Podiatry surgical residency/pod school clinicals

[mattjgold]

Hello everyone,

I am interested in applying to podiatry school within the next year or so along with a few osteopathic schools. Gonna have to make a decision when the time comes, but I love podiatry! Anyway, do podiatry residents have their own patients when they are in the general surgery or ER block? How about for their clinicals in actual podiatry school or is it only lower extremity? Do they perform the same procedures that a DO/MD does such as stitches and prescribe meds not relating to the lower extremity? I know most programs are the same as MD/DO the first year of residency and then go to Podiatric Medicine the 2nd and 3rd year... Any responses are appreciated, thanks everyone!

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[pacpod]

Regarding your question about residents having their "own patients". As a resident (MD/DO/DPM) you never completely have your own patients with you as the sole provider. There is always attending involvement in some form or fashion. That is the inherent nature of being a resident, you are in training. Now, if your question is about treatment autonomy, that is a different question. You may essentially have your own patients. At my program when you are on call, you make all the decisions for the inpatients. The other residents and attendings are there to run things by or to ask questions but it is your call as long as it is within reason. During clinic, we come up with the treatment plans and like I mentioned before, we go with it as long as it is medically acceptable and in the patient's best interest.

Yes, when we are on off rotations (general surgery, vascular surgery, medicine, etc) we do all the work that the other MD/DO residents do. When we are on a general surgery rotation, we are a general surgery resident for that block. We are expected to learn how to manage medical and surgical floors. I've assisted in several surgeries that are not lower extremity. Will I ever do this again after residency? No. But I'm expected to do it during residency just like a plastics resident is expected to manage a vascular surgery floor when they are on that service. So yes, I've done plenty of procedures on non lower extremity cases.

 

[josebiwasabi]

Hello everyone,

I am interested in applying to podiatry school within the next year or so along with a few osteopathic schools. Gonna have to make a decision when the time comes, but I love podiatry! Anyway, do podiatry residents have their own patients when they are in the general surgery or ER block? How about for their clinicals in actual podiatry school or is it only lower extremity? Do they perform the same procedures that a DO/MD does such as stitches and prescribe meds not relating to the lower extremity? I know most programs are the same as MD/DO the first year of residency and then go to Podiatric Medicine the 2nd and 3rd year... Any responses are appreciated, thanks everyone!

I'm at 4th year student at NYCPM. In my clinical rotations I've scrubbed plastics and gen surg cases such as breast reductions, lap choles, lap appys, fistulograms, various hernias, etc. We also have to see patients in whatever clinic we're rotating through. I've helped suture up a lacerated finger, excised a skin tag on a buttock, performed anoscopies, and also assisted with a thoracentesis. We also perform whole body physical exams, so I've done lots of chest, breast, abdominal, and rectal exams.

 

[mattjgold]

Thanks guys! Definitely answered all of my questions. Can't wait for pod school!