Podiatry is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of foot and lower limb disorders, many of which are caused by general health disorders.
When you first arrive, you will learn the basic practical skills and knowledge to enable you to treat patients safely. You will also acquire the reflective, critical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills that are essential to professional practice.
You will start your clinical practice within six weeks of starting the course within our own in-house clinic. Your practice will develop, throughout your time with us, one day per week in NHS clinics and then during longer periods of work placements in your final year. The podiatry theory and practice taught within this modular course is designed to respond to and reflect the current health environment.
Year 1
Concepts in Health Care
You will study this module alongside students from other health care courses, engage in discussions on professionalism, codes of conduct, ethical issues, personal and social influences contributing to inequalities in health care.
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Integrated Life Science 1 (ILS1)
This is the module that underpins all Podiatry modules. You will learn to identify bones, major joints and muscles of the lower limb and learn about their function.
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Integrated Life Science 2
This module follows on from ILS1 and teaches you about body systems:- the anatomy and physiology of the heart, distribution of blood vessels, anatomy and physiology of the lymphatic system within the lower limb.
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Introduction to Professional Practice
This is where you start to learn how to be a Podiatrist. You will treat your first patient after approximately 6 weeks. You will understand the importance of infection control, be able to prep your clinical environment, use a wide range of instruments, provide basic podiatry care and develop a simple management plan for your patient.
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Professional Studies
You will learn to manage simple foot problems, including problems with the skin and nails, the importance of the body's inflammatory process, principles of wound management and relate these to current evidence based criteria
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Professional Studies Practice 1
This module teaches the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical features and management of fungal, viral and bacterial infections of the skin and nails. You will learn basic management of wounds, apply dressings following required protocols, undertake basic neurological and vascular examination of the lower limb and collect samples of skin, nail, exudate for laboratory investigation.
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Human Gait Studies
This module explains the concepts involved in lower limb motion, you will learn about normal gait and the axes about which motion occurs. The practical sessions will demonstrate the principles of joint examination and relate these to the lower limb joints.
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Year 2
Professional Studies Practice 2
Explores abnormal gait or "pathomechanics." You will learn to recognise, describe the clinical features and manage the major foot/lower limb types whilst applying the principles of gait analysis to the recognition of foot/lower limb abnormalities.
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Professional Studies Practice 3
This module discusses the pathogenesis of lower limb sports injuries; developmental problems seen in children and the changes occurring in the elderly foot. It will give you an appreciation of the role of the multidisciplinary team in the management of these areas. You will learn to evaluate training methods and footwear choice across a range of sporting activities.
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Foundation Medicine
This module introduces the etiology and clinical features of commonly occurring systemic disease and links its significance to clinical practice. You will learn to appraise the role of risk factors in the manifestation of chronic diseases.
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Gait and Locomotion Therapies 1 (GLT1)
In this practical module you will undertake a range of clinical examination techniques to enable you to cast, modify the cast, mould and machine an othotic. You will learn about materials, different casting methods and the suitability of footwear for orthoses.
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Gait and Locomotion Therapies 2
You will apply the principles learnt in GLT1 to patients with gait problems. This will include orthotic prescription, manufacture and/or modification.
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Prescription only Medicine
This module explains the way medicines work in relation to the disease process. You will learn to develop and document a clinical care plan; monitor responses to medicines and modify treatment or refer the patient; and understand the legal and professional framework for accountability in relation to access, supply and administration of medicines. You will learn life support techniques including use of adrenaline and defibrillation.
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Local Analgesia
This module teaches the theory, the application and the practice of local anaesthetics. It underpins the teaching of minor surgery in Year 3.
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Year 3
Diagnosis and Management 1 and 2
This module will enable you to distinguish those pathologies of the lower limb which may require surgical intervention. You will learn to interpret the radiological appearance of pathologies in the lower limb and appraise radiological reports. You will be able to critically evaluate management strategies, critically appraise independent podiatric diagnoses and critically evaluate the role of short and long term prevention in the management of patients with systemic disease which impacts on the lower limb.
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Management and Leadership in Clinical Practice 1
This module will equip you with the skills to recognise, and provide support, guidance and motivation for patients who need to make lifestyle changes for health reasons. You will be challenged to make a change in your own life while documenting your journey.
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Management and Leadership in Clinical Practice 2
You will, by this time, be aware of the serious conditions that affect the foot such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and vascular insufficiency. This module deals with the management of those conditions. You will also learn how these conditions are sometimes managed by podiatric surgery.
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Clinical Practice
You will continue with your clinical work throughout the final year, comprising of rotational placements in a variety of interesting clinics such as sports clinics, children's clinics, and high risk patients' clinics, and you will complete a five-week placement working with an experienced clinical educator to enable you to complete your required clinical practice.
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Methods of Enquiry (Project)
This assignment is commonly known as your dissertation, it is a critical review of a selection of literature which might form the future basis of a small scale research project. It will have relevance and value for podiatrists.
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