Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidsfeet
So if you don't end up in an well respected orthopedic practice, you won't consider yourself successful? Interesting definition.
One thing to remember is that every branch of medicine is important. That's my feeling at least. Dime a dozen or not. I worked with a DO Vascular Surgeon who was beyond brilliant. I don't think it mattered to him that he was a DO.
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That isn't my point. My point is that status, especially when comparing DPM to DO, is all subjective and relative, so don't dwell on it to the point that you base your career on it. The vascular surgeon you speak of has my upmost respect, especially being that he beat the odds and landed in a specialty field as a DO. I'm not knocking DOs (my FP is one) but just having DO behind the name doesn't automatically make you more respected than a DPM in my mind. You are judged by your performance.
And no, working in an orthopedic group isn't the only way to judge success in podiatry either. Success is also subjective and personal, but said positions are the most competitive in podiatry at the moment so I used that as an example. And while all of podiatry is important, we cannot deny that surgery is the main appeal for people getting into the profession right now.
MindYourGlottis, you want respect? Imagine the face of the worried mother before you take her child to surgery for an achilles reconstruction. Then imagine the relief in her eyes when you walk back out and say the operation went well and her child is in recovery. Do you think that mother cares that you could have gotten into a DO school because your MCAT was slightly higher than the DPM average but still below that of an MD? No, but she will be forever grateful that you trained hard in the path you chose and helped her child walk again. Of course every area of medicine is important (good point KidsFeet), but I can't imagine getting that kind of reaction out of a mother bringing her child to me for a tetanus shot.