Crossword Genius

Foot injury initially needing a doctor (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

iamb

'foot' is the definition.
(poetry rhythm)

'injury initially needing a doctor' is the wordplay.
'initially' suggests taking the first letters.
'needing' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'doctor' becomes 'mb' (Bachelor of Medicine, Medicinae Baccalaureus**).
The first letter of 'injury' is 'i'.
'i'+'a'+'mb'='IAMB'

(Other definitions for iamb that I've seen before include "Metrical unit" , "Metrical foot of one short, one long syllables" , "Line of verse" , "Part of a pentameter?" , "Short-long metrical foot" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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