DPM vs. PA

[Robert De Niro]

Skyfall, Dr. Peace....

Sounds like this thread could inspire the next Bond film!

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[SLCpod]

Skyfall, Dr. Peace....

Sounds like this thread could inspire the next Bond film!

I'm glad someone saw that too..

 

[OnTheMoon]

Let's get a good bump going on this 2 year old thread.

DPM vs POD. My only question is, what's out there for the two professions in terms of lifestyle? If I went into podiatry at a sports medicine clinic in my homestate versus going into PA school and mostly working in ortho; how do the lifestyles compare? Would anyone care to contribute?

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

Let's get a good bump going on this 2 year old thread.

DPM vs POD. My only question is, what's out there for the two professions in terms of lifestyle? If I went into podiatry at a sports medicine clinic in my homestate versus going into PA school and mostly working in ortho; how do the lifestyles compare? Would anyone care to contribute?

Lol "DPM vs POD"

 

[OnTheMoon]

Lol "DPM vs POD"

oops!! sorry I meant to say DPM vs PA haha my bad

 

[zdlamkin8195]

Shadow both and ask those in the respective fields for better responses but from my extent from working around pods and the ortho PA's, the pods - like other surgeons - were the bosses while the PA's worked very hard to support those surgeons. Both groups worked very hard for the most part and put in the hours and skill for each patient, but at the end of the day, one was calling the shots and the other was very limited on what they could do.
Keep in mind that no job is perfect and everyone has some form of a boss. I've seen neurosurgeons be let go from hospitals, and if they can be let go with as much $ as they bring in, anyone can be cut...

 

[pod101]

I think PA's have THEIR OWN SETS OF problems just like podiatrists have problems. Based only on the word of practicing PA's, PA SPECIFIC problems include but are not limited to:

Lack of autonomy

Stagnant salary

Hourly wages

Your practice changes with your supervisor

My quick self analysis: PA is a wonderful career especially in the short term. 2 years and you are done. Getting your first job (same with nursing) can be difficult. Ortho will always be competitive, primary care not AS much. You may need to start out at a nursing home (but hey pods also work there, we may see each other once a month! ). For me the largest con was a) never being master of my trade even with 20 yrs experience + and b)lack of ownership, building a practice, pumping out publications (but I hear this is improving). Salary range seems to be based on specialty I have seen 40-110k for PA's, with the higher end coming from surgery, anesthesiology, prisons, and psych wards. Low pay is typically for PCP, Podiatry (state pending), Internal Medicine, Oncology, and OBGYN**(hit and miss**). Hope this may assist.

You also have to take into account time. I have heard a lot of OBGYN PA/RN sign on to 90k deals but discover they have to plug in 80 hour work weeks with alternating days off. I am NOT saying podiatry is any better I shadowed some 9-5ers and some on call people. I personally would rather be on call since I am an adrenaline junky . EMT is a fun job if any pre-med wants a taste of emergency medicine. Pay is terrible but that is another story for another time.

 

[ucfgrad10]

Which career is better? I did a quick search for jobs for podiatrists on reliable websites such as indeed.com, career builder, and my local newspapers, and I yielded a net result of 0 jobs for podiatry. Is this career in demand, will I be guaranteed to find a job after I graduate? I did a search for PA, and found hundreds of job opportunities, and it was rated #1 best job by U.S News. I'm not trying to bash podiatry but stats do not lie. What also got me is that their are only 9 schools, should that concern me? Also what worries me is the residency shortage for pod students. Also do most people go into Podiatry b/c they didn't have the grades for MD/DO school? What worries me is the low stats, y are they so low, isn't that like a bulb flashing. Also what concerns me is that an Orthopedist can do the same thing that a podiatrist can do, as well as family physicians (non-surgically speaking). As a PA, i'll always have to work under a doctor, but I can see that PA's can specialize and switch specialties at any time, they can go into surgical residencies for higher income potential, large demand for PA's, some Surgical PA's I know make more money than family physicians. Also it seems to me that the feet aren't as important as other body structures, like the heart, brain, spinal cord, ect.. Isn't that y it's the most neglected part of the body lol. Also, in my state atleast, POD's cannot hire PA's, only MD's and DO's can, they can only hire medical assistants, but they really can't do much with their training. Also someone told me POD's are not considered real doctors, like optometrists and chiropractors. What also concerns me is that only 888 people applied to all 9 pod schools last yr, which is an extremely low #, isn't this concerning? It seems these schools will take anyone with a pulse. Again not trying to bash the POD profession, but I do have valid concerns for this profession and would like some input b4 I apply.

Trolls a trolls a troll. Go kill yourself.

 

[ucfgrad10]

Not literally though.

 

[EK18]

I think PA's have problems just like podiatrists. Based only on the word of practicing PA's...

Lack of autonomy

Could you expand on that? How is an MD/DO/etc. more autonomous than a Podiatrist practicing within his/her scope?

 

[pod101]

@ EK18 ...I tried to edit and clarify my post.

I was citing PA problems. DPMs have their own sets of problems. Every profession has its problems.

Btw. nobody is truly autonomous, we all have to answer to the government and more importantly the insurance agencies.

 

[TimmyTurner]

Sorry to resurrect this but it seems pretty clear OP was a PA or even MD/DO applicant posing as a conflicted applicant. I get the impression he was trolling the entire Pod/Pre-Pod community on SDN for some sad, strange fufilment. Kudos to those who took time to answer his 'questions' (more accuarately,statements of ignorance).