Looking to start a new career with a Foot Care Course?
If so, then look no further, you have come to the right place. Training to become a Foot Care Practitioner, Podiatry Assistant or Nail Technician performing Pedicures maybe the best move you will ever make.
In the United Kingdom you have a choice between four main foot health educational suppliers training students to become FHP’s or Foot Care Practitioners or FHP’s.
Listed below are the top three Foot Care Course providers:
- The Stonebridge College – http://www.foothealthschool.com
- SMAE Institute – http://www.smaeinstitute.co.uk
- College of Foot Health Practitioners – http://www.collegefhp.com
- Open Study College – http://www.openstudycollege.com/courses/foot-health-course.html
All offer foot care training in two parts, a theory section and practical section. The theory part consists of distance learning modules, done at home without the need to attend college and often with a tutor assigned. The practical part is done over one or two weeks at a training facility equipped. Any of these Foot Care Courses enable the practitioner to perform basic foot care tasks such as nail cutting, corn and callus removal and treating conditions such as verrucae and athletes foot.
Prices for these Foot Care Courses vary, but on average you will pay around £2,000 for both theory and practical depending on how much practical training you do. But when you compare this to the amount you can earn it is more than worth it. Click here and opt into our mailing list for more: Foot Health Care Training
Once you complete your Foot Care Course, you will be qualified and registered to practice with that organisation and generally they will provide your insurance cover. However, you will not be able to use the title ‘Chiropodist’ or ‘Podiatrist’ as these are now legally protected titles.
Practitioner opportunities in the Foot Care Industry
The structure of the of the foot health care industry generally runs in the following order (And this excludes one of the biggest sectors – Footwear):
- Podiatrist/Chiropodist
- Podiatry Assistant (Medical Pedicure® in the USA)
- Foot Health Care Professional
- Beauty Therapist/Nail Technician (Medi Pedi’s in the US)
- Reflexology Practitioners
Podiatry is the professional end of foot care with invasive procedures like ingrown toenail and bunion removal with gait analysis to prescribe orthotics. Foot health courses for Podiatrists are normally full time tertiary university degrees although part time courses are available.
With a Podiatry assistant you need to complete around 500 hours of supervised practice (NHS or Private) with both oral and practical assessments.
Those looking for an easier way into foot care should consider a nail or pedicure course. They of ten form part of a beauty therapist course but can be done individually at some colleges. They are aimed at beautifying the foot, many people just find they need their nails cut, and so the income potential of a nail technician is not that different from that of a foot care practitioner.
Generally FHP’s have a domicillary practice, visiting patients in their own home. However, this has many plus points with it like being your own boss, working and charging what you like as well as keeping cost down to a minimum.
The best thing about being a well trained and competent FHP and completing one of the above Foot Care Courses, is that you can earn almost as much as a 3 year, degree trained Podiatrist if you set your practice up correctly.
For more on starting a new career as a Foot Care Professional and opt in to our Newsletter, click here: Foot Care Courses