Quick Answer: A podiatrist is a medical professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. The term originated in North America but has now become the accepted term in the English-speaking world for all practitioners of podiatric medicine. In the United States, the term chiropodist was previously used, but is now regarded as antiquated. In the United States, podiatrists are educated and licensed as Doctors of Podiatric Medicine. The DPM superseded the historical DSC degree in the 1960s. The preparatory education of most podiatric physicians—similar to the paths of traditional physicians—includes four years of undergraduate work, followed by four years in an accredited podiatric medical school, followed by a three- or four-year hospital-based podiatry residency.