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Advice please - Podiatry career in UK

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by Mona_J, Sep 20, 2012.

  1. Mona_J

    Mona_J Member


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    Hi all!

    My name is Mona, age 35, and I registered because I'm interested in a career in podiatry.

    I was previously a teacher, but government budget cuts have led to redundancy and huge competition for jobs. I've been out of full-time work for over two years now and the prospects don't look good. I currently scrape by working two days a week as a supply teacher, and I'm on a 3 year waiting list to get a full time position at my school (no guarantees though). I keep applying for jobs at other schools but they're getting ten times the number of applicants they'd usually get for each position! Plus the pupil behaviour is getting worse, the hours in teaching are getting longer and the workloads are getting heavier (my full-time colleagues work up to 12 hours a day) - so I think it might be quite a good time to opt out!

    So I'm considering a career change. The key issue for me is to choose something where I can get the necessary qualifications without forking out a fortune - I have very little money and I can't get a student loan because I already had one for my previous degree. I like helping people, I like interacting with people in my job and not sitting at a desk all day, and ideally I'd like a bit of flexibility in hours.

    A friend of a friend is a podiatrist, and she suggested it might suit me as it's a caring, people-centred profession with good prospects and I'd (hopefully) get a bursary and fees paid. Also she said there's a shortage of podiatrists so I shouldn't find it difficult to get a job, and self-employment would meet my need for flexible working. I'm getting married in 2014 and hope to have a family before too long, and I could do self-employed podiatry work which fits around childcare arrangements.

    So I have several questions which I'm hoping you can answer:

    -How competitive is it to get onto a podiatry degree course, and what are my chances of getting a bursary and fees paid?

    -What are the hours like on a podiatry degree course? Could I still work part time to pay the bills?

    -What's the employment situation like? Is there a shortage of podiatrists? Can I be reasonably certain of getting a job if I do the degree?

    -The starting wage for a podiatrist (around £21k I think?) is quite low compared to what I'd get as a teacher (if I could get a job!). So I'd want to consider self employment, both for flexibility and for the opportunity of higher earnings. What level of income would it be reasonable to expect as a self-employed podiatrist, when starting out and after a couple of years?

    Thanks :)
     
  2. fishpod

    fishpod Well-Known Member

    no jobs no bursary you have to stump up 9000 in fees; no career path a bit like teaching really .Dont swap one crap profession or should i say job for another ps there are no nhs jobs all ahp universities oversupply the market one podiatry university pumps out 123 graduates in 1 year there are not 123 jobs in a year in the journal and that is just one university, to make money out of podiatry you have to work hard and smart its not part time or flexible or nice its a hard slog . there is no competition for places on the pod degree they have a5 year part time course at 35 you could be dead before you finish. there is no competition because there are no jobs and the jobs that are out there pay **** money welcome to the world of a band 5 nhs podiatrist its bloody scary . no shortage of pods or others that compete to do feet. certainty of getting ajob not alot when you get ajob u will be low paid. podiatry is a buisness its not about caring nicy nicy the people who succeed are inovative driven and competitive not florence nightingale. check out threads on here re falling incomes in private practice its a difficult time podiatry will not put you on easy street.
     
  3. Cottonbud

    Cottonbud Welcome New Poster

    Well that's quite worrying to read :eek:

    I'm applying to a podiatry degree next year and have been spending time shadowing some podiatrists, certainly round here they seem to be generally quite positive about their career choice. I guess it depends who you speak to, always.

    I was under the impression also that Podiatry is still an NHS funded course. At least this is what the unis I have been speaking to have led me to believe?
     
  4. fishpod

    fishpod Well-Known Member

    a student at salford told me last week no more bursaries she is on the part time course and works for the nhs she could be wrong . but when the nhs has no jobs why train students hope im informed wrong
     
  5. fishpod

    fishpod Well-Known Member

    ive checked the fees are free
     
  6. Heather J Bassett

    Heather J Bassett Well-Known Member

    Welcome Mona, thanks for taking the time on the introduction. I note that you have moved the discusssion to another forum,,,,, as you can see you will get more replies there.

    As you can see there are many thoughts, opinions and experiences to be found here.

    I am likely more passionate about Podiatry that I was when I started in 1978. 12 of us graduated and we know that 11 of us are still passionate about what we do and there are often seminars and conferences that will see 50% of us attending.....

    Good luck with your choices and may you enjoy the journey..

    Warm regards
    Heather
     
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