The Podiatrists in Australia: Investigating Graduate Employment (PAIGE) study provides a systematic and rigorous evidence-base for rural podiatric workforce policy development, by developing a database modelled on the highly successful Medicine in Australia, Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) longitudinal panel survey of Australian doctors. Analysis of data from waves 1 and 2 of this database, and concurrently collected qualitative data, address two key research questions about work location choice decisions and retention of podiatrists in location and the profession.