ABSTRACT
What is a doctor of podiatric medicine? By strict definition, a podiatrist is a medical specialist who functions specifically to diagnose and treat a variety of maladies, illnesses, and problems as they are manifest in the lower extremity, especially at the foot and ankle complex. Surgically, depending on individual residency training, board certifications, and state licensure laws, the podiatrist can operate on the ankle and the foot to repair and or remove bony and soft tissue structures. Fixation devices, bone grafts, and amputations are well within the skill and training of the podiatrist. There is no medical practitioner who is better trained in lower extremity anatomy, pathology, and biomechanics than the doctor of podiatric medicine.
