Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, steady
Podiatrists
Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot.
In the middle of the pack: more resilient than 44% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +2.0% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on ethical judgement and creative vision.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $160,300
- Job growth to 2035
- +2.0%
- Openings a year
- 200
- People doing it (2025)
- 10,000
- Usual route in
- Doctorate or professional degree, then an internship or residency
Where people already use AI for this work
- Advise patients or clients on medical issues
- Analyze health or medical data
- Assist others to access additional services or resources
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases
- Diagnose health conditions or disorders
- Prescribe medical treatments or devices
What the work looks like
- Treat bone, muscle, and joint disorders affecting the feet and ankles.
- Diagnose diseases and deformities of the foot using medical histories, physical examinations, x-rays, and laboratory test results.
- Advise patients about treatments and foot care techniques necessary for prevention of future problems.
- Prescribe medications, corrective devices, physical therapy, or surgery.
- Surgically treat conditions such as corns, calluses, ingrown nails, tumors, shortened tendons, bunions, cysts, or abscesses.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as growing adoption of team-based care models allows other healthcare practitioners, such as nurses and orthopedic surgeons, to provide foot and ankle care services.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatricHuman edge, growing, Index 72, +4.0%
- Athletic trainersGrows with AI, Index 81, +12.7%
- ChiropractorsHuman edge, growing, Index 78, +8.7%
- Surgeons, all otherHuman edge, growing, Index 62, +4.0%
Also known as: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Doctor Podiatric Medicine (DPM), Podiatric Surgeon, Podiatrist, Attending Physician, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery (DPM and Surgery), Foot and Ankle Surgeon, Physician.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.