My thoughts on Podiatry

[teambringit]

I am a pre-pod student that will be starting at POD school this fall. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this field after a lot of research. I've shadowed MDs, DOs, and of course a DPM. I know the pros, cons, and differences amongst all three. I have to say that podiatry is a VERY UNDERRATED career choice. I have a competitive gpa for MD and especially DO schools yet I still chose podiatry school. I like the fact that I will be able to perform surgery, yet still build long lasting relationships with my patients. I like that I can prescribe medications as I see fit.

Now you may be asking why I chose to share my thoughts. It seems like every single forum (not just podiatry) has a bad habit of bringing up the negatives of their profession yet glossing over the positives. Lets face it podiatrist make good money (6 figures a year). Maybe not as much as other Doctors but still well above average. All of this talk about prestige infuriates me at times. There will always people out there that call us fake doctors. Why do you care what they think? They haven't done the research on the training or even the scope of practice of podiatrists today.

Is this profession perfect? NO! What career doesn't have their issues? Residency "crisis" is an overrated problem. It is a problem don't get me wrong, but a crisis it is not. I agree that every single grad who passed the boards should obtain a residency but to call it a crisis when nearly 90% were able to make the right connections and work hard to obtain a spot is a bit over the top. MDs, DOs, pharmacists, etc. all of which are facing graduates that are not obtaining a desired residency.

Bottom line, it is a great career with a good income (even with loans to pay off) and great opportunities to really set your self apart from other Doctors. Just my thoughts.

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[Claveaut]

Touché.

First, I love your forum name. I can only assume you're a Dwayne Johnson fan and he's a pretty cool guy!

Second, it's always a welcomed sight to see someone going into this field who TRULY is looking forward to it. I was in the exact same boat as you and I can't tell you how many people thought I was crazy for not choosing the "more prestigious" MD/DO route. But, I looked at the exact same things you did and came to the same conclusion for myself (plus, I have a cousin who is a podiatrist). Now, don't get me wrong, I loved every single physician, both MD and DO I shadowed, and truly could see myself there too, but shadowing the DPMs was a whole different experience. It felt like I belonged there and could see myself doing it for life. We only have one podiatrist in my hometown and he is literally the most loved physician in town and easily has the highest quality of life because of it. I know not all podiatrists experience this because it has a lot to do with the physician himself, but something just made me smile much, much more while I was shadowing the DPMs. I was hooked from that moment on.

Plus, we're hardly on call!

Thank you for this post. It's actually extraordinarily refreshing to see someone commenting on the positives of the field instead of the negatives.

 

[teambringit]

Of course! Who doesn't love The Rock?

And yeah I hope this post influences more positive posts. We have an oversupply of negativity on this website.

 

[the-doc!]

I am a pre-pod student that will be starting at POD school this fall. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this field after a lot of research. I've shadowed MDs, DOs, and of course a DPM. I know the pros, cons, and differences amongst all three. I have to say that podiatry is a VERY UNDERRATED career choice. I have a competitive gpa for MD and especially DO schools yet I still chose podiatry school. I like the fact that I will be able to perform surgery, yet still build long lasting relationships with my patients. I like that I can prescribe medications as I see fit.

Now you may be asking why I chose to share my thoughts. It seems like every single forum (not just podiatry) has a bad habit of bringing up the negatives of their profession yet glossing over the positives. Lets face it podiatrist make good money (6 figures a year). Maybe not as much as other Doctors but still well above average. All of this talk about prestige infuriates me at times. There will always people out there that call us fake doctors. Why do you care what they think? They haven't done the research on the training or even the scope of practice of podiatrists today.

Is this profession perfect? NO! What career doesn't have their issues? Residency "crisis" is an overrated problem. It is a problem don't get me wrong, but a crisis it is not. I agree that every single grad who passed the boards should obtain a residency but to call it a crisis when nearly 90% were able to make the right connections and work hard to obtain a spot is a bit over the top. MDs, DOs, pharmacists, etc. all of which are facing graduates that are not obtaining a desired residency.

Bottom line, it is a great career with a good income (even with loans to pay off) and great opportunities to really set your self apart from other Doctors. Just my thoughts.

with all due respect.. as soon as I read "I have a competitive GPA but STILL i choose podiatry" I stopped reading your message... If you were telling me that in person, there would be only one response from me " SO!!!!!!, me too!"

 

[teambringit]

Well you should keep reading. I mention my gpa to inform my readers or lack thereof in your case that I had a CHOICE between MD and DPM. It's no secret that a lot of pre pods apply because they didn't make the grades. I wasn't in that position, which makes my decision a genuine one.

 

[EK18]

You are preaching to the choir my friend. It's nice to see some genuine enthusiasm among all the doom and gloom that people love to spam on these forums.

 

[Draxula]

This is my favorite post of the week.

 

[heybrother]

The only thing worse than gross negativity is uninformed pre-pods engaging in self-affirming back-slapping. Your gross oversimplification of the residency crisis leads me to believe you don't understand it. This isn't the troll-forum and the mods have been doing an excellent job keeping it that way....SO the negativity you are reading isn't old angry has-beens moaning. Its people in the muck who are tasting the good with the bad. There's a lot to be excited about, but there are very real issues. Believe what you will, but it sure would be swell if people would stick to posting "what they know" and limit their forays into "what they want to believe".

 

[teambringit]

The only thing worse than gross negativity is uninformed pre-pods engaging in self-affirming back-slapping. Your gross oversimplification of the residency crisis leads me to believe you don't understand it. This isn't the troll-forum and the mods have been doing an excellent job keeping it that way....SO the negativity you are reading isn't old angry has-beens moaning. Its people in the muck who are tasting the good with the bad. There's a lot to be excited about, but there are very real issues. Believe what you will, but it sure would be swell if people would stick to posting "what they know" and limit their forays into "what they want to believe".

No body asked you

 

[teambringit]

I'm not down playingthe residency problem but I'm not exaggerating it either

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

No body asked you

Yeah, heybrother! What were you thinking?!?!

 

[yanks26dmb]

No body asked you

You kind of did when you decided to post on a public forum...