Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Podiatrist
What podiatrists actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a podiatrist?
Treat a diabetic foot ulcer. From there, the day usually includes examine feet and ankles, diagnose injuries and conditions, and treat wounds and infections. Most work full-time with some on-call duty for hospital patients.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a podiatrist working full time.
- Treat a diabetic foot ulcer.
- Evaluate heel pain in a runner.
- Remove an ingrown toenail.
- Cast feet for custom orthotics.
- Perform bunion surgery.
- See post-op patients.
- Finish charts.
Where podiatrists work
Podiatrists work in private offices, hospitals, wound care centers and surgery centers.
Hours and schedule
Most work full-time with some on-call duty for hospital patients.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Examine feet and ankles
- Diagnose injuries and conditions
- Treat wounds and infections
- Prescribe orthotics
- Perform foot and ankle surgery
- Manage diabetic foot care
- Order and read imaging
Tools you’ll use every day
- Surgical instruments
- Imaging systems
- Wound care supplies
- Orthotic casting tools
- Doppler for circulation
- Electronic health records
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- High pay
- Mix of clinic and surgery
- Prevent amputations
- Regular hours in many practices
What’s hard
- Long training
- Debt
- Wound care can be difficult
- On-call duty
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I want a medical specialty
- I like surgery and clinic work
- I want to help people stay mobile
- I can handle wounds
- I want a high income
- I can commit to long training
Not sure? Take the free Podiatrist fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Use sterile technique
- Check circulation before procedures
- Handle sharps safely
- Watch for infection signs