One skill all Podiatry students need to know and be proficient in by the time they graduate is suturing. You actually need to be proficient by the end of your third year for clerkships and residency interviews. Some Podiatry residencies have you suture for them during the interview process. Now, obviously you get better at suturing the more you do it. The more you practice the better you will get. Also, the more Podiatric surgery you do the better you will get. But, as a Podiatry student you are not suturing at all. In fact, your highlight during your first three years will be if you get to cut sutures during surgery you are assisting on.
How do you practice suturing, that is the question. When your externship does not even let you scrub. Practicing is easy. All you need is some expired suture. If you are at a hospital or surgery center ask them for some expired suture. Almost all have some laying around. If not you can purchase suturing equipment and sutures at Amazon cheaply:
Now that you have your suture what do you practice on? Ideally if you are on a clerkship perhaps a cadaver leg. If not, a pig’s foot from the grocery store. Or if you want really good stuff you can purchase a skin model that you can use over and over again, such as this one:
Or you can just purchase them all in one fell swoop:
You do not have to be a Johnny know everything as far as suturing goes. 95% of all the suturing you will do for the rest of your life revolves around the basics.
Here are video instructions on the suturing techniques you need to know. These are the ones you have to get down.