DPM vs Ortho Foot Surgeon

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

I was rejected from MD schools this past application...waitlisted at BU, Rochester, Einstein, and Hawaii. My MCAT was a 33, and my sGPA is a 3.85 from a top 30 university. You guys on the DPM forums probably get a lot of people like me, who are rejected from medical school and are researching other health professions as "backups." DPM, with its comfortable salary paired with lower MCAT and gpa averages looks enticing. However, I'm probably a little different because I definitely want to go into surgery, and most likely ortho. The top podiatrists, as I have heard from orthopedic surgeons themselves, are just as good as orthopedic foot surgeons. Sorry if I sound like an elitist, but my grades and MCAT are above the range for most pod schools. Paired with the fact that I'm good with my hands (woodworking, electronics building, gaming), I'd probably make a good foot surgeon

So a few questions for pre pods and practicing pods:

General question...is podiatry for me? (I'll be shadowing a pod to see for myself as well)

Will I feel limited as a podiatrist? Do any podiatrists who went into the field to be a surgeon feel like they wish they had went the MD ortho route?

Are podiatrists happy overall?

Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

I was rejected from MD schools this past application...waitlisted at BU, Rochester, Einstein, and Hawaii. My MCAT was a 33, and my sGPA is a 3.85 from a top 30 university. You guys on the DPM forums probably get a lot of people like me, who are rejected from medical school and are researching other health professions as "backups." DPM, with its comfortable salary paired with lower MCAT and gpa averages looks enticing. However, I'm probably a little different because I definitely want to go into surgery, and most likely ortho. The top podiatrists, as I have heard from orthopedic surgeons themselves, are just as good as orthopedic foot surgeons. Sorry if I sound like an elitist, but my grades and MCAT are above the range for most pod schools. Paired with the fact that I'm good with my hands (woodworking, electronics building, gaming), I'd probably make a good foot surgeon

So a few questions for pre pods and practicing pods:

General question...is podiatry for me? (I'll be shadowing a pod to see for myself as well)

Will I feel limited as a podiatrist? Do any podiatrists who went into the field to be a surgeon feel like they wish they had went the MD ortho route?

Are podiatrists happy overall?

Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

Im just a pre pod hopefully a Pod will chime in but I will say this, With your stats why dont you just reapply to Med/DO school im sure you will get in if you apply to lower standard schools.

I have researched podiatry and I can tell this is certainly a Great profession if you put in the work with your GPA you probably wouldnt have a prob with that.

I'm not sure why you didn't get accepted. My son's best friend got accepted to the first school he applied, graduating from a large university (decent but not great school) with about a 3.6/3.7 and 32 MCAT.

If you are settling for podiatry as a default, I would caution that decision. You should be able to get into allopathic schools with your credentials and can surely get into osteopathic school.

Originally Posted by PADPM

I'm not sure why you didn't get accepted. My son's best friend got accepted to the first school he applied, graduating from a large university (decent but not great school) with about a 3.6/3.7 and 32 MCAT.

If you are settling for podiatry as a default, I would caution that decision. You should be able to get into allopathic schools with your credentials and can surely get into osteopathic school.

The problem is that going osteopathic would make it even harder to match ortho (since DO's are at a comparative disadvantage for the glamour specialties like rads, derm, ortho, etc).

OP you should shadow podiatry, then maybe reapply both MD and podiatry. It's not ideal because I'm sure others here will advise you to pick 1 thing and stick to it, but realistically this way you cover your bases and don't waste a year.

I was asked in interviews about my parents professions. Upon hearing that my dad is a surgeon, the follow up question was always: "So you just want to follow in your dad's footsteps?" While this may be true of some premeds whose parents are doctors, it does not make it any less insulting. I give my usual response to why I want to go into medicine (which actually involves mental health/addiction), which is usually followed by a dissatisfied "hmm." Of course a father will have some influence on what his son becomes interested in, but only in medicine is the idea held with such negative connotations. Medicine loves those who have triumphed over adversity - those who have literally come from rags to riches. Adcoms often blatantly state this in the applications. Most of us with doctor parents will "unfortunately" not come from a disadvantaged background, and ironically become the disadvantaged applicant.

I will reapply for MD schools (mainly the lower tiers) and the top DOs. In one of my interviews I let it slip that I wanted to be some type of surgeon. Immediately I was scolded, albeit jokingly. I guess I'm just a little sick of having to hide that from the admission committees who want applicants eager to become primary care doctors. It seems like podiatry is a little more understanding of the career aspirations of it's applicants. Sorry for the rant, and thanks for the tips guys.

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

So a few questions for pre pods and practicing pods:

General question...is podiatry for me? (I'll be shadowing a pod to see for myself as well)
Only you can answer that question, shadow a pod and find out.
Will I feel limited as a podiatrist? Do any podiatrists who went into the field to be a surgeon feel like they wish they had went the MD ortho route?
Cant answer how you will feel in terms of scope of practice but, Podiatrists I've shadowed said on multiple occasions that they love what they do and that their work does not feel like work at all. I have heard however, from a practicing pod, that a fellow class mate did transfer to become a D.O. Again, find out if it is really for you.

Are podiatrists happy overall?
From my experience, absolutely. But then again I can count the Pods I have met on one hand.
Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks guys!
Try to get in on a surgery. I think after witnessing a surgery by a Pod you will be impressed. I absolutely agree that Pods are on par with orthopods when it comes to foot and ankle, at least in terms of training.

.

deleted

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

I was asked in interviews about my parents professions. Upon hearing that my dad is a surgeon, the follow up question was always: "So you just want to follow in your dad's footsteps?" While this may be true of some premeds whose parents are doctors, it does not make it any less insulting. I give my usual response to why I want to go into medicine (which actually involves mental health/addiction), which is usually followed by a dissatisfied "hmm." Of course a father will have some influence on what his son becomes interested in, but only in medicine is the idea held with such negative connotations. Medicine loves those who have triumphed over adversity - those who have literally come from rags to riches. Adcoms often blatantly state this in the applications. Most of us with doctor parents will "unfortunately" not come from a disadvantaged background, and ironically become the disadvantaged applicant.

I will reapply for MD schools (mainly the lower tiers) and the top DOs. In one of my interviews I let it slip that I wanted to be some type of surgeon. Immediately I was scolded, albeit jokingly. I guess I'm just a little sick of having to hide that from the admission committees who want applicants eager to become primary care doctors. It seems like podiatry is a little more understanding of the career aspirations of it's applicants. Sorry for the rant, and thanks for the tips guys.

You've got it totally wrong. They're not scolding you for wanting to specialize in surgery. There's nothing wrong with surgery. It's because they don't like the idea of a premed who is already dead-set on a specific specialty. They want someone who's open-minded to a lot of possible specialties when he/she hits the clinical years.

So when you reapply:

1) Don't tell them that daddy is a surgeon. It really doesn't do that much for you, and as you said, may even lead to questions about your motivation towards medicine.

2) Also, don't volunteer that you want to be a surgeon. Even if it's true, saying that at interviews is counterproductive. They don't expect you to know at this point. And sounding so certain actually hurts you and makes you look naive.

Yeah, I should have kept my mouth closed. I know they want people to be open minded, but I've also been told to never mention the word surgery ever. It's just so strange. Everyone I know going into medicine is doing it to go into some specific specialty, even if they may change their mind later on (most do). You don't drop 250k and 4 years of your life because you think you'll fit in somewhere in the diverse field of medicine. You go in with a vision of what you want to be. Take for instance, graduate school. An applicant may be interested/have former research experience in a specific pathway or cell. The grad school knows that the applicant may not dedicate his life to research on this pathway, yet it still values the applicants commitment, interest, and fascination with a small facet of what the grad school has to offer. It is like that for undergraduate education, graduate education, law school, etc, but somehow it's different for medical school.

Just tell them what they want to hear. Have been this way in every field, every time you go on an interview whether to medical school or the corporate world, you mold yourself to their desires to get the position.

True story

Originally Posted by jellybean2020

You've got it totally wrong. They're not scolding you for wanting to specialize in surgery. There's nothing wrong with surgery. It's because they don't like the idea of a premed who is already dead-set on a specific specialty. They want someone who's open-minded to a lot of possible specialties when he/she hits the clinical years.

So when you reapply:

1) Don't tell them that daddy is a surgeon. It really doesn't do that much for you, and as you said, may even lead to questions about your motivation towards medicine.

2) Also, don't volunteer that you want to be a surgeon. Even if it's true, saying that at interviews is counterproductive. They don't expect you to know at this point. And sounding so certain actually hurts you and makes you look naive.

I'm not sure I agree with your comments. I understand your thoughts, but you never know who is interviewing you, so you can't play the guessing game of what is right or not right to say. Honesty is usually the best policy, but you must also be diplomatic with your answers since you don't know who is interviewing you or their interests.

I will give an example. My son's university contacts parents who are medical professionals to interview professional school applicants in a mock interview process.

The first student I interviewed a few years ago (who DID get into medical school) made what I thought were a lot of mistakes in the interview, even though he was brilliant.

I asked him some questions and he said he did not want to practice clinical medicine, but wanted to be a researcher. MISTAKE # 1.

You never know who is interviewing you, and as a GENERAL rule, clinicians don't like researchers and researchers don't like clinicians. The interviewer could be one of those clinicians who doesn't want to give a spot to someone dead set on research. Jeez, maybe the interviewer's ex-wife was a researcher and he can't STAND researchers!!!!

The right answer would be to say "at the present time I'm leaning toward research, but I don't have enough clinical experience at this time, and realize it's much too early to make a definite decision".

The student then started telling me about this esoteric research he was performing. He then mentioned some technical terms and said to me "you know what that is, don't you"? MISTAKE # 2

This could have been disastrous in a real interview. There could have been two bad scenarios. The student, who thought he was an expert, may not have realized that the interviewer is the world's foremost expert on that topic, and as a result, the interviewer could turn the table and start asking technical questions the student couldn't answer, and in essence digging himself into a hole. The second possible bad scenario is if the interviewer knows NOTHING about the topic and is therefore left to feel stupid.

So be careful who you are trying to impress, you may get blown out of the water.

A few minutes into the interview, the student said to me, "so what's YOUR specialty?" MISTAKE # 3. I'll keep this simple......do NOT interview the interviewer. Answer questions and ask pertinent questions, but do not ask anything personal to the interviewer.

My son's friend who got in first try, wants to be a trauma surgeon and made that very clear during his interviews. However, he first gave the reasons for his decision, but did qualify his answer that's what he wants to do NOW, but may change based on his future exposure and experience.

There is no one size fits all answer, but I would always recommend honesty, without being too opinionated. Prove to them that your decision to become a doctor is well thought out and although you may presently have a preference. but you are fully aware that decision may change as your education unfolds.

Good luck.

PADPM I actually don't think our posts are that contradictory. The main gist is to not make yourself sound super certain. But if you do profess an inclination for something make sure to qualify it with an acknowledgement of your lack of current experience and a willingness to remain openminded.

[QUOTE=jellybean2020;12757303]PADPM I actually don't think our posts are that contradictory. The main gist is to not make yourself sound super certain. But if you do profess an inclination for something make sure to qualify it with an acknowledgement of your lack of current experience and a willingness to remain openminded.

OP

I would be extremely cautious about becoming a DPM. Take some time to research the pros and cons, shadow several DPMS and think about it real hard before reaching a decision.

Podiatry is an excellent field to get into, but it is very different from a DO/MD route.

I, too, am interested in the surgery aspect of podiatry. Therefore, I spoke with a lot of different podiatrists about it. They all told me the same thing. Although well qualified, it is not easy to exclusively specialize in surgery as a podiatrist. It is not impossible, but a lot of cases are swept up by orthopods. This is at least in my area....the largest ortho group in my area employs an orthopod and a podiatrist. Why not just hire two podiatrist? Well, the orthopod gets most of the surgery cases.

However, one podiatrist I shadowed started at an ortho group and broke away after 5 years. He is doing surgery 5 days a week now. It is all about establishing yourself. I guess what I'm trying to say is that its not super easy to declare yourself strictly a podiatric surgeon, but its not very difficult either.

I'm surprised you didn't get into a MD school. If I were you I would probably do research or something for a year then reapply. You would most likely get in to a few schools.

Good luck.

You have to evaluate if you would happy doing JUST the foot and ankle. Even F/A orthopods will do other joint surgery (I think) but just specialize in the foot and ankle. You also have to evaluate if you would be okay doing other procedures that aren't just surgery. Would you be okay doing wound care? Conservative care such as nail and callus debridement? Not every patient needs surgery. Although pods are just as well-trained in the foot and ankle as a F/A orthopod (if not better trained because we specialize from day 1), that does not mean that we do the same things every day as orthopods do.

Farewell NeilD!

deleted

Originally Posted by frankcfromny

OP


I'm surprised you didn't get into a MD school. If I were you I would probably do research or something for a year then reapply. You would most likely get in to a few schools.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Looks like I really need to shadow a pod and to see what it's like. I'm currently a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health....so hopefully that will strengthen my application. I just started, but so far it's great. If anyone is looking to take a year or two off before any type of graduate school I would definitely recommend the NIH.

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

Thanks for all the advice guys. Looks like I really need to shadow a pod and to see what it's like. I'm currently a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health....so hopefully that will strengthen my application. I just started, but so far it's great. If anyone is looking to take a year or two off before any type of graduate school I would definitely recommend the NIH.

Your overall application is more than adequate to get accepted to podiatry school. Shadow and continue to research the profession. Get feedback from currently practicing pods that you meet and draw your own conclusions. Do not use SDN as your sole source of information. Apply to podiatry school if you feel DPM is for you.

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

I was rejected from MD schools this past application...waitlisted at BU, Rochester, Einstein, and Hawaii. My MCAT was a 33, and my sGPA is a 3.85 from a top 30 university. You guys on the DPM forums probably get a lot of people like me, who are rejected from medical school and are researching other health professions as "backups." DPM, with its comfortable salary paired with lower MCAT and gpa averages looks enticing. However, I'm probably a little different because I definitely want to go into surgery, and most likely ortho. The top podiatrists, as I have heard from orthopedic surgeons themselves, are just as good as orthopedic foot surgeons. Sorry if I sound like an elitist, but my grades and MCAT are above the range for most pod schools. Paired with the fact that I'm good with my hands (woodworking, electronics building, gaming), I'd probably make a good foot surgeon

So a few questions for pre pods and practicing pods:

General question...is podiatry for me? (I'll be shadowing a pod to see for myself as well)

Will I feel limited as a podiatrist? Do any podiatrists who went into the field to be a surgeon feel like they wish they had went the MD ortho route?

Are podiatrists happy overall?

Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

I had similar statistics when I was in undergraduate school and know how you feel. I think the advise at this board is great but the bottom line will be what you want to do. I shadowed a great pod who practiced with an orthopedic group and he inspired to do what I'm doing today. You might or might not have a similar experience but it is worthwhile to do some research and see some things for yourself. At the end of the day you won't go wrong with whichever route you choose because you know you have the mindset to be successful as long as you are happy with your choice.

As far wishing to be in the MD ortho route, I will be honest with you and tell you that I have thought about the MD ortho route in the past because some of the ortho specialties do interest me i.e. total joints, sports medicine, etc. On the other hand, I absolutely love what I do and I am passionate about my profession. I'm very good at what I do and I love the specialty with all its avenues: Diabetic foot infections, limb salvage, elective surgeries, in-office procedures, and trauma. I want to be the best that I can be within my field so I am pursuing all of its avenues to the max via publications, research, residency, and finally fellowship training. If I was to do this all over again, without a doubt I would - but again, this is my personal experience so do some research and hope everything works out for you. Good luck.

Originally Posted by ironlionzion

I was rejected from MD schools this past application...waitlisted at BU, Rochester, Einstein, and Hawaii. My MCAT was a 33, and my sGPA is a 3.85 from a top 30 university. You guys on the DPM forums probably get a lot of people like me, who are rejected from medical school and are researching other health professions as "backups." DPM, with its comfortable salary paired with lower MCAT and gpa averages looks enticing. However, I'm probably a little different because I definitely want to go into surgery, and most likely ortho. The top podiatrists, as I have heard from orthopedic surgeons themselves, are just as good as orthopedic foot surgeons. Sorry if I sound like an elitist, but my grades and MCAT are above the range for most pod schools. Paired with the fact that I'm good with my hands (woodworking, electronics building, gaming), I'd probably make a good foot surgeon

So a few questions for pre pods and practicing pods:

General question...is podiatry for me? (I'll be shadowing a pod to see for myself as well)

Will I feel limited as a podiatrist? Do any podiatrists who went into the field to be a surgeon feel like they wish they had went the MD ortho route?

Are podiatrists happy overall?

Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks guys!

So... not to start a flame war, but given your historical academic success, you should be able to land a good residency with (relative) ease, and then get a job as a strictly surgical pod. (Assuming you don't have any restrictions, eg geographic location of your practice/residency)

I talk to some of my med school friends about this (none of them want me to go to pod school), and they are all of the mindset that pod students are lazy/unmotivated. They are med students, and they have no evidence for this claim, but based on the entrance GPA/MCAT scores, it's probably safe to assume that pod students took a different approach to undergrad than med students took. Keeping that in mind, I think you might struggle a bit at pod school realizing you are literally in the top 1% of everyone applying, and I would caution you to be weary of allowing the notion that everyone else in school with you (and thus all your colleagues) are inferior to you. I think that is something you should think about....

MaxillofacialMN...the pod admissions whisperer

If ironlionzion is going to enter medical school or podiatry school thinking he is God's gift he won't get along with anyone. Doesn't matter if he's in pod or med school. Believe it or not most medical school students are normal people as well. They are not all gunners and asswipes. They don't want to be around an arogant ass just as much podiatry students don't want to be around the guy/ gal who won't shut up about school. If you use common sense and respect everyone you will be fine. Got negative opinions of others? That's fine...keep them to yourself and carry on with your business. Please, don't think too deep on this. Focus on what you want and work hard. That's all you can ask for.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

MaxillofacialMN...the pod admissions whisperer

Haha, I'm out of town for a week and I don't post on here - it must have been the greatest week of your life, AB.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

Haha, I'm out of town for a week and I don't post on here - it must have been the greatest week of your life, AB.

Sorry my life isn't quite that pathetic. I'm attached to my computer because I'm studying for boards. After July 11th I get my life back and you can post all the misinformation you want.

https://www.aamc.org/download/157958...white-0911.pdf
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/appl...ethnicity.html

Candidates with excellent stats get rejected every year for whatever reason (see the above tables). Apply early and post in the re-applicants forum for advice. It may be worthwhile to question other aspects of your submission ie. are your LORs as good as you hope they are.

Best of luck in whatever it is you end up doing.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

you can post all the misinformation you want.

Still waiting for you to show me some of that....

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

Still waiting for you to show me some of that....

Stating someone might not get along with his/ her classmates because their stats put them in the top 1% of pod admissions...really?

I get along with my classmates just fine. The DO student...well they might hate me a little. But then again I can't blame them. If i were a DO student and a lowly, no good, pod student set the curve in each class..i would hate them too

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

Stating someone might not get along with his/ her classmates because their stats put them in the top 1% of pod admissions...really?

I don't see any point of contention here... That's a valid concern. The OP might realize that he/she could have applied again and gotten into an MD but "settled" for pod school because they tried MD once and failed. He/she might feel a little strange sitting in a room with 18's when he got a 34 himself.

If the OP wants to be a pod, I encourage it - we desperately need better applicants. But I don't want him to be upset because he feels out of their league. I've heard the MD students at Scholl look down at pod students, will the OP feel the same way once he's in (because he has solid MD stats?)? I don't think any MDs look down on pods because they work with feet, but rather because the avg MCAT is in the very low 20s. The OP might develop a similar feeling.

Have you never been placed at the "kids" table when you were 18, or put in the swim class with five year olds who cannot swim? Same idea.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

I don't see any point of contention here... That's a valid concern. The OP might realize that he/she could have applied again and gotten into an MD but "settled" for pod school because they tried MD once and failed. He/she might feel a little strange sitting in a room with 18's when he got a 34 himself.

If the OP wants to be a pod, I encourage it - we desperately need better applicants. But I don't want him to be upset because he feels out of their league. I've heard the MD students at Scholl look down at pod students, will the OP feel the same way once he's in (because he has solid MD stats?)? I don't think any MDs look down on pods because they work with feet, but rather because the avg MCAT is in the very low 20s. The OP might develop a similar feeling.

Have you never been placed at the "kids" table when you were 18, or put in the swim class with five year olds who cannot swim? Same idea.

See in reality people don't go bragging about what they got and didn't get on the MCAT. Once you're in it really doesn't matter.

I'm sure CMS students at RFUMS look down upon the Scholl students but to be honest they aren't that great themselves and we remind them of that whenever they get out of line. CMS has a sub 30 MCAT avg and they accept a ton of students who have 25-27 MCAT scores from their 1 year masters program.

You equate MCAT scores and GPAs to success or not having success in podiatry school. I can show you students who should have never been accepted that are honors students and I can show you students who had good stats that are avg students now. We know the mantra for podiatry school "easy to get accepted, hard to graduate". Just because the OP has awesome stats doesn't mean he is going to coast through school nor is ending up being ranked number one in the class a forgone conclusion.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

He/she might feel a little strange sitting in a room with 18's when he got a 34 himself.

I've heard the MD students at Scholl look down at pod students.

Have you never been placed at the "kids" table when you were 18, or put in the swim class with five year olds who cannot swim? Same idea.

1) I don't think people walking around saying, sup, I got a 34 on my MCAT... if so, I am very very sorry for them. 1 superficial test doesn't mean anything.

2) On the contrary, I heard Scholl med students are very accepting of their pod counterparts. They go through the same courses and have similarly rough academic schedules. Of course this is from the student tour guides, but speaking with students at my tour did not give me any impression of negativity with pods vs meds.

3) Comparing a possible MD in podiatry school with an individual surrounded by 5 year olds? Very Sheldon-esque of you sir.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

See in reality people don't go bragging about what they got and didn't get on the MCAT. Once you're in it really doesn't matter.

I'm sure CMS students at RFUMS look down upon the Scholl students but to be honest they aren't that great themselves and we remind them of that whenever they get out of line. CMS has a sub 30 MCAT avg and they accept a ton of students who have 25-27 MCAT scores from their 1 year masters program.

You equate MCAT scores and GPAs to success or not having success in podiatry school. I can show you students who should have never been accepted that are honors students and I can show you students who had good stats that are avg students now. We know the mantra for podiatry school "easy to get accepted, hard to graduate". Just because the OP has awesome stats doesn't mean he is going to coast through school nor is ending up being ranked number one in the class a forgone conclusion.

MCAT scores can be very easily correlated to board pass rates (and I think residency placement?) in med schools, so the same is probably true for pod schools. Are there exceptions? Sure, there always is, but the correlation exists. I never said he WOULD feel superior to his classmates or he FOR SURE would be able to pass classes with ease, but rather his stats suggest he will probably do well (smarter, good study techniques, etc). It is also wise to think about whether he will feel like an adult at a kid table, regardless of the validity. I'm just saying my med school friends already harass me about it, and I haven't even applied yet. If the OP is sensitive to this stuff, then it's something to consider. That's all I'm saying, I don't understand why you refuse to think this is a valid concern.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

MCAT scores can be very easily correlated to board pass rates (and I think residency placement?) in med schools, so the same is probably true for pod schools.

I read a study a while ago where they studied correlation between MCAT and success in school. 90% sure that the conclusion pointed towards success in school was MORE based off of socioeconomic background and LESS on the MCAT score.

Originally Posted by SuperFeisty

1) I don't think people walking around saying, sup, I got a 34 on my MCAT... if so, I am very very sorry for them. 1 superficial test doesn't mean anything.

2) On the contrary, I heard Scholl med students are very accepting of their pod counterparts. They go through the same courses and have similarly rough academic schedules. Of course this is from the student tour guides, but speaking with students at my tour did not give me any impression of negativity with pods vs meds.

3) Comparing a possible MD in podiatry school with an individual surrounded by 5 year olds? Very Sheldon-esque of you sir.

1) it doesn't matter if it's verbalized or not, but the OP will obviously know he has a 34 and the rest of his classmates were in the low 20s.

2) I mean, we both have anecdotal evidence; but I promise I didnt just make mine up, and AB even conceded on me in this point a little too. Either way, a lot of MDs look down at pods, just go to the ortho forum for proof.

3) big bang theory is an excellent show, and I wasn't saying the circumstances were the same, but rather the notion that people often feel superior to others when they are quantitatively better in some regard occurs.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

1) it doesn't matter if it's verbalized or not, but the OP will obviously know he has a 34 and the rest of his classmates were in the low 20s.

2) I mean, we both have anecdotal evidence; but I promise I didnt just make mine up, and AB even conceded on me in this point a little too. Either way, a lot of MDs look down at pods, just go to the ortho forum for proof.

3) big bang theory is an excellent show, and I wasn't saying the circumstances were the same, but rather the notion that people often feel superior to others when they are quantitatively better in some regard occurs.

You completely missed my point. I believe people don't consciously think "oh, I got a 34 on my MCAT, so I'm better than you and don't want to associate myself with you." Or even subconsciously (hopefully). There will always be people who look down on you. It's part of life. If people feel superior to others, pod school isn't the problem. If they get into med school, that arrogance will still be there.

Originally Posted by SuperFeisty

You completely missed my point. I believe people don't consciously think "oh, I got a 34 on my MCAT, so I'm better than you and don't want to associate myself with you." Or even subconsciously (hopefully). There will always be people who look down on you. It's part of life. If people feel superior to others, pod school isn't the problem. If they get into med school, that arrogance will still be there.

So, why do med students/MDs look down on pods all the time then....

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

So, why do med students/MDs look down on pods all the time then....

Some do, some don't. Not everyone is an elitist prick.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

Some do, some don't. Not everyone is an elitist prick.

I know, but the point is that some do. If it matters to the OP that he/she will be entering a profession where many of the DPMs are looked down upon by their ortho/MD counterparts, yet was able to be an ortho/MD himself, then this is something to consider.

For many pod students, this is a non-issue because MD/DO school is out of reach, and at the end of the day, pods are still able to do everything F/A, so it really doesn't matter. However, it might matter to someone who could have been an orthopod, but gave it up because they didn't try for admissions again...

I honestly don't understand why so many people have a problem with what I'm saying... I seriously don't get it...

Make sure it's the field that you will enjoy on a daily basis. That being said, with your stats and the assumption that you work hard and are willing to succeed, you will make a name for yourself in the field. There are many successful, well-established podiatrists out there that contribute to the growth of this field, why worrying about being a "limited podiatrist" instead of aiming yourself to become one of them?

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

I know, but the point is that some do. If it matters to the OP that he/she will be entering a profession where many of the DPMs are looked down upon by their ortho/MD counterparts, yet was able to be an ortho/MD himself, then this is something to consider.

For many pod students, this is a non-issue because MD/DO school is out of reach, and at the end of the day, pods are still able to do everything F/A, so it really doesn't matter. However, it might matter to someone who could have been an orthopod, but gave it up because they didn't try for admissions again...

I honestly don't understand why so many people have a problem with what I'm saying... I seriously don't get it...

Who told you this? Who told you every Orthopod looks down upon DPMs? Are you basing reality off the SDN ortho boards? Sounds like it to me. Then you come on these boards and spread misinformation like you "know" how the real world of medicine works. That's my problem with your posts. Here's a research topic for you...why don't you look into how many orthos are involved with DPM surgical training. I bet you will find a good amount. Why do they assist in training us if they hate us so much?

You again equate MCAT and GPAs with what a student can or can't accomplish. Who the hell says this student is going to match ortho? Last time I checked ortho is really competitive to match into.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

Who told you this? Who told you every Orthopod looks down upon DPMs? Are you basing reality off the SDN ortho boards? Sounds like it to me. Then you come on these boards and spread misinformation like you "know" how the real world of medicine works. That's my problem with your posts. Here's a research topic for you...why don't you look into how many orthos are involved with DPM surgical training. I bet you will find a good amount. Why do they assist in training us if they hate us so much?

You again equate MCAT and GPAs with what a student can or can't accomplish. Who the hell says this student is going to match ortho? Last time I checked ortho is really competitive to match into.

Uh... if you are suggesting pods don't have the "not real doctor" stigma.... then.... okay?

I'm not equating the two, just suggesting there is a correlation. Exceptions exist, the OP might turn to a life of heroine and drop out of pod school after day 1, even though he had the best stats - you're right. I'm not arguing that, but GPA and MCAT scores are good predictors of board pass rates (why would they use them if they weren't...?).

Also, I try to be very careful when I type to not say things like "every" or "all" or "by all accounts." But rather use statistics and general trends to form opinions. So, I've never said ALL orthopods look down on ALL DPMs, but certainly it happens...

Also, if I don't have conviction in my own opinions, who will believe them? And why would I believe my own opinions if I didn't think they were right?

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

Uh... if you are suggesting pods don't have the "not real doctor" stigma.... then.... okay?

Of course we have that stigma and I never said that didn't exist. You claimed that majority of orthopods doubt our legitimacy and that's false.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

Also, if I don't have conviction in my own opinions, who will believe them? And why would I believe my own opinions if I didn't think they were right?

This was deep...

You are not a practicing podiatrist. You are not even a student! Spreading misinformation about what potential applicants should expect from podiatry school or the podiatric medical profession is crazy.

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

Uh... if you are suggesting pods don't have the "not real doctor" stigma.... then.... okay?

From my limited experience, most of the "real doctor" stigma comes from within our own profession (an inferiority complex) rather than from outside the profession (more of a superiority complex).

If Ortho's seem to be more condescending/negative towards podiatrists...well, of course. As a pod you are taking their potential patients. Watch any Apple or Microsoft keynote presentation. They don't speak real highly of each other because they are competing for customers. It's capitalism, and even though in healthcare you'd think EVERYONE just wants to do what's best for the patient, that isn't always the case. Dr.'s livelihoods are on the line with the ortho v DPM thing, so it should make sense that both sides are going to tout superior training and patient care...right?

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

Of course we have that stigma and I never said that didn't exist. You claimed that majority of orthopods doubt our legitimacy and that's false.



This was deep...

You are not a practicing podiatrist. You are not even a student! Spreading misinformation about what potential applicants should expect from podiatry school or the podiatric medical profession is crazy.

I didn't say the majority doubt legitimacy, but rather some look down on. You keep telling me I said all this stuff that I never did...


And... I don't know why you are so concerned with me giving opinions that you still have yet to successfully refute... My status is "pre-pod" and everyone can see that. If people on these boards don't want to take my advice seriously, no big deal. You are determined to make fun of me and try to make me look incredulous, but I don't think it's working. I enjoy coming on SDN, and I don't know why you are so insistent on putting me down.

Also, I haven't purposefully spread any misinformation without admitting I was wrong on this site. I've challenged you every time you say these things, and every time you either stop posting on the thread of resort to calling me crazy or other non-productive arguments.

For one more time, just because I'm not in pod school doesn't mean My opinion is worthless. I read podiatry today, and APMA News, I read these forums regularly, I've read the pod admission book, participated in a pod school summer preview, read every word on every pod school site (if not, then close), have had email correspondence with an admission counselor from every school (except temple), and this is all just for pod stuff. I can tell you loads of stuff for med school and dental school admissions too (check out my user name!!). What I'm trying to say is that I spend an immense amount of time researching these things and for you to tell me that I don't know how admissions works because I'm not a student is ludicrous. Some pod students didn't apply until May.... Do you think those people have a great grasp on how the system works?!?

Originally Posted by MaxillofacialMN

I didn't say the majority doubt legitimacy, but rather some look down on. You keep telling me I said all this stuff that I never did...


And... I don't know why you are so concerned with me giving opinions that you still have yet to successfully refute... My status is "pre-pod" and everyone can see that. If people on these boards don't want to take my advice seriously, no big deal. You are determined to make fun of me and try to make me look incredulous, but I don't think it's working. I enjoy coming on SDN, and I don't know why you are so insistent on putting me down.

Also, I haven't purposefully spread any misinformation without admitting I was wrong on this site. I've challenged you every time you say these things, and every time you either stop posting on the thread of resort to calling me crazy or other non-productive arguments.

For one more time, just because I'm not in pod school doesn't mean My opinion is worthless. I read podiatry today, and APMA News, I read these forums regularly, I've read the pod admission book, participated in a pod school summer preview, read every word on every pod school site (if not, then close), have had email correspondence with an admission counselor from every school (except temple), and this is all just for pod stuff. I can tell you loads of stuff for med school and dental school admissions too (check out my user name!!). What I'm trying to say is that I spend an immense amount of time researching these things and for you to tell me that I don't know how admissions works because I'm not a student is ludicrous. Some pod students didn't apply until May.... Do you think those people have a great grasp on how the system works?!?

I've challenged you right back and you still dance around my comments. I've admitted when I was wrong but you have yet to admit that you don't know what's going on. It goes both ways. I'm glad you read and think you know everything there is know within the profession. I knight you SDN pod admissions expert. The pre-pod forum is yours. I'm out.

Originally Posted by Ankle Breaker

I've challenged you right back and you still dance around my comments. I've admitted when I was wrong but you have yet to admit that you don't know what's going on. It goes both ways. I'm glad you read and think you know everything there is know within the profession. I knight you SDN pod admissions expert. The pre-pod forum is yours. I'm out.

So THAT is what comes after "pod-whisperer"!! Nice!

MaxillofacialMN...

2 years of actual professional school > internet research. no matter how many websites you've visited.

How about Those Heats aye....................................