Welcome to the Podiatry Arena forums

You are currently viewing our podiatry forum as a guest which gives you limited access to view all podiatry discussions and access our other features. By joining our free global community of Podiatrists and other interested foot health care professionals you will have access to post podiatry topics (answer and ask questions), communicate privately with other members, upload content, view attachments, receive a weekly email update of new discussions, access other special features. Registered users do not get displayed the advertisements in posted messages. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our global Podiatry community today!

  1. Have you considered the Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camp Online, for taking it to the next level? See here for more.
    Dismiss Notice
Dismiss Notice
Have you considered the Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camp Online, for taking it to the next level? See here for more.
Dismiss Notice
Have you liked us on Facebook to get our updates? Please do. Click here for our Facebook page.
Dismiss Notice
Do you get the weekly newsletter that Podiatry Arena sends out to update everybody? If not, click here to organise this.

Hello

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by snowgirl, Jan 26, 2011.

  1. snowgirl

    snowgirl Member


    Members do not see these Ads. Sign Up.
    Hello

    I am soon to be a foot health practitioner student with Stonebridge. I am really looking forward to the course, and then hopefully being able to undertake the work of a foot health practitioner.

    Kind regards to everyone
     
  2. chrisvix

    chrisvix Member

    hi snowgirl, i did the stonebridge course and at the time thought it was brilliant. However since "qualifying" as a foot health practitioner and spending a fortune on equipment for domicillary practice i realised i knew nothing, don't want to burst your bubble or anything but its not what it is cracked up to be. i'm now at salford doing the pod degree and can safetly say i have learned 10 times as much in the first semester there than i learned on the whole course at stonebridge. it's only my opinion and each to their own but i'm just giving you a little warning not to expect too much out of it, i also found it hard to find work. On the plus side the level 4 qualification allowed me entry into university.

    good luck hope it works out ok for you
     
  3. snowgirl

    snowgirl Member

    Hello Chrisvix

    Thank you for your kind comments. Well done on going on to do the degree course - that is great and you will no doubt be well equipped for an excellent career in podiatry.

    Yes I can quite believe there is huge difference between what is learnt on the degree compared to Stonebridege. The degree would be my prefered route but is not open to me as it is full time and I cannot commit the time due to my present business. But like you I agree given the choice, the degree is the way to go.

    For me it is a case of doing the Stonebridge course or not doing it at all and this is what I have been weighing up. But I really want to do it, and I accept the limitations of practice. I do intend supplementing the Stonebridge course with my own independant study of the subject to increase my knowledge.

    I would imagine it is hard to get work - but I will really try my best - it will certainly be challenging.

    Thank you again for you reply - I really appreciate it.

    Enjoy your evening
    regards
    Karen
     
  4. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Jan 26, 2011
  5. snowgirl

    snowgirl Member

    Hello Catfoot

    Thank you for your reply and the link. The University of Plymouth is very close to me and I have re-visited their website to double check, but they do only offer a full time Podiatry degree unfortunately. I think I would most probably be able to undertake part time university study so that is a shame.

    I have also looked at the City and Guilds qualification, but from what I can see the only course is held in the North and involves a lot of atttendance. A little closer and that may have been a possibility.

    I will supplement the Stonebridge course with my own independant learning, and have also found some further 'short' courses I could take afterwards to improve my understanding of the subject. I know there will be no comparison between what I will be able to do and what a podiatrist can do. But I hope to be able to do the best job I can within these limitations, and have the knowledge to know what I can do safely and when I need to refer someone to a podiatrist.

    Thank you again for your help Catfoot

    kind regards
    Karen
     
  6. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Hello Snowgirl,
    If you have made a decision on your course of study and future employment then that should be respected. However, i am puzzzled as to why you say :-

    The course you have chosen is a complete course that makes you a stand-alone practitioner, so why would you want to augment that? if you do not feel that the course gives you the coverage that you want, then why are you taking it?

    In the meantime, it might be helpful to contact FHPs in your area and see if you can "shadow" one for a day to see what is actually involved when you get out in the field. ( I hope you have done market research in your area to test the potential market and see if there is actually room for an FHP ?)

    You will also need to be contacting Podiatrists in your area and build up a referral network for those patients that fall outside your Scope of Practice. It would be worthwhile introducing yourself and making sure that those Podiatrists that you refer to have a full range of modalities available to their patients, such as Local Analgesia, needling, injection therapies, MSK specialities, etc. Also, you will need to network with Physiotherapists for those patients who have pathologies that fall within the remit of a physio.

    I trust you will find out where the NHS Specialist Diabetic Podiatry Team reside in case you have to deal with any podiatric emergency such as a Charcot Foot ?

    To get back to more mundane matters I hope you will be able to support yourself financially while your business builds up? The usual rule of thumb is that one can expect one full days work per week for every year of trading. So it could take 5 years for a business to become viable, and longer still to recoup your set-up costs.

    I hope that puts a perspective on the matter.

    regards

    Catfoot
     
  7. snowgirl

    snowgirl Member

    Hello Catfoot

    Thank you for your helpful reply. To answer your points; firstly I apologise for not making myself clear regarding the foot health course and additional learning. From what I understand the initial foot health practitioner course is satisfactory in enabling one to practice as a foot health practitioner independently. The additional learning would be to further my own understanding of the subject area so that I can be the best practitioner that I can be.

    Yes shadowing a practitioner is a good idea; I have a friend who is a podiatrist and plan to shadow him – with full awareness that my scope of practice will be much less than him. Regarding market research, there seem to be a lot of podiatrists, but from what I can see only a few foot health practitioners – at least only a few that participate in main stream advertising.

    Thank you very much for your advice regarding building up a referral network. Once I commence practicing I will certainly undertake all l the actions you have suggested – thank you.

    In terms of supporting myself and family whilst building the foot health business, this is not an issue as my husband and I have an existing business and so will not need to rely on the income. I am anticipating it will be hard work getting the foot health business off the ground.

    Thank you very much for taking the time to provide me with good advice and information, I really appreciate it.

    Kind regards
    Karen
     
  8. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Snowgirl,
    When I suggested you "shadow" another FHP it was to enable you to find out what it would be like working as an FHP in the field. I can't see any point in you "shadowing" a podiatrist because you will not be practising Podiatry and the two Scopes of Practice are not comparable.
    In addition, working with a Podiatrist could, even if only temporary, inadvertantly lead his patients to believe you are a Chiropody/Podiatry which is a form of misrepresentation. I do hope you are clear on the law in this area?

    I am not sure why you think there would be room in the marketplace for an FHP in your area when there are already a selection of Chiropodists/Podiatrists who can offer all the modalities that an FHP can and more to a much higher level? To me it doesn't make business sense. Unless of course you are approaching it as a part-time hobby?

    You say
    so why are you planning on doing this? Surely there are niches in the market-place where there isn't so much competition from practitioners with a much bigger skill set than you will have?

    I am beginning to wonder if you are a real person or a "plant" from a training school doing a bit of covert advertising, as your answers seem a bit too "pat" to me. :rolleyes:

    CF

    PS I have looked in your area and there are 6 Foot Health Practitioners advertising

    http://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchAc...s=&ssm=1&workflow=cn&autocomplete=cn_recentlo

    and 5 chiropodists, all in a very small area

    http://www.yell.com/ucs/UcsSearchAc...dclarifyResults=&ssm=1&autocomplete=kw_recent

    so I think quite frankly you'd be wasting your time, but hey-ho it's your money.
     
    Last edited: Jan 30, 2011
  9. snowgirl

    snowgirl Member

    Hello again Catfoot

    Wow that was quite a heavy posting! I am puzzled as to why you believe I am not a ‘real person’ or that I am a ‘plant from a training school’ – does that happen a lot here??? I can assure you that I am a ‘real’ person and have no connection with any training organisation other than I plan to undertake a course. I am not sure what you mean by ‘pat’ answers. I have been very receptive and interested in your views, and have been respectful as I appreciate that you are most probably a very experienced podiatrist and I haven’t even started any training whatsoever. I fear my politeness has perhaps been mistaken for having an ulterior motive.

    Anyhow will address the points you made. I do not see that shadowing a podiatrist as a problem in terms of the law – as long as it was stated to the patient that I was not a podiatrist I cannot see a misunderstanding arising out of this. I am clear on the law in this area

    Thank you for checking on the number of practitioners. My figures do differ as I can see only 2 entries under the Foot Health Practitioner section in the Yellow Pages, although only 1 of these is a foot health practitioner. There seem to be are over 40 in the Chiropody and Podiatry section.

    Regarding the business conditions, the number of podiatrists and foot health practitioners is fairly meaningless without knowledge of the potential market. Too few practitioners could mean there is no demand or conversely that there is a gap in the market; too many could indicate market saturation or a buoyant sector. I suppose the way to find out would be to speak to ‘the’ foot health practitioner, but as potential competition they may not be too impressed or keen to help.

    Yes to part-time, no to hobby.

    It is likely to be part-time, but it will not be taken any less seriously because of this.

    I do not see that the fact of not being able to offer as many modalities as a podiatrist as a definite reason not to set up a business as a foot health practitioner. I agree it is a consideration, but I see no reason why a business cannot be built over time – hopefully through word of mouth and recommendations. Marketing would of course be very important at the beginning, focusing on the modalities I can do.

    The comments you have made have made me think and look more in depth at becoming a foot health practitioner and that is a good thing – so thanks. When embarking on a new venture it is easy to get carried away and just think of the ‘good things’, so constructive remarks such as yours are very helpful.

    Kind regards.
     
  10. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Snowgirl,
    I am glad that my comments have made you look into the issues of FHP training and the challenges of being an unregulated stand-alone practitioner on the lowest rung of the footcare ladder.
    I hope that your chosen career will be both intellectually stimulating and rewarding.

    regards

    Catfoot
     
  11. Andrey Sapogovskiy

    Andrey Sapogovskiy Welcome New Poster

    Hello! My name is Andrey Sapogovskiy, i'm working in the paediatric orthopaedic reserch institute of Turner. Podiatry Arena is a very great forum, i find many information here
     
Loading...

Share This Page