What does a podiatrist do as an expert witness, and how on earth do you become one? In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I’m joined by UK podiatrist Chelsea Tritschler, owner of Derriford Therapies, whose career has taken some fascinating turns.

Chelsea originally started training as a nurse before discovering podiatry and changing direction. After graduating, she spent years carrying out home visits and working in care homes, as well as providing podiatry services inside three prisons in Devon.

Chelsea completed a Master’s degree in forensic podiatry, where she studied areas including footprints, footwear, wear patterns and forensic evidence. When opportunities in criminal forensic podiatry weren’t readily available where she lived, she found another way to use that knowledge and became an expert witness.

Today, alongside running and growing her own podiatry practice, Chelsea provides independent podiatry opinions in civil legal cases.

We talk about what expert-witness work actually involves, why an expert’s duty is to the court rather than the person paying them, and the pressure that can sometimes come with preparing reports.

Chelsea also shares one lesson every podiatrist should pay attention to: your clinical notes matter.

She regularly reviews cases where the podiatrist may have provided perfectly good treatment, but poor documentation makes it difficult to demonstrate exactly what happened and why particular clinical decisions were made.

We also discuss opening a podiatry business without much business experience, getting help from a business coach, becoming an employer, and finding different interests within podiatry that keep your career fresh.

Chelsea’s story reminds us that your podiatry degree doesn’t have to take you down one predictable road. Sometimes the interesting stuff happens when you take a turn you weren’t expecting.

For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast Website

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If you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is tyson@podiatrylegends.com.

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What do working in refugee camps, contracting malaria five times, HIV prevention, prisons and podiatry all have in common? They all have Liz Emrys in the story.

Liz didn’t graduate as a podiatrist until her 40s, but by then she had already lived a life that could easily fill a book.

In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, Liz takes me back to her early 20s when a six-week trip to help build a school near the Thai-Burma border changed the direction of her life. That experience led to years of international public health work across Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, including HIV prevention programs and work within the prison system.

Eventually, life brought Liz back to Australia, marriage, children and a very practical question: What career could give her independence, security, flexibility and the opportunity to help people?

She went through the healthcare professions and, almost methodically, landed on podiatry.

Today, Liz owns North Star Podiatry in Hornsby, New South Wales, and has discovered something she values enormously: the freedom to create a clinic her way.

We also talk about communication, listening to patients, practice ownership, autonomy, starting again later in life, and why your career doesn’t need to consume your entire identity.

Liz describes podiatry not as the great love of her life, but as a “good friend” that has given her a rewarding career and the space to enjoy everything else life has to offer.

This is definitely not your typical journey into podiatry.

For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast Website

Connect With Me

If you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is tyson@podiatrylegends.com.

Become A Sponsor - Are you looking for an alternative way to be noticed by podiatrists?
Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available. Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more.

Leave a Review - If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.

Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry

AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co

If I took away your qualifications, job title, clinic and professional reputation, how would you describe who you actually are?

In this episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I’m joined once again by my good friend Wilson Lawrence, an executive behaviour and leadership coach based in Nevis in the Caribbean.

Wilson introduces the fascinating idea of becoming “identity locked”, where we become so attached to a particular role that we struggle to know who we are outside of it. For podiatrists, that could mean becoming so wrapped up in being the clinician, clinic owner, employer or expert that the role slowly becomes our entire identity.

We also explore self-doubt and imposter syndrome; why evidence is one of the best weapons against the stories we tell ourselves; the principles behind psycho-cybernetics; and why knowing your true identity can give you greater confidence in difficult or unfamiliar situations.

Wilson also shares a simple exercise you can try immediately: identify three adjectives that genuinely describe your personality and character, then find the evidence that proves they’re true.

And because this is a conversation between Wilson and me, we occasionally wander gloriously off course into Jocko Willink, shaved heads, religion, communication, perception and a few other places I certainly didn't expect.

But underneath all the laughs is an important question:

Are you living and working as the person you genuinely are, or have you become the role you play?

If you’ve ever questioned who you are beyond podiatry, this conversation is definitely worth your time.

SPECIAL OFFER: Wilson is offering Podiatry Legends listeners a complimentary 30-minute Blueprint Call during September 2026 (I'm sure you could push it out a little further) to discuss identity, personal effectiveness or efficiency. Email wil_39@me.com with “Tyson Blueprint” to request a call.

For additional show notes, please visit the Podiatry Legends Podcast Website

Connect With Me

If you'd like to learn more about being a guest on the show, my best email address is tyson@podiatrylegends.com.

Become A Sponsor - Are you looking for an alternative way to be noticed by podiatrists?
Consider sponsoring the Podiatry Legends Podcast; many sponsorship opportunities are available. Please email me or visit the Podiatry Legends Website to learn more.

Leave a Review - If you've enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you left a review on your favourite podcast platform. Reviews help other podiatrists discover the podcast and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting together each week.

Have you read my book? It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry

AI designed for Podiatrists: visit Preve.co