four years and is followed by a three-year residency.

Is a podiatrist a medical doctor?

Not in Spain or the United Kingdom, where podiatry has its own degree and is regulated separately from medicine. In the United States podiatrists hold a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree and perform foot and ankle surgery.

What is the difference between a podiatrist and a chiropodist?

None in practice. In the United Kingdom both are protected titles for the same profession, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Can I practise in another country with a podiatry degree?

Not automatically. Each country regulates the profession, so you need to ask its regulator what recognition procedure or extra training applies.