Craig Page, 28 February, 2025
With years of experience in the field, Craig offers a unique perspective on what it’s really like to work as a podiatrist, shedding light on the day-to-day responsibilities and how QUT podiatry graduates ease into the industry.
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What sparked your interest in podiatry?
I was like a lot of high school students who played sport and wanted to go into physiotherapy because I knew what that was. However I enjoyed the medicine side of it, which is why I love podiatry.
How does podiatry link to sports?
Podiatry is a combination of medicine and biomechanics. Effectively, it’s treating someone who got injured based on the exercise they’re doing. The demands of sport at younger ages are far greater than you and I ever had. Even 15 year old netballers and rugby players are seeing podiatrists nowadays.
Biomechanics
A fancy word for the way we walk and move as humans.
As podiatrists, we’re also helping physiotherapists and other allied health professionals who’s treating that person manage their load, as not all medical professionals are knowledgeable about feet. We would be managing knee pain and redistributing force with orthotics.
Who are allied health professionals?
Allied health professionals work with people to identify and assess issues and provide treatment. They aren’t dentists, doctors, or nurses but include a variety of specialisations like chiropractors, exercise physiologists, dieticians, and nutritionists.
Do podiatrists see patients outside of sports?
Many people experience pain in their knees, shins and feet. I had a young woman who had danced for hours at a wedding in high heels, who woke up with foot pain the next day. On an MRI we diagnosed a stress fracture in her foot. It wasn’t just about putting her in a moon boot, but also educating her about the treatment.
You’ve onboarded a few QUT students at Healthia – what were they like?
As an employer, I find that students from QUT are probably the most well-rounded that we hire. They are very good at their biomechanics since the university puts a lot of focus on it. The students are also great at general podiatry including high risk podiatry and pediatrics.
From an employer’s point of view, are QUT students job ready?
I find QUT students are a little bit ahead of other students from other universities. They've done placements in private clinics and practices on top of hospital placements. They excel in a broad range of practical skills, including orthotic fabrication, effectively communicating with patients, and developing and implementing comprehensive treatment plans.
QUT students are ahead when it comes to implementing a treatment plan and knowing what to do. It’s one thing to diagnose someone based on the material and pathology you’ve learnt, but it’s another thing to implement a treatment plan that extends not just weeks but over the course of three months.
How are orthotics made?
Grinding orthotics is a real skill! When I graduated a lot of it was handmade, but now we have 3D scanners. All our clinics at Healthia, no matter what branch you’re in, have 3D scanners. Our lab uses CAD software to design that orthotic, but grinding that orthotic and knowing how to adjust it once it’s generated is something I’ve noticed with QUT students.
Watch Craig's interview
Podiatry makes a tangible impact on people’s lives, whether in sports, rehabilitation, or general foot care. Explore the courses below to learn more.