anyone interested in PGY2 for next year?

SDN Members don't see this ad. (About Ads)

I am leaving my residency program, just quitting the profession. Wondering if anyone was interested?

i'll look into it, if i can skip year one. i think a big question is going to be what program?

Quitting the profession? Can I ask why?

No you would not be able to skip year one...
Quitting because its just not for me. I am not a fan of surgery anymore, and I have a few herniated disks in my back that make it hard to do surg, and I have always hated wound care. Nothing else.

which program?

Originally Posted by frogg

No you would not be able to skip year one...
Quitting because its just not for me. I am not a fan of surgery anymore, and I have a few herniated disks in my back that make it hard to do surg, and I have always hated wound care. Nothing else.

After dedicating this much time, wouldn't it be possible re-consider and stick out one more year? This way you always have it available, and even though you may not want to perform surgery or provide wound care, you may have the credentials to teach at one of the colleges, etc., which may also allow you to not stress your spine.

I would just hate for you to regret this decision some time down the road, with only one year left, that would be a tragedy. I've seen other's make similar decisions and many regretted the decision eventually. At least if you complete your education, you can never say "I should have", yet you can quit the profession at any time if that's still the way you feel.

Just my opinion. Regardless, good luck with your future, no matter what you decide.

Originally Posted by PADPM

After dedicating this much time, wouldn't it be possible re-consider and stick out one more year? This way you always have it available, and even though you may not want to perform surgery or provide wound care, you may have the credentials to teach at one of the colleges, etc., which may also allow you to not stress your spine.

I would just hate for you to regret this decision some time down the road, with only one year left, that would be a tragedy. I've seen other's make similar decisions and many regretted the decision eventually. At least if you complete your education, you can never say "I should have", yet you can quit the profession at any time if that's still the way you feel.

Just my opinion. Regardless, good luck with your future, no matter what you decide.

PADPM is spot on. I have had a two residents over the years who had an epiphany and decided they wanted to do something else. Both decided they wanted to get into growing tech field because of their expertise in computer technology and what appeared to be fist loads of money. At that time the first left, we had a PPMR in addition to our PSR-24 and I was able to grant a PPMR certificate to this individual. The second left 3 months into his first year of a PSR-24 and was not given a diploma. The first individual is back practicing after the bubble burst and now regrets not finishing the PSR. The second called several years later, re-applied, and we let him come back and finish his PSR-24. He is now practicing.

If you can hang in there, please do. If after you are done with residency you realize podiatry isn't for you, then switch careers. At least if you finish you could work part time as a DPM while you return to school or transition into your new career. Bottomline never burn a bridge.

Me thinks that maybe you need a pain mgmt doc, a good area neuro/ortho spine surgeon, and probably fam/friend (maybe professional) counseling to help you figure out what you want while you get through the 2nd year of residency? You have worked hard to get this far, so use your health insurance, get enough training (2yr) to get at least ABPOPPM cert and ABPS foot cert.

Don't burn your bridges by being shortsighted, man. We have all been there. Only 1yr of post-grad pod training nowadays will really cripple you in your practicing career. GL

I know this is an old post but I feel just like the OP. I don't like surgery and I'm not into wound care. I'm almost a 2nd resident and I have no clue what I'm going to do after residency.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I know this is an old post but I feel just like the OP. I don't like surgery and I'm not into wound care. I'm almost a 2nd resident and I have no clue what I'm going to do after residency.

What do you mean you don't like surgery - what about it don't you like?

The only 1st world country that still has no healthcare (59M americans w/o care, 120M w/o dental care). No tort reform --you can still sue doctors.

Any wonder, why she/he may be not interested in being a walking bullseye?

Originally Posted by newankle

What do you mean you don't like surgery - what about it don't you like?

I don't like anything about surgery: making the incision, using the sagittal saw, suturing, screws, k-wires, etc. Blood doesn't creep me out. I just don't like surgery. It isn't something I want to spend my life doing.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I don't like anything about surgery: making the incision, using the sagittal saw, suturing, screws, k-wires, etc. Blood doesn't creep me out. I just don't like surgery. It isn't something I want to spend my life doing.

Were you interested in surgery coming into podiatry school? Did you start to lose interest in podiatry as soon as you became more exposed to surgery?

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

Were you interested in surgery coming into podiatry school? Did you start to lose interest in podiatry as soon as you became more exposed to surgery?

I can't say that I had a particular interest in surgery when I started podiatry school. I was more interested in treating diabetics but it's been amp after amp after amp. I don't feel like I'm making a difference.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I can't say that I had a particular interest in surgery when I started podiatry school. I was more interested in treating diabetics but it's been amp after amp after amp. I don't feel like I'm making a difference.

I feel like this applies to your statement and I am sure you are aware of this treatment, but hyperbaric oxygen treatment is being used on diabetic patients to limit the severity of amputations. They commonly use this treatment at St. Johns Providence in Michigan close to where I am from. This hospital system recently used this treatment on a patient that would have likely required amputation of the greater part of his foot. The patient only had to have a singe toe amputated.

I am not saying your personal decision is wrong, but for others who may feel the same, I think it would be a good feeling to know you saved the majority of a persons foot through minimizing the severity of an amputation. As a person, if a doctor did this for me and I was able to continue walking on two feet I would be forever thankful.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I can't say that I had a particular interest in surgery when I started podiatry school. I was more interested in treating diabetics but it's been amp after amp after amp. I don't feel like I'm making a difference.

I can completely see from where you're coming. Limb salvage is something I could not specialize in. It's like putting duct tape on the cracked hull of a sinking ship.

I suppose you've already considered it, but changing to a more general or sports-focused practice would attract healthier patients and would not require as much surgery, specifically amputation. This type of practice has its own frustrations of course, but I swear I get the most sense of fulfillment from doing a good old ingrown nail procedure.

Originally Posted by NatCh

I can completely see from where you're coming. Limb salvage is something I could not specialize in. It's like putting duct tape on the cracked hull of a sinking ship.

I suppose you've already considered it, but changing to a more general or sports-focused practice would attract healthier patients and would not require as much surgery, specifically amputation. This type of practice has its own frustrations of course, but I swear I get the most sense of fulfillment from doing a good old ingrown nail procedure.

I'm leaning towards a more general practice. I'm just wondering if that make me unemployable as an associate and if I should just open/buy a practice on my own.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I'm leaning towards a more general practice. I'm just wondering if that make me unemployable as an associate and if I should just open/buy a practice on my own.

A lot of the older DPM's who didn't have the fortune of good residency training like to hire young grads to enhance the practice surgically and offer services that weren't always available.

However, sport injuries, diabetic care, skin disorders, trauma, etc., etc., are also part of most busy practices. My recommendation would be to finish out your residency and become as skilled surgically as possible. Even though you presently think that's not the route you want to take, it's always nice to leave all options open. When you do go into practice, you may change your mind and it would be terrible to look back and say "I should have......"

As far as obtaining a job with minimal interest in performing surgery, well that is going to be up to YOU to sell yourself. Don't tell them what you don't want to do, tell them what you DO want to do and what interests you. More importantly, let them know how your interests in non surgical podiatry can enhance the practice.

As I've stated many times on this site, I am a partner in a very large office and perform a decent amount of surgery on a regular basis. Yet one of my partners who no longer performs surgery is actually our largest producer. Hopefully that will be encouraging to you.

Originally Posted by PADPM

A lot of the older DPM's who didn't have the fortune of good residency training like to hire young grads to enhance the practice surgically and offer services that weren't always available.

However, sport injuries, diabetic care, skin disorders, trauma, etc., etc., are also part of most busy practices. My recommendation would be to finish out your residency and become as skilled surgically as possible. Even though you presently think that's not the route you want to take, it's always nice to leave all options open. When you do go into practice, you may change your mind and it would be terrible to look back and say "I should have......"

As far as obtaining a job with minimal interest in performing surgery, well that is going to be up to YOU to sell yourself. Don't tell them what you don't want to do, tell them what you DO want to do and what interests you. More importantly, let them know how your interests in non surgical podiatry can enhance the practice.

As I've stated many times on this site, I am a partner in a very large office and perform a decent amount of surgery on a regular basis. Yet one of my partners who no longer performs surgery is actually our largest producer. Hopefully that will be encouraging to you.

I definitely do not plan on quitting residency... I just don't know what I'm doing after.

Originally Posted by newfeet

I don't like anything about surgery: making the incision, using the sagittal saw, suturing, screws, k-wires, etc. Blood doesn't creep me out. I just don't like surgery. It isn't something I want to spend my life doing.

While surgery is the big focus of residency, boards, etc it's a relatively small part of your weekly hours in most private practices. You will spend much more time seeing office patients, doing paperwork, etc.

2005 ACFAS practice survey (keep in mind this is even just among the more surgically oriented pods with ABPS cert):
106hrs/mo seeing office pts (69% of their working hrs)
26hrs/mo doing admin/education/consults (17% of working hrs)
23hrs/mo doing surgery (15% of working hrs)

That really only amounts to 6hrs of surgery per week for the average ACFAS member. I'm not sure I'd let that discourage you very much. The majority of your time will still be working up patients, educating patients, giving shots and office procedures, etc.