Top Podiatry Schools?

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I know there isn't an official ranking of the schools, but I was wondering which schools are the best. I won't be applying until the next application cycle, but I wanted to get as much info about each of the schools as I can. I searched some other posts and haven't really found a definitive answer. I've heard that some are more "top tier" than others, but I'm not sure what really makes them "top tier". I'm not looking to start an argument about "my school is better than yours". I'm just trying to get the stats/facts. Thank you in advance for your advice.

Originally Posted by prepod85

I know there isn't an official ranking of the schools, but I was wondering which schools are the best. I won't be applying until the next application cycle, but I wanted to get as much info about each of the schools as I can. I searched some other posts and haven't really found a definitive answer. I've heard that some are more "top tier" than others, but I'm not sure what really makes them "top tier". I'm not looking to start an argument about "my school is better than yours". I'm just trying to get the stats/facts. Thank you in advance for your advice.

Why exactly are you applying?

I've been interested in podiatry for quite a few years now. I've started shadowing a local podiatrist. I've only logged in about 25 hours or so. I really like all that podiatry has to offer (wound care, neuro, derm, etc.). I'm still in the process of researching schools and am also thinking of visiting some before applying as well. I saw that NYCPM is offering an open house in March and am planning on going to that. I just wanted to get a rough estimate on which schools rank highest.

I go to one of the top ten podiatry schools in the world

Use the search fxn. Threads like these pop up all the time. There are no rankings because it doesn't really matter. Go where u are most comfortable and happy. The end.

If the school is accredited then that means they give you all the information to be a podiatrist. The schools all have a different way about giving you that information. You need to find one that fits best.

There are some schools that are represented more on here than others because some schools have more online posters. Therefore some schools seem better because most people believe their school is the best.

When you interview at the schools admissions from the various schools will tell you their school is the best, or at least that was my experience.

Things to think about:

Class size
Strength of clinics/early clinics.
How long the school has been established (large amounts of alumni are great for networking)
class workload/hours in class
1st year summer off?
cost of living
safety
location
board pass rates (harder to get 1st time numbers. All schools find a way to fudge a little bit)
gut instinct during interviews
etc.. etc..

Good luck!

Originally Posted by dyk343

If the school is accredited then that means they give you all the information to be a podiatrist. The schools all have a different way about giving you that information. You need to find one that fits best.

There are some schools that are represented more on here than others because some schools have more online posters. Therefore some schools seem better because most people believe their school is the best.

When you interview at the schools admissions from the various schools will tell you their school is the best, or at least that was my experience.

Things to think about:

Class size
Strength of clinics/early clinics.
How long the school has been established (large amounts of alumni are great for networking)
class workload/hours in class
1st year summer off?
cost of living
safety
location
board pass rates (harder to get 1st time numbers. All schools find a way to fudge a little bit)
gut instinct during interviews
etc.. etc..

Good luck!

Not ALL. But hey, thats for another thread

DYK is exactly right. There are no "rankings" like allopathic schools. Think about things like the post above pointed out and you will be headed in the right direction.

Originally Posted by prepod85

I know there isn't an official ranking of the schools, but I was wondering which schools are the best. I won't be applying until the next application cycle, but I wanted to get as much info about each of the schools as I can. I searched some other posts and haven't really found a definitive answer. I've heard that some are more "top tier" than others, but I'm not sure what really makes them "top tier". I'm not looking to start an argument about "my school is better than yours". I'm just trying to get the stats/facts. Thank you in advance for your advice.

I'm in the same shoes as you are so let me just give an idea based on the feedback here on SDN.
Temple is definitely high up on "the list" from what I've gathered. Scholl's reputable as well, as is Des Moines. Haven't heard much about Barry to be honest (doesn't mean the program isn't excellent; just means we need more feedback from Barry students). There's been extensive debate here concerning NYCPM (particularly as it relates to student safety and the facilities...but I digress. Western has raised a few eyebrows concerning its pending accreditation (though current students seem to not worry so much about it).
AZPOD, OCPM, and CSPM...I'm still trying to discover more...

It all depends on who you talk to.

Take everything you hear about the schools with a grain of salt. Choose the one you like the most, and never look back.

The best school out of all podiatry schools.... is the one you like the most. Listen to the above posters. Its about self choice and whether or not you are happy w/ the school. Do some interviews, do some touring, talk to current students.

Clearly Western is the best because they have never had a student fail a board exam. Problem solved.

DYK is exactly right. There are no "rankings" like allopathic schools. Think about things like the post above pointed out and you will be headed in the right direction.

That the problem, when their are no rankings like allopathic schools it means the schools aren't good enough.

Top three are dmu temple and scholl in no particular order.

Originally Posted by ysasa

That the problem, when their are no rankings like allopathic schools it means the schools aren't good enough.

Actually, no. Rankings are encompass a large number of issues like research and teaching hospitals, which neither DO or Pod schools have. Thus, no fancy US News/Reports rankings.

There are no rankings, but the more schools you visit and the more you talk to people, some of them do start to separate themselves from the others. Here is what I found and how I made my decision:

DMU: Great b/c they are ahead of the game with regards to technology. They give you a laptop and ipod touch with medical programs/apps downloaded to it; they keep them updated, fix them for free, and expect you to use them for everything, which is nice b/c everyone can stay connected quickly. Their facilities are outstanding and have the feel of a country club. DMU is the only school to directly train you in electronic medical records, so that's one less thing you'll have to figure out for yourself upon entering practice. They have a full time staff so your professors are there to teach and only teach. You don't have to worry as much about them getting sidetracked with their own practices, and this gives you plenty of time to bond (nice for getting letters of rec). It's the best deal for the money b/c you get more and spend less (both tuition and cost of living). If you just want the big city, you have your entire 4th year to explore the nation and you can always change location for residency.

TEMPLE: Outstanding clinicals. Their facilities are run down (but so are Stanfords). This doesn't make it a bad school but you have to comfortable living in China Town and working in a building everyday with cracked floors and chairs with ripped seats. Their gait lab has crap lining the walls. Everyone will agree the place needs a little work, but your training once you get into clinicals will be excellent and Temple is very connected with other PA hospitals.

SCHOLL: The most established with a huge alumni base (1/3 of the podiatrists practicing in the nation right now graduated from here, which I never understood how that is possible but that's what they say). They also give out the most scholarships, I believe, so it's worth applying to. They used to have a great clinic until they started trying to make money off of it. Now it is lacking.

These 3 are generally considered to be the best for the said reasons. Like other people have said, there is no bad school. This is only how I view these schools and by all means, visit the ones you think you might like b/c you need to be comfortable wherever you go.

Again, there are no best schools for podiatry.

Doesnt anyone else see a coincidence in the most vocal posters on SDN are from DMU, Temple, and Scholl? Followed by Barry, NY, western, Ohio and very sparsely CSPM?

I bought into all the hype about certain schools here on SDN until I interviewed around and saw that the "best" SDN schools were just talk. Yes, DMU, Scholl, and Temple are all GREAT schools. You will get a great education from all of them. But you will also get a great education from all the other schools as well.

Whats important is finding a school thats great for YOU. Dont narrow your interviews to DMU Scholl or Temple because anonymous posters said they were the best. Explore other options and if DMU, Temple, or scholl are still your top choice then go with it.

Make judgments based on interviewing around and beware of schools admissions selling their school as the greatest of all podiatry schools. My personal favorite is "the harvard of podiatry"

Xforward, you are thinking of New York with:

The most established with a huge alumni base (1/3 of the podiatrists practicing in the nation right now graduated from here, which I never understood how that is possible but that's what they say).

Its the oldest school, and has one of the largest class sizes, so it makes sense that a good portion of podiatrists are from New York. Knowing what I know, I'm not sure where this ranking of three has come from that has been discussed in above posts. I would highly suggest not following that short list, but rather investigate the schools for yourself. Enjoy the NY open house, and ask lots of questions so you can assess the schools.

Originally Posted by Xforward22

There are no rankings, but the more schools you visit and the more you talk to people, some of them do start to separate themselves from the others. Here is what I found and how I made my decision:

DMU: Great b/c they are ahead of the game with regards to technology. They give you a laptop and ipod touch with medical programs/apps downloaded to it; they keep them updated, fix them for free, and expect you to use them for everything, which is nice b/c everyone can stay connected quickly. Their facilities are outstanding and have the feel of a country club. DMU is the only school to directly train you in electronic medical records, so that's one less thing you'll have to figure out for yourself upon entering practice. They have a full time staff so your professors are there to teach and only teach. You don't have to worry as much about them getting sidetracked with their own practices, and this gives you plenty of time to bond (nice for getting letters of rec). It's the best deal for the money b/c you get more and spend less (both tuition and cost of living). If you just want the big city, you have your entire 4th year to explore the nation and you can always change location for residency.

I have issues with students talking about which school is the best on this forum because they will lead many people astray. The Laptop and ipod touch are not free, you are paying for them through tuition and other fees. DMU is not the only school to train in EMR's, Barry does and I am sure other schools do too. Barry has full-time staff and so do other schools. Get more, spend less is incorrect because you can always find good deals on housing anywhere and share a room with a classmate to cut on costs. Like it is said hundreds of times here, go to the schools and see for yourself which is best for you. I like Podiatry in that there are no school rankings published in magazines to stroke the egos of the students who attend the "top schools." These threads are getting old and the same answers come out of all of them.

Originally Posted by Paulywog

I have issues with students talking about which school is the best on this forum because they will lead many people astray. The Laptop and ipod touch are not free, you are paying for them through tuition and other fees. DMU is not the only school to train in EMR's, Barry does and I am sure other schools do too. Barry has full-time staff and so do other schools. Get more, spend less is incorrect because you can always find good deals on housing anywhere and share a room with a classmate to cut on costs. Like it is said hundreds of times here, go to the schools and see for yourself which is best for you. I like Podiatry in that there are no school rankings published in magazines to stroke the egos of the students who attend the "top schools." These threads are getting old and the same answers come out of all of them.

Not trying to sound spoiled here... but is getting a laptop and a i touch that big of a deal? dont most people have those already now a days? i personally have acquired half of steve jobs products over the years (macbook pro purchased four years ago.. iphone... ipod etc)

Originally Posted by P0DT45T1C

Not trying to sound spoiled here... but is getting a laptop and a i touch that big of a deal? dont most people have those already now a days? i personally have acquired half of steve jobs products over the years (macbook pro purchased four years ago.. iphone... ipod etc)

My outlook runs on the DMU servers. They change my schedule for me. It is easy to find everyones email. If there are any bugs/problems/etc just drop it off with IT and get it fixed. We just all got upgraded to windows 7. Dropped it off and 3 hours later had it. I love it.

Originally Posted by dyk343

Again, there are no best schools for podiatry.

Doesnt anyone else see a coincidence in the most vocal posters on SDN are from DMU, Temple, and Scholl? Followed by Barry, NY, western, Ohio and very sparsely CSPM?

How did AZPod get to be the odd man out here? I don't know what is going on, but I haven't heard much about AZPod this year. On the other threads about pre-pods getting accepted to schools, I think I have seen maybe 1 person going to AZPod. Any reasons? Just curious. We've never been a big force on SDN (because a schools level of activity on SDN is directly proportional to it's coolness ) especially since Dr. Gangrene stopped posting, but I never expected to be left off of a list of all the podiatry schools.

DMU STUDents have more time - 20 hours of class (max) a week .

Originally Posted by ldsrmdude

How did AZPod get to be the odd man out here? I don't know what is going on, but I haven't heard much about AZPod this year. On the other threads about pre-pods getting accepted to schools, I think I have seen maybe 1 person going to AZPod. Any reasons? Just curious. We've never been a big force on SDN (because a schools level of activity on SDN is directly proportional to it's coolness ) especially since Dr. Gangrene stopped posting, but I never expected to be left off of a list of all the podiatry schools.

It is assumed that AZ is #1 (100% board pass rates) and the rest of us are vying for 2nd place. Everyone at AZ is too busy passing boards and getting good grades.

Originally Posted by ldsrmdude

How did AZPod get to be the odd man out here? I don't know what is going on, but I haven't heard much about AZPod this year. On the other threads about pre-pods getting accepted to schools, I think I have seen maybe 1 person going to AZPod. Any reasons? Just curious. We've never been a big force on SDN (because a schools level of activity on SDN is directly proportional to it's coolness ) especially since Dr. Gangrene stopped posting, but I never expected to be left off of a list of all the podiatry schools.

This is exactly where you fit in. Inquiring minds would want to know...so tell us more about AZPOD.

Originally Posted by ldsrmdude

How did AZPod get to be the odd man out here? I don't know what is going on, but I haven't heard much about AZPod this year. On the other threads about pre-pods getting accepted to schools, I think I have seen maybe 1 person going to AZPod. Any reasons? Just curious. We've never been a big force on SDN (because a schools level of activity on SDN is directly proportional to it's coolness ) especially since Dr. Gangrene stopped posting, but I never expected to be left off of a list of all the podiatry schools.

Haha whoops! I wrote that on the fly. My apologies but I would put AZPOD as equal to CSPM in SDN "coolness".

Yeah i mean just like anything it is about what would be best for you. what environment would allow you to succeed.

i personally need a big class size with the max amount of students possible. i like the big university feel. i hate small class sizes . i went to a high school which had a class of 55 graduating and i vowed never again to do that (my undergrad class had like 8000 ppl in it or something).

I hate the drama that entails a small class size and everyone knowing everything about everyone else. plus i hate not having the resources that a big uni has.

to each their own. you need to analyze things like that before you go to a school.

school is all what you put into it. you can get a good education anywhere.

...to all of you is to not enter podiatry school unless it is the specialty you really want. If you have any doubt, go to MD/DO school.

if you want an objective answer...look at board pass rates, both 1st time and total. it's really the only common measuring stick you can compare the schools with, and DMU is the leader in that category

CPMS performance on National Boards & Surgical board qualification exams:

• The first-time pass rate on Part I of the National Board Exam for the CPMS Class of 2011 was 98% compared to the national pass rate of 85%.
• The first-time pass rate on Part II of the National Board Exam for the CPMS Class of 2010 was 93% compared to the national pass rate of 83%.
• The pass rate for the June 2010 administration of Part III of the National Board Exam for CPMS graduates was 100% compared to the national pass rate of 89%.
• The American Board of Podiatric Surgery recently released the first-time pass rates for the Foot Surgery Qualification Exam. From 2005-2009 the pass rate for CPMS graduates was 89% compared to 76% for graduates of other colleges of podiatric medicine.

this is from DMU's website

Originally Posted by GeauxT

CPMS performance on National Boards & Surgical board qualification exams:

• The first-time pass rate on Part I of the National Board Exam for the CPMS Class of 2011 was 98% compared to the national pass rate of 85%.
• The first-time pass rate on Part II of the National Board Exam for the CPMS Class of 2010 was 93% compared to the national pass rate of 83%.
• The pass rate for the June 2010 administration of Part III of the National Board Exam for CPMS graduates was 100% compared to the national pass rate of 89%.
• The American Board of Podiatric Surgery recently released the first-time pass rates for the Foot Surgery Qualification Exam. From 2005-2009 the pass rate for CPMS graduates was 89% compared to 76% for graduates of other colleges of podiatric medicine.

this is from DMU's website

Somebody just said Arizona was 100% and I believe NYCPM was 99% this year. I guess DMU is in third place now.

notice these say FIRST TIME pass rates...most all schools are in the mid-upper 90's for total pass rate

I think the more important numbers are parts 2 and 3 and beyond. Who cares a bout part I. Congrats, you know biochem, pharm and some anatomy. 2 and 3 relates to how well you understand the field of podiatry and if you were then placed into a good residency that furthered your training.
And GeauxT, are you writing this from your balcony?

haha...guilty. PD can wait with weather like this

Just be thankful you didn't have lab today and got to enjoy our Florida-like weather. You can come join me at the dirty bird if you want. I'm gonna eat my weight in fries after the phys test today...

I heard DMU will make certain students wait to take part 1 until October. Is that just so their "1st time pass rates" look good?

air bud might be able to comment on that. I've never heard of students having to do that.

Our board scores are high because we only have 52 or so students take it. If you guys only had 50 students take boards y'all would be in the 90's every year too. Same goes for Scholl, Temple, etc. It's largely a numbers game. We can be more selective in our admissions and therefore have less students drop out and a higher % who are more than capable of passing boards.

Like air bud mentioned I think DMU's ABPS first time pass rate is the most impressive. It means that we are putting a large % of our students in good residency programs where they get the numbers and training to become board qualified right out of residency, the first time they sit for the exam.

Originally Posted by PodunkUDPM

I heard DMU will make certain students wait to take part 1 until October. Is that just so their "1st time pass rates" look good?

Haha, not accurate. That wouldn't even make sense. The students would all be included in the "First time pass rates" whether they took it in July or October.

I heard that all DMU students are able to fly after they graduate. See what I did there?

Originally Posted by jdikis

Haha, not accurate. That wouldn't even make sense. The students would all be included in the "First time pass rates" whether they took it in July or October.

I heard that all DMU students are able to fly after they graduate. See what I did there?

Is this flying thing dependent on getting a residency? Or do you have a certain class rank?

NYCPM still had a higher pass rate right? (anybody know who took it first time or not there?). They should get some love on this website now.

NYCPM really stepped up to the plate, accepted a few less students and got rid of the ones who weren't cutting it. Instead of stringing them along like other programs. Kudos to them. They'll get plenty of love on here when they do it consistently...meaning high 90's year in and year out.

Originally Posted by hyperpodia

I go to one of the top ten podiatry schools in the world

Ha, this is the best answer you'll get. Go to a school you'll enjoy and then get to work. They're all good schools.

Originally Posted by PodunkUDPM

NYCPM still had a higher pass rate right? (anybody know who took it first time or not there?). They should get some love on this website now.

According to some of the guys I know from the class, the pass rate is all first time takers. I think one person didn't pass first time. Good luck second round.

I've got to agree with what several people are saying though. In the end you will have to choose the school that fits YOU. No one else. You're the one that has to go there for four years. All of the schools have been meeting about curriculum lately and making changes if necessary. The education will be similar, the experience partially depends on you. Visit, ask students questions, and choose the place that matches your individual learning style.

Originally Posted by Paulywog

I have issues with students talking about which school is the best on this forum because they will lead many people astray. DMU is not the only school to train in EMR's, Barry does and I am sure other schools do too. Barry has full-time staff and so do other schools. Get more, spend less is incorrect because you can always find good deals on housing anywhere and share a room with a classmate to cut on costs. Like it is said hundreds of times here, go to the schools and see for yourself which is best for you. I like Podiatry in that there are no school rankings published in magazines to stroke the egos of the students who attend the "top schools." These threads are getting old and the same answers come out of all of them.

The Laptop and ipod touch are not free, you are paying for them through tuition and other fees

DMU has the cheapest tuition and there are no extra fees. Therefore, if you get the laptop and ipod touch "included in your tuition" but students at other schools don't, yet those students pay higher tuition; therefore, wouldn't you say they are essentially free? For more on this topic, see airbud's post right below yours. It's not just about getting the laptop ... it's having every student connected at the same speed and never having to worry about updates, technical difficulty, etc. From what I hear it's an amazing perk.

DMU is not the only school to train in EMR's, Barry does and I am sure other schools do too. Barry has full-time staff and so do other schools.

From what I understand, DMU is the only school to have ONLY full time staff. This is something they said at my intervew day so if they are lying, please take it up with Dean Yoho.

Get more, spend less is incorrect because you can always find good deals on housing anywhere and share a room with a classmate to cut on costs.

You're missing the point of getting more for spending less. The whole point of that phrase is that you don't have to "cut costs" if you're getting more for your money. For what you would pay for a small apartment with a roommate in the middle of Chinatown in Philly, you can get your own apartment in a safe area with a pool in Des Moines. So yes, I am correct that DMU has the cheapest tuition AND cost of living, which clearly means you get more for spending less. It is a perk to consider before committing to 200K of debt.

Like it is said hundreds of times here, go to the schools and see for yourself which is best for you.

I think most people on this forum are on the same page here. I made it clear that I was speaking from personal experience b/c I just got done interviewing at a bunch of schools and certain things stood out that may help somebody else in his or her decision.

Originally Posted by air bud

DMU STUDents have more time - 20 hours of class (max) a week .

Is this really true? A student told me during my interview day that DMU students are actually in class more than most schools. If you're only in class 4 hours per day, do you know how that compares to other schools?

Originally Posted by Xforward22

Is this really true? A student told me during my interview day that DMU students are actually in class more than most schools. If you're only in class 4 hours per day, do you know how that compares to other schools?

I respectfully disagree with my fellow student concerning the comparison with other schools. The 4 hours per day max applies more to 1st year. I don't have my schedule for 1st semester 2nd year, but so far this semester, here is the breakdown--keep in mind this includes 3-4 anatomy labs (2hrs each) per week.

1-3
2-5
3-7
4-13
5-5
6-3

Going forward from today and NOT including tests, the breakdown is as follows

0 Classes-13 days
1-3
2-15
3-4
4-13
5-4
6-1
7-1
8-1 day

Maybe Dtrack can answer with more specifics as to the 1st year schedule. By the way, ask him what the D stands for.

Originally Posted by Xforward22

The Laptop and ipod touch are not free, you are paying for them through tuition and other fees

DMU has the cheapest tuition and there are no extra fees. Therefore, if you get the laptop and ipod touch "included in your tuition" but students at other schools don't, yet those students pay higher tuition; therefore, wouldn't you say they are essentially free? For more on this topic, see airbud's post right below yours. It's not just about getting the laptop ... it's having every student connected at the same speed and never having to worry about updates, technical difficulty, etc. From what I hear it's an amazing perk.

After doing a little research, I've noticed that DMU does not have the cheapest tuition.

NYCPM
http://www.nycpm.edu/prospectiveStud...atalog2010.pdf

Total for the Academic Year (Includes all Fees)
Senior
$24,930.00
Junior
$24,530.00
Soph
$26,080.00
Freshman
$26,659.00

DMU
http://www.dmu.edu/cpms/pm/tuition/
$27,320 all 4 years.

Originally Posted by HaimFeldman

After doing a little research, I've noticed that DMU does not have the cheapest tuition.

NYCPM
http://www.nycpm.edu/prospectiveStud...atalog2010.pdf

Total for the Academic Year (Includes all Fees)
Senior
$24,930.00
Junior
$24,530.00
Soph
$26,080.00
Freshman
$26,659.00

DMU
http://www.dmu.edu/cpms/pm/tuition/
$27,320 all 4 years.

This point is moot being that the cost of living at DMU is significantly cheaper. Living in a overpriced shack sized apartment in NYC is not a fun way to spend your loans!

Originally Posted by air bud

DMU STUDents have more time - 20 hours of class (max) a week .

Scholl students are in class about 18-20 hours per week plus ECR lab (rare), Anatomy lab, and starting tomorrow LEA lab.

This is where I live in Des Moines (8 mins from campus) on loan money for $600/month including parking, DirecTV, internet, and all utilities. This is a model unit, however I live one floor above this with the same view. You can stretch your loan money a long ways in DM. PM me if any incoming DMU students want more info.

jdikis, That's a sick place you got there. DMU definitely takes the lowest cost of living award.


What about Podiatry clerkship months, how many do each of the schools get? I know Scholl gets atleast 8, sometimes more, before residency interviews. IMO, this is crucial especially because of the residency shortage. More months means exposure to more programs.