The Michener Institute at UHN provides the only Chiropody program in Canada. The Chiropody program is three-years in duration, including both didactic learning and clinical practice. There is an on-site Chiropody Clinic, which provides students with the opportunity to treat patients under the supervision of licensed Chiropodists within the faculty.

To work as a Chiropodist in Ontario, you must be registered with the College of Chiropodist of Ontario. Graduates from this program are eligible to write the College’s provincial registration exam.

Consider Chiropody if you:

• Enjoy a dynamic work environment, patients treated by Chiropodists range from the very young to the elderly who present with a wide variety of conditions.
• Have strong interpersonal communication skills and enjoy teamwork, as an integral member of a health care team.
• Have the entrepreneurial spirit to potentially open your own clinic.

Chiropody is a regulated healthcare profession that focuses on the assessment and management of the foot and foot related conditions.  Treatment is achieved through a medical, surgical or palliative approach.

A Chiropodist is a primary health care professional who specializes in the assessment, management and prevention of dysfunctions, disorders and diseases of the foot.  Chiropodists are an integral part of the multidisciplinary health care team, and are skilled in the management of acute and chronic conditions affecting the foot. These conditions include, but are not limited to diabetic foot care, sports and traumatic injuries, biomechanical assessments and orthotic therapy, pediatric foot conditions and wound care. A referral is not required to consult with a chiropodist who works   a private practice. Chiropodists often work closely with other medical professionals as part of the health care team.

The role of the Chiropodist is to maintain and improve patient mobility, to alleviate foot pain and provide evidence based foot health education, thereby improving one’s quality of life.   The Chiropodist provides care to a diverse range of patients with services including but not limited to:

• Diabetic Foot Care
• Sport Injuries
• Pediatrics
• Geriatrics
• Rheumatology
• Biomechanical Assessment and Gait Analysis
• Podiatric Soft Tissue Surgery
• Wound Care

Effective practice requires a high degree of manual dexterity, diagnostic skills, computer skills, a caring and professional attitude and effective communication skills. A career in podiatric medicine is both varied and challenging.

The Advanced Diploma of Health Sciences (Chiropody) is a three-year, 7 semester, full time program. There is one intake each year, in September. The first and third year of the program run from September to April, while the second year of the program includes a Summer semester.

Graduates from Michener’s Chiropody program earn an Advanced Diploma.

Start Date

September 2021

The fee policy for Canadian students can found on the Canadian Tuition Fees web page.

Please note this program is currently not open to international applicants.

Tuition fees are based on the entire duration of the program of study. For your convenience, these fees have been broken down into three equal payments that can be made annually. Also, each annual fee can be split into two payments which will be due in the summer and late fall of each academic year.

* An additional equipment fee is required.

• Detailed anatomy of the musculoskeletal system of the lower limb, including dissection in a cadaver lab
• Pathophysiology of systematic diseases with lower limb complications
• Theoretical and clinical pharmacology
• Biomechanics of the lower limb, gait and orthotic therapy
• Podiatric soft tissue surgery including nail procedures, suturing and plastic surgery techniques
• Podiatric anesthesia and injection techniques

For detailed course descriptions, please visit the Chiropody Curriculum Page.

*As of January 2021, a new competency profile will come into effect from the College of Chiropodists.

Courses:

Access the Textbook List page

Length:           30 weeks

Start:               September

End:                 April

You will be assigned to clinical placement site(s) through Michener’s Office for Clinical Education. This process begins with an information session in the first semester of your program.

During the first two years of the Chiropody program, you will have opportunities to gain hands-on clinical experience with patients in Michener’s Chiropody Clinic on campus.  In the third year of the program, you will be placed in one of the program’s affiliated clinical sites, including teaching and community hospitals, community health centres or private clinics located in Ontario. During this time you will work under the close supervision of Chiropodists to integrate knowledge and skills into practice. Clinical placements also provide you the opportunity to network with potential employers.

You may be placed in more than one clinical site during your clinical placement period, based on the required clinical competencies for your program and the range of services at the clinical sites.

Clinical partner sites are subject to change, therefore, specific geographic regions may not be available at the time of your placement; other regions may be added. Please note that when you accept a seat in the program, you also accept to go to any of the program’s affiliated clinical sites available at the time of your placement. In addition, you agree to comply with the following mandatory requirements which must be completed prior to the start of your clinical placement: 

• First Aid and CPR Certification for Health Care Providers
• N95 Mask Fit Testing
• Updated Vulnerable Persons Check (also required upon admission)
• Updated TB Test (also required upon admission)
• Up to date vaccinations

Michener highly recommends all students be vaccinated with influenza vaccine.  This vaccine may be mandatory at some clinical sites.  Students must follow clinical site protocol.