CURRICULUM

The New York College of Podiatric Medicine offers a four-year program of study, the ultimate goal of which is to prepare the entry level Doctor of Podiatric Medicine to enter graduate podiatric medical training programs.

The podiatric medical curriculum is designed for pre-medical students who have completed prerequisite education in chemistry, physics and biology. The curriculum of the New York College of Podiatric Medicine parallels that of allopathic/osteopathic medicine in that it is founded in traditional western medical principles and consists of two years of pre-clinical and two years of clinical sciences.

The student of podiatric medicine must master a comprehensive knowledge of Basic Medical Sciences including but not limited to: general anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, neuroanatomy, immunology, genetics and bacteriology of the body and its systems. This knowledge prepares the student to enter the clinical training years of the program.

At present, the courses are arranged such that the student begins study with fundamental knowledge of normal structure and function of the human body. This is followed by combined basic and general clinical science courses in the second year, where fundamentals of pathologic diseases are introduced and clinical correlations are presented. Full body physical assessment skills commence in the first year and progressively increase throughout the course of study.

Study in the third year revolves, predominately, around a combination of didactic lectures and departmentalized clinical clerkships in areas pertaining to the lower extremity.

The fourth year devotes itself to diagnostic skills through problem solving in clinical settings. Students rotate through hospital-based clerkships in General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics and General Radiology, and also spend three months in elective externships at a variety of National and International sites.

The clinical opportunities at the College and affiliated hospitals and clinics are unsurpassed in regard to the number of patients and the variety of podiatric disorders encountered and treated. Annually, the College-affiliated Foot Center and hospitals record approximately fifty thousand patient visits. Students receive practical training under the direct supervision of the College's distinguished academic and clinical faculty. Clinical training includes the requirement to diagnose ("work up") patients and propose appropriate treatment plans.

The program of study, includes related courses in Medical Ethics, Research and Community Medicine acquainting the student with the community and professional entities to be served and the specific obligations/restrictions attendant in practice on the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.