Hi,
if you want to use the title Podiatrist it's a full time degree course, afaik you cant do it part time as we do placements in the NHS alot.
Our course ran from 9am till 4.30-5pm 5 days a week and we had shorter holidays than the other students as we had clinic patients who had to be seen.
You do a mix of 3 hour written exams and practical exams each year with an interview type exam afterwards called a viva. We do a seperate exam for giving local anaesthesia in front of a consultant anaethitist (sp) with a viva afterwards.
The course will be more involved on chemistry now as the new pods graduating do pharmacy now so they can prescribe a limited range of drugs eg antibiotics and painkillers (I think anyway I dont have any pod friends or work in the NHS now but I read it in the society of chiropodists and podiatrists journal).
I wouldnt do a college course for being a foot health professional, they advertise podiatry as an easy way of making money but it isnt, you wouldnt be able to use local anaesthesia either or work in the NHS.
I think the degree now comes with a bursary. But you would need to check with the uni you want to attend.
You'll need a good A levels and gcse's to attend or an appropiate access course, always ask the university what they require and get it in writing
As it's an honors degree you do an original piece of research in the third year and present it to your peers and a panel of tutors and the head of school who will ask you questions on it. I found the dissertation the hardest part.
When you qualify it's about £300 a year in professional fees to the society of chiropodists and podiatrist who supply your indemity insurance in case anyone sues you and about £60-70 a year to the HPHC who are the government body who regulate us and deal with any complaints about our conduct.
Anywhere you work, even in the private sector, can request you supply them with an enhanced disclousure criminal records check. Anything in your past eg prison stays, arrests etc will most likely stop you finding work. You have to have a clean check.
If you do get arrested while working as a podiatrist and you are cautioned etc or put on trial the HPHC will be notified and they will call you down to London, or I think Edinburgh if your nearer to that to present your case with a lawyer. I have seen pods struck off for things like harrassing ex partners or being caught with class b drugs. You have to be whiter than white and aware of the consequences if you come home to find your oh in bed with another woman.
Drink driving is another one to watch for, they call it "bringing the profession into disrepute".