Wondering who to see with a foot or ankle injury or disorder? You have a choice of specialists. Both podiatrists and orthopaedic surgeons specialize in care of the foot. While they offer many of the same services, they also differ in key areas.

The Rothman Institute has both orthopaedic surgeons and podiatrists on staff. The differences in the type of injuries and disorders they treat and how they treat them are rooted in their education and training.

Orthopaedic Surgeons

Orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in foot and ankle treatment undergo advanced training in this field after general training on the body’s entire muscle and skeletal system. They believe in generalizing before specializing, looking at the body as a whole.

Rothman Institute foot and ankle surgeons study for four years in a college or university, four years in medical school, and five years in an orthopaedic residency program. They then undergo specialized education and training in foot and ankle surgery for 12 to 18 months.

At the Rothman Institute, orthopaedic physicians are Steven Raikin, M.D., and Jamal Ahmad, M.D. They treat a broad range of conditions, from bunions and hammertoes to major reconstruction and total ankle replacements.

Podiatrists

Podiatrists treat all types of foot problems. They study for four years in a college or university and four years at a podiatric college, where they study a spectrum of foot conditions including corns, ingrown toenails and proper foot mechanics.

Podiatrists focus solely on the foot, whereas orthopaedic physicians treat the foot and ankle. They graduate as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or DPM.

At the Rothman Institute, podiatrists are Homyar N. Karanjia, D.P.M., and Nicholas R. Taweel, D.P.M., PT. They perform non-operative evaluations of foot and ankle conditions. Additionally, they screen surgical candidates and facilitate the referral of surgical patients to orthopaedic surgeons who specialize in foot and ankle treatment.