Podiatry

Podiatry is the healthcare profession specialising in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and lower limb. The feet are complex structures carrying the full weight of the body through thousands of steps each day, and when they go wrong, the effects can reach far beyond discomfort, affecting mobility, independence, and quality of life. Podiatrists work with a diverse patient population, from children with developmental gait problems to older adults with diabetes, arthritis, and circulatory conditions, and they use a wide range of clinical skills from nail surgery and wound care to orthotics and gait analysis.

At the University of Plymouth this three-year, full-time programme gives you the clinical knowledge and practical skills to practise as a qualified podiatrist. You will study lower limb anatomy and the biomechanics that enable normal gait and movement, alongside the pathology of conditions that affect the foot and lower limb. Assessment methods and clinical reasoning are central to the curriculum, developing your ability to examine patients systematically and to select and apply appropriate treatments.

Clinical placements are woven throughout the degree, placing you in real healthcare settings where you develop your skills under supervision and build professional competence.

Podiatry graduates register with the Health and Care Professions Council, which is required to practise in the UK, and many enter employment in NHS community and specialist services, GP practices, and acute hospital settings. Private practice is also a significant employment route, with many podiatrists building independent clinics or working in specialist areas such as sports podiatry, diabetic foot care, or paediatric podiatry. The growing population of older adults and the rising prevalence of diabetes mean that demand for podiatric care is increasing.

Some graduates continue to postgraduate study in specialist clinical areas, biomechanics, or health professions education, developing expertise in a particular area of practice.