General Information for Pre-Podiatry Students

I. PODIATRY
A doctor of podiatric medicine is a specialist in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot disorders. Podiatrists diagnose diseases, treat injuries, prescribe medications, and perform surgery on the foot and ankle.

II. MAJOR
There is no preferred or required major for students who wish to attend podiatric medical college. Students must have at least 90 semester hours of college credit to enter a college of podiatric medicine. Ninety percent of the students admitted to colleges of podiatric medicine will have completed a bachelor’s degree.

III. REQUIRED COURSES
Although one major is not required, each college of podiatric medicine requires that students complete a set of courses prior to entering podiatric medical college. Required courses include yearlong sequences in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and English.

Requirements with Purdue course numbers are listed below.

Biology with laboratory	8	BIOL 131/132 & BIOL 231/232or BIOL 110/111
General Chemistry with laboratory	8	CHM 115/116 or CHM 123/124 or CHM 125/126
Organic Chemistry with laboratory	8	CHM 255/256 or CHM 261/263 & CHM 262/264
Physics with laboratory	8	PHYS 220/221 or PHYS152/251
English	6	Any six hours of English

IV. MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST (MCAT)
Applicants to a college of podiatric medicine must take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The MCAT measures a student’s achievement in biological sciences, physical sciences, verbal reasoning and writing. The MCAT is offered in April and August each year. The latest a student may take the MCAT is in the spring of the year prior to fall admission. MCAT exams taken more than three years before matriculation are not acceptable.

V. THE COMPETITIVE APPLICANT
Approximately 500 students apply to podiatric medical school each year. More than eighty percent of the applicants gain admission in one or more of the seven colleges of podiatric medicine. Data collected by the Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine indicate that the average GPA of the accepted applicant is 3.1. Average MCAT scores for matriculants are 6.8 in Verbal Reasoning, 6.8 in Physical Sciences and 6.9 in Biological Sciences.

VI. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE APPLICATION SERVICE (AACPMAS)
The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine Application Service enables students to apply to six of the seven colleges of podiatric medicine by completing one common application. AACPMAS collects and duplicates application data and distributes it to the colleges. In addition to the AACPMAS application, students will be asked to submit letters of recommendation, transcripts, and additional application materials to the individual colleges of podiatry. Students pay only one application fee to AACPMAS since the colleges do not charge additional fees.

For more information on the application process, visit the website at: www.aacpm.org or telephone 1-800-922-9266 to obtain an application. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications earlier for priority consideration.

VII. BENEFITS AND INCOME POTENTIAL
Podiatrists work flexible hours and are able to determine the number of hours per week they work. The average income of a podiatrist in private practice is $108,156 per year. The range of income levels for podiatrists in private practice is $44,662 to $141,135.

Amy Terstriep
Lilly Hall Rm 1-112, Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054
(765) 494-4747

This information is summarized from “Podiatric Medicine as a Career: What is a DPM?” a pamphlet produced by the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine.