Hi my fellow SDN gurus.
I have a storm of questions regarding podiatry schools.
I found conflicting info for some of my questions and thought that it would be best to get the most dated info.
PS: I would love to make this post into a master question-answer thread. So feel free to chime in your questions below. If I like it, I'll add it to the list
Pod info (credit to pacpod):
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/one-stop-shop-for-podiatry-information.968522/#post-14832625
Also:
http://www.aacpm.org/html/careerzone/cz3_faqs.asp
Note for 2014-2015 applicants:
"AACPMAS begins processing admission applications the first Wednesday in August for FALL Admission the following year. To complete the on-line web application to the colleges of podiatric medicine, visit our website at www.aacpm.org or go directly to the application's URL at https://portal.aacpmas.org. Call 1-617-612-2900 if you have any questions."
1) The ranking of the podiatry schools (including average gpa and mcat stats)
I have uploaded a file that ranks the college in terms of Lizzy (an admission specialist's formula... MCAT/2+GPA *10)
2) The type of degree earned after graduating from the schools:
D.P.M.
3a) Where do graduates usually practice?
Credit to http://www.aacpm.org/html/careerzone/cz3_faqs.asp:
"Podiatric physicians are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to treat the foot and its related or governing structures by medical, surgical or other means."
3b) What do they usually specialize in? And what other specializations are opened to them.
Credit: http://www.midwestern.edu/programs-and-admission/az-podiatric-medicine.html
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
-Treatment, screening, education, referral, consultation, wellness promotion and prevention
-Athletes, elderly, children, diabetic patients, and others with chronic diseases
CAREER PLACEMENTS
Although no guarantee of a specific placement can be given, podiatrists practice in a variety of settings, including:2
-Private practice
-Hospitals
-Orthopedic and sports medicine clinics
-Rehabilitation hospitals and clinics
-Community education
-Managed care
-VA and IHS facilities
-Military
-Nursing homes
-Industry
-Research
4) Where in US are graduates rejected from pacticing?
5) Benefit of attending podiatry schools
Quoting @MaxillofacialMN from this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
podiatry school was a "guarantee" of certain benefits. I was guaranteed admissions to a school in a geographic area I wanted, guaranteed surgery, guaranteed wound care, guaranteed 3 years only post graduate training (emphasis on the length, not the guarantee, I guess), guarantee my specialty currently supports sole practitioners (at least it's possible - you don't see too many nephrologists hanging signs on main street), guarantee I won't be spending time looking into specialties I might hate
Quoting @FluffyKittyLuv93 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
guaranteed a specialty route that leads to not only surgery, but radiology, dermatology, sports medicine, wound care, etc.
And,
DPM had the most variety. He interacted with patients ranging from infants to elderly. He was able to take his own X-rays, perform surgery, treat dermatological cases, care for wounds, prescribe meds, design orthotics, treat sports-related injuries, treat diabetic patients especially preventing amputations, and have a nice work-family balance. There is no other specialty that offers this variety and independence and allows you to have an off-call life.
6) Negative of attending podiatry schools
@FootAndAnkle mention on this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
That DPM physicians currently do not have unrestricted medical licenses.
Could someone address this?
Also, @that1guyfromFL mentions from http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
pod med students are currently not permitted to sit USMLE/ COMPLEX exams.
Could someone address this?
6) The average cost of attending the podiatry schools compared to MD or DO.
Credit @FootAndAnkle: The cost of podiatry school is generally less than D.O. and similar to M.D. This is highly dependent on what schools you're comparing, however, as well as on factors like differences between medical schools' in-state v. out-of-state tuitions. The best way is to compare the prices of M.D./D.O./D.P.M. schools that you would realistically be able to attend. Many podiatry schools offer scholarships, especially to students with scores on par with M.D. and D.O. applicants (which can help alleviate costs considerably).
7) Availability of student loan/ financial aid
@jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
- Stafford loans used by students, many scholarships given throughout 4 years
8) Environment/ Weather/ social atmosphere/ the girls/ guys.
9a) Match Rate + USMLE scores
POD students do not take USMLE or COMPLEX
9b) What test do POD students take?
From what I have gathered, board exams.
Quote @jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
- 1st time pass rate consistantly above 90% (97% last year).
and
APMLE I and II (https://www.dmu.edu/cpms/curriculum/board-exams/)
10) Are there prerequisite courses that need to be taken?
11) How difficult are the classes. From what I have gathered: as difficult as USMD and DO
According to @FootAndAnkle, POD has pass/ fail system set at a threshold of 75%.
According to @jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
Academically: students must have 70% or above to pass, Clinically: evaluated on each clinical skill and must get atleast a 7 (on scale of 10).
12) How strong are the student support groups? Are students actively helping each other via study groups or people are cut throat like Berkeley?
13) Staff/ professor availability/ competence.
@jonwill
-Big brother/sister program for 1st years, each student has a faculty advisor.
14) attrition rate
15) Average income after graduation
(see below)
16) Satisfaction rate (I would like graduates and those of you who are currently practicing to address this)
17) Dispel any rumors that you might have heard
18) Do applicants need LOR from POD physicians?
19a) Who are POD students' competition when they match into residency?
19b) Percentage of students placed into residency.
20) acceptance rate of students into POD schools?
Somewhere on the threads people are saying it's around 85%.....
21) Average class size?
From http://www.midwestern.edu/programs-and-admission/az-podiatric-medicine.html
The class size is only 29!?!?
22) Clinical sites
@jonwill
private practice, county and VA hospital rotation, rural hospital rotations available and required 3rd year. 4th year students are required to do a 4 month core (which incorporates 1 month IM), 1 month private practice, and the rest is COMPLETELY up to them.
Thank you.
PS: I tend to get a little overzealous in collecting information.
I would like to hear concrete information, such has match rate, gpa, etc.
I have little interest in what Patient Schmoe thinks of the profession, but I heavily value the opinion of admission officers in residency program.
I have a storm of questions regarding podiatry schools.
I found conflicting info for some of my questions and thought that it would be best to get the most dated info.
PS: I would love to make this post into a master question-answer thread. So feel free to chime in your questions below. If I like it, I'll add it to the list
Pod info (credit to pacpod):
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/one-stop-shop-for-podiatry-information.968522/#post-14832625
Also:
http://www.aacpm.org/html/careerzone/cz3_faqs.asp
Note for 2014-2015 applicants:
"AACPMAS begins processing admission applications the first Wednesday in August for FALL Admission the following year. To complete the on-line web application to the colleges of podiatric medicine, visit our website at www.aacpm.org or go directly to the application's URL at https://portal.aacpmas.org. Call 1-617-612-2900 if you have any questions."
1) The ranking of the podiatry schools (including average gpa and mcat stats)
I have uploaded a file that ranks the college in terms of Lizzy (an admission specialist's formula... MCAT/2+GPA *10)
2) The type of degree earned after graduating from the schools:
D.P.M.
3a) Where do graduates usually practice?
Credit to http://www.aacpm.org/html/careerzone/cz3_faqs.asp:
"Podiatric physicians are licensed in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to treat the foot and its related or governing structures by medical, surgical or other means."
3b) What do they usually specialize in? And what other specializations are opened to them.
Credit: http://www.midwestern.edu/programs-and-admission/az-podiatric-medicine.html
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
-Treatment, screening, education, referral, consultation, wellness promotion and prevention
-Athletes, elderly, children, diabetic patients, and others with chronic diseases
CAREER PLACEMENTS
Although no guarantee of a specific placement can be given, podiatrists practice in a variety of settings, including:2
-Private practice
-Hospitals
-Orthopedic and sports medicine clinics
-Rehabilitation hospitals and clinics
-Community education
-Managed care
-VA and IHS facilities
-Military
-Nursing homes
-Industry
-Research
4) Where in US are graduates rejected from pacticing?
5) Benefit of attending podiatry schools
Quoting @MaxillofacialMN from this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
podiatry school was a "guarantee" of certain benefits. I was guaranteed admissions to a school in a geographic area I wanted, guaranteed surgery, guaranteed wound care, guaranteed 3 years only post graduate training (emphasis on the length, not the guarantee, I guess), guarantee my specialty currently supports sole practitioners (at least it's possible - you don't see too many nephrologists hanging signs on main street), guarantee I won't be spending time looking into specialties I might hate
Quoting @FluffyKittyLuv93 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
guaranteed a specialty route that leads to not only surgery, but radiology, dermatology, sports medicine, wound care, etc.
And,
DPM had the most variety. He interacted with patients ranging from infants to elderly. He was able to take his own X-rays, perform surgery, treat dermatological cases, care for wounds, prescribe meds, design orthotics, treat sports-related injuries, treat diabetic patients especially preventing amputations, and have a nice work-family balance. There is no other specialty that offers this variety and independence and allows you to have an off-call life.
6) Negative of attending podiatry schools
@FootAndAnkle mention on this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
That DPM physicians currently do not have unrestricted medical licenses.
Could someone address this?
Also, @that1guyfromFL mentions from http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/dpm-vs-do-md.1038200/#post-14547850
pod med students are currently not permitted to sit USMLE/ COMPLEX exams.
Could someone address this?
6) The average cost of attending the podiatry schools compared to MD or DO.
Credit @FootAndAnkle: The cost of podiatry school is generally less than D.O. and similar to M.D. This is highly dependent on what schools you're comparing, however, as well as on factors like differences between medical schools' in-state v. out-of-state tuitions. The best way is to compare the prices of M.D./D.O./D.P.M. schools that you would realistically be able to attend. Many podiatry schools offer scholarships, especially to students with scores on par with M.D. and D.O. applicants (which can help alleviate costs considerably).
7) Availability of student loan/ financial aid
@jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
- Stafford loans used by students, many scholarships given throughout 4 years
8) Environment/ Weather/ social atmosphere/ the girls/ guys.
9a) Match Rate + USMLE scores
POD students do not take USMLE or COMPLEX
9b) What test do POD students take?
From what I have gathered, board exams.
Quote @jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
- 1st time pass rate consistantly above 90% (97% last year).
and
APMLE I and II (https://www.dmu.edu/cpms/curriculum/board-exams/)
10) Are there prerequisite courses that need to be taken?
11) How difficult are the classes. From what I have gathered: as difficult as USMD and DO
According to @FootAndAnkle, POD has pass/ fail system set at a threshold of 75%.
According to @jonwill http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...swers-about-podiatric-medical-schools.412091/
Academically: students must have 70% or above to pass, Clinically: evaluated on each clinical skill and must get atleast a 7 (on scale of 10).
12) How strong are the student support groups? Are students actively helping each other via study groups or people are cut throat like Berkeley?
13) Staff/ professor availability/ competence.
@jonwill
-Big brother/sister program for 1st years, each student has a faculty advisor.
14) attrition rate
15) Average income after graduation
(see below)
16) Satisfaction rate (I would like graduates and those of you who are currently practicing to address this)
17) Dispel any rumors that you might have heard
18) Do applicants need LOR from POD physicians?
19a) Who are POD students' competition when they match into residency?
19b) Percentage of students placed into residency.
20) acceptance rate of students into POD schools?
Somewhere on the threads people are saying it's around 85%.....
21) Average class size?
From http://www.midwestern.edu/programs-and-admission/az-podiatric-medicine.html
The class size is only 29!?!?
22) Clinical sites
@jonwill
private practice, county and VA hospital rotation, rural hospital rotations available and required 3rd year. 4th year students are required to do a 4 month core (which incorporates 1 month IM), 1 month private practice, and the rest is COMPLETELY up to them.
Thank you.
PS: I tend to get a little overzealous in collecting information.
I would like to hear concrete information, such has match rate, gpa, etc.
I have little interest in what Patient Schmoe thinks of the profession, but I heavily value the opinion of admission officers in residency program.
Last edited:
