Podiatry as a second career
Thinking about a change of career
Do you fancy a change? Do you feel like you would like to move away from a desk job and into a career that places interacting with people at the heart of it? Are you currently working in healthcare, but hanker after a stable, 9-5 job with decent work/life balance? A career in podiatry can offer you all that and more.
There are so many benefits to choosing podiatry as a second career. It offers:
Almost certain employment: It’s a healthcare profession with a growing demand due to the ageing population and increased prevalence of chronic conditions like diabetes
Great work/life balance: Working anti-social hours is rare in podiatry; the profession is particularly appealing for those seeking a career change to spend more time with family or pursue other interests
Work in different settings: Podiatrists can work in various settings, including private practices, hospitals, clinics, or even in research and academia; your career path is flexible!
Autonomy: You will have amount of autonomy in your practice, especially if you own a private practice
Money: With good starting salaries in the NHS, a career in the health service offers you plenty of scope to rise up the ranks and earn more as you take on more responsibility; owning a private practice, or specialising in sought-after clinical areas can increase your earning potential even more
Working with people: You have the chance to build real and meaningful clinical relationships with your patients, providing them with care and watching their quality of life improve because of you
Fulfilment: For some, it is about the meaning they derive from helping people, for others it is single-minded mission to alleviate pain, prevent complications and improve mobility.
Useful transferrable skillls
A podiatry career draws on the skills that you have amassed in your life so far. Those with previous experience in healthcare, professional sport and the armed forces are particularly drawn to the autonomy and flexibility that podiatry has to offer. People from any professional background can join the foot health workforce. Key skills that a podiatrist needs are:
- A good listener
- A caring nature
- Good communication skills
- Problem solving and creativity
- A team player
- An analytical mind.
How to study
There are 15 schools of podiatry that have been accredited by the Royal College of Podiatry and the Health and Care Professions Council (the regulatory body for podiatrists).
Universities look at your academic and work history as well as your transferrable skills when applying for their courses. Visit our universities page to learn more directly from the universities themselves and find your ideal fit. Universities will be able to provide advice on the course structures, flexibility of study and how your studies can flex around your existing life commitments.
There are three different ways to gain your podiatry degree. All of the routes have extensive hands-on experience throughout the training.
Undergraduate degree
A three-year degree (four years in Scotland and Ireland) of full-time study. Some universities will offer a longer course on a part-time study basis.
Postgraduate degree
Suited to those who already have a university education, this Masters level course is completed in approximately two years. Three universities currently offer this Masters, they are:
University of Brighton
University of Salford
University of Plymouth
Please contact the universities to find out more information about the courses they offer.
Undergraduate Apprentice degree
Earn a salary while you study for your degree. Visit our apprenticeship page for more information on the options available.