Find a podiatrist you can trust

Usually no. Podiatrists are direct-access specialists in most states, so you can book without going through your family doctor first. The exception is your insurance: some HMO plans require a referral for specialist visits to be covered. Check your plan before booking - the practice's front desk will usually tell you if you ask.

Expect 20–30 minutes. You'll answer questions about your symptoms, how long they've been going on, your work, your activity level and your footwear - bring the shoes you wear most, because they tell the doctor a lot. Then a hands-on exam of the foot and ankle, watching you walk, and often an X-ray on site. Most people leave with a diagnosis and a plan they can start that day.

Your insurance card and ID, a list of medications, the shoes you wear most often, and any prior imaging or notes if you've seen someone else about the problem. If you have diabetes, bring recent bloodwork if you have it.

The exam itself involves pressing on the painful area, so it can be briefly uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be severe. Common in-office procedures - an ingrown toenail removal, a cortisone injection - are done with local anaesthetic. Say something if pain is worse than you expected; that information is diagnostically useful.

Yes. A podiatrist holds a DPM - Doctor of Podiatric Medicine - earned over four years of medical school focused on the foot, ankle and lower limb, followed by a three-year hospital surgical residency. They diagnose, prescribe, perform surgery and order imaging. The training is parallel to an MD's rather than lesser, but specialised to one region of the body.

A self-pay first visit commonly runs somewhere in the region of $100–$250 depending on the area and whether imaging is needed, with follow-ups less. Custom orthotics are usually a separate cost and often not covered. Ask for the self-pay rate when you book - most practices quote it readily, and some discount for payment on the day.