I discovered podiatry thanks to my friend, we did A level biology together. Careers advice was rather poor to say the least at my high school, so when we were coming to the end of sixth form, I still had no idea what to do. My friend had always wanted to be a doctor, so was going off to study medicine. She suggested looking at the Allied Health Professions. There are 15 and are all regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council, including such things as dietician, speech therapist, physiotherapist and radiographer.
I did a bit of research and liked the idea of podiatry as it is quite autonomous, you can assess, diagnose and treat most conditions of the feet yourself. I approached a local clinic for some work experience which was invaluable, and decided this was a career I could envision enjoying. I then had to embark on 3 years at uni – not something I enjoyed! Dirty student lodging, unemptied kitchen bins and loud music at 3am was not my thing.
Routes into Podiatry
These days there are three routes into podiatry – BSc 3 year full time degree, 2 year MSc if you already have a science degree, and an apprenticeship. The apprenticeship is an excellent option for those who are approaching podiatry as a second career choice later in life. If it had been available when I trained, that would have been my choice.
That was 21 years ago and I am still happy in my profession. A lot can happen in that length of time. My first employer was Boots when they had dentistry, opticians and foot-care in high street stores. Then I set up and ran my own podiatry clinic in Essex for 12 years, I sold my clinic, I have been employed, self employed, worked in clinics, done home visits, and worked in prisons and homeless shelters.
There is always something new you can learn, there is never an end to knowledge, especially when it comes to the human body. Which frankly the more I learn the more I realise we are only scratching the surface. I have done additional training over the years and enjoy interdisciplinary courses with nurses and doctors, particularly in dermatology. I look forward to the next 21 years in this profession, because I know it is not static and there will always be something new and exciting to learn as a podiatrist.
And my friend is now headteacher at a high school in Suffolk – c’est la vie.
Would you like more information on becoming a podiatrist? Then contact us at reception@randellsfootcare.co.uk and a member of the team will be happy to have a chat with you. Or if you would like to book an appointment for Clare or any of our other podiatrists to help you with your feet then contact us here.
