• Charles Sturt to offer new hybrid Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine from March 2026
• The new model will improve access and enable students to gain experience in rural and regional areas while studying
• Applications for this course opened on Friday 8 August

Responding to national workforce needs of increasing the number of podiatrists, Australia’s leading regional university has redesigned undergraduate podiatry to be more accessible to potential students across the country.

The new hybrid model of Charles Sturt University’s well-regarded podiatry course will allow for improved access and diversity in podiatry cohorts and enable students to complete a proportion of clinical work experience in their home region.

The new Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine will be offered online at Charles Sturt from March 2026 and is responding to student and industry needs to grow the regional podiatry workforce.

Figures from the Australian Podiatry Association show that approximately six per cent of the Australian podiatry workforce is in regional or rural settings, with an estimated 16 podiatrists per 100,000 in cities compared to six to 10 podiatrists per 100,000 in outer regional or rural settings.

Charles Sturt has delivered a high-quality student-focused podiatry education experience since 2001, and the hybrid model will allow students to combine study and work-integrated placement without the need to relocate to Albury-Wodonga.

Course Director - Podiatric Medicine and Associate Professor in Podiatry with the Charles Sturt Faculty of Science and Health in Albury-Wodonga Caroline Robinson said the new model will contribute to building the health workforce while addressing the shortage of podiatrists, including within regional Australia.

“There is a clearly identified need to increase enrolments in podiatry courses across Australia, but students often face barriers to study,” she said.

“The new hybrid podiatry course offers flexibility for students to combine online study with hands-on experience in podiatry practice from year one, short on-campus intensive blocks for clinical practice in the university clinic and hands-on experience in the anatomy lab. 

“This hybrid course has been developed in partnership with industry and provides a real-world approach to educating podiatrists and building the workforce.”

Students will be required to travel to Albury-Wodonga six times during the four-year course for on-campus activities. Students will also be required to complete work-integrated learning placements at podiatry clinics in their home region and specialist placements at external sites, to ensure a broad range of clinical experience through the course.

The course allows for multiple exit points with recognised accreditations, including a Diploma of Foot Health, Undergraduate Certificate in Foot Health and Associate Degree in Foot Health.

Students may choose to begin their path to a podiatry career with the Undergraduate Certificate in Foot Health, which provides credit towards the Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine.

Applications for the new Bachelor of Podiatric Medicine are now open. Classes commence on Monday 2 March 2026.