A DPM is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions of the foot, ankle, and lower leg. Think of them as the medical equivalent of what a dentist is for your mouth: a separately trained specialist focused entirely on one part of the body. DPMs are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to treat lower extremity problems through medication, surgery, or other therapies.
What a DPM Is Trained to Do
Podiatric physicians handle everything from common complaints like ingrown toenails and plantar warts to complex problems like diabetic foot ulcers, reconstructive surgery, and fracture repair. Their scope covers the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. In practice, this means a DPM can treat sports injuries, arthritis, tendon problems, nerve conditions, skin disorders, and bone deformities from the knee down.
Some of the most common reasons people see a DPM include bunions, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, ankle sprains, hammertoes, nail fungus, and diabetes-related foot care. If you have diabetes, a yearly foot exam with a podiatrist is particularly important because the disease raises your risk of nerve damage, poor circulation, ulcers, and infections that can become serious quickly.
Education and Training Requirements
Becoming a DPM requires a path similar in length to other physicians. After completing undergraduate studies, students attend four years of podiatric medical school, where they study anatomy, pharmacology, surgery, biomechanics, and lower extremity medicine. From there, graduates enter a three-year hospital-based residency in podiatric medicine and surgery, gaining hands-on experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
That adds up to roughly seven or more years of education and training after a bachelor’s degree. During residency, podiatrists learn surgical techniques, wound care, sports medicine, and how to manage complex conditions like diabetic foot disease. Some pursue additional fellowship training or board certification through organizations like the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS), which requires maintaining surgical privileges, passing multiple exams, and holding an unrestricted license.
Surgeries DPMs Perform
Many people are surprised to learn that podiatrists are surgeons. DPMs routinely perform procedures including bunion correction, hammertoe repair, tendon and ligament reconstruction, neuroma removal, heel spur surgery, fracture repair with pins and screws, tarsal tunnel release, and toenail procedures. Some are board certified in reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery, which covers more complex operations on the ankle joint itself.
It’s worth noting that surgical scope varies by state. Some states allow DPMs to operate on the ankle and soft tissue of the lower leg, while others are more restrictive. Not every podiatrist performs the same range of surgeries, and training exposure to ankle procedures can vary between residency programs.
How a DPM Differs From an Orthopedic Surgeon
The overlap between podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons causes real confusion. Both can treat foot and ankle problems, but they arrive there through different training paths. An orthopedic surgeon earns an MD or DO, completes five years of orthopedic surgery residency covering the entire musculoskeletal system (spine, hip, knee, shoulder, hand), and may then do a fellowship specifically in foot and ankle. A DPM’s entire education is concentrated on the lower extremity from the start.
For routine foot problems, a DPM is often the more direct choice. For issues that involve the knee or that might be connected to problems higher up the body, an orthopedic surgeon may be more appropriate. Many patients are referred between the two depending on what’s needed, and in hospitals, podiatrists and orthopedists frequently collaborate.
Diagnostic Tools in a Podiatrist’s Office
A visit to a DPM typically involves more than a physical exam. Most podiatric offices take X-rays on-site, which means you can often get imaging and a diagnosis in the same appointment. Podiatrists also perform gait analysis, watching how you walk to identify leg length differences, abnormal foot motion, limping patterns, or alignment issues that reveal underlying problems. Some offices use ultrasound for guided injections or to evaluate soft tissue injuries, and skin biopsies when a lesion or nerve condition needs further investigation.
When to See a DPM
You don’t need a referral to see a podiatrist in most cases. Certain symptoms point clearly toward a DPM rather than a general practitioner: persistent heel pain, sudden swelling or numbness in one foot with no obvious cause, a suspected fracture or sprain, bunions that are getting worse, recurring athlete’s foot or nail fungus that won’t respond to over-the-counter treatments, or joint pain in the foot or ankle that lingers even with basic anti-inflammatory medication.
If you have diabetes, seeing a podiatrist at least once a year for a comprehensive foot exam is standard practice. Diabetic nerve damage can mask injuries, and small wounds can escalate into dangerous infections without regular monitoring. People with rheumatoid arthritis, circulation problems, or persistent lower extremity pain also benefit from having a DPM on their care team.
Career and Salary Outlook
The median annual salary for podiatrists was $152,800 in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment is projected to grow 2% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average for all occupations. Most DPMs work in private practice, though many are employed by hospitals, multispecialty clinics, or government health systems like the VA.