Pre-Podiatric Medicine Program

The admission requirements at colleges of podiatric medicine are determined by each college, but there are five, two-semester courses that are required at all podiatry schools. Since a podiatry school can add additional courses to its requirements, it is essential that students investigate the specific requirements at the podiatry schools where they plan to apply. Colleges of podiatric medicine require a minimum of 90 semester hours of college credit before admission, but over 95% of successful applicants have completed a bachelor's degree prior to matriculation. All seven of the accredited colleges of podiatric medicine grant the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM).

Courses Required At Most Colleges of Podiatric Medicine:

• General biology with lab (Bio 240 & 260)
• General chemistry with lab (Chem 111/113 & 121/114)
• Organic chemistry with lab  (Chem 221/255 & 231/256)
• Physics with lab (Phys 121/141 & 122/142 or 105/107 & 106/108)
• English (Eng 113 and either 231 or 232)

Most colleges of podiatric medicine require applicants to submit scores from the Medical College Aptitude Test (MCAT). However some colleges will accept the GRE or DAT in lieu of the MCAT. The courses listed above should be completed during the first three years so the student is prepared to take the MCAT in the spring or summer after the junior year. The MCAT covers the college-level science and English listed above.

Recommended Courses or Courses Required At Some Podiatry Schools:

• Anatomy (Kin 200 or Bio 332)
• Physiology (Bio 221 or 442)
• Biochemistry (Chem 311 & 314)
• Psychology (Psy 100 & 230)

Students should select a major area of study that is of interest and that will provide a foundation of knowledge necessary for the pursuit of several career alternatives. Colleges of podiatric medicine are most concerned with the overall quality and scope of undergraduate work and not with the specific academic major. While many students who are pursuing a career in podiatry are interested in the sciences and major in one of the sciences, others with interests in the social sciences, humanities, or the arts, may major in one of those areas. Podiatry schools seek students with diverse and broad academic backgrounds. Specific admission requirements for each of the seven colleges of podiatric medicine can be found on the web site for the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine and on the web site for each of the colleges of podiatric medicine. 

Students should also be aware that podiatry school admission committees want to see that a student has learned about the podiatric medical profession through first-hand experience. This experience should include job shadowing one or more podiatrists. You can arrange for a podiatrist to contact you about mentoring possibilities through the AACPM web site. Podiatry school admission committees also look at a student's experiences for evidence that the student is committed to serving others and that the student is able to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and of different ages.

Useful Web Links to Information on Podiatry and Colleges of Podiatric Medicine

• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine --Lists links to all colleges of podiatric medicine, admission requirements, mentoring program, and application material.
• American Podiatric Medical Association

Links to General Information

• Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for all types of careers.
• Explore Health Careers-a large database of links to other resources including information on many different careers, internships, and interviews.

For academic advising related to the Pre-Podiatric Medicine Program at Hope College, please contact Professor William Mungall (mungall@hope.edu).