what is residency like?

[ckitty]

i am considering applying to podiatry school, but wanted to know a little more about residency. What is it like? I heard the first year was rotating different departments like the clerkships and after that just like medical surgical residencies - is that true? Do you do all types of surgery or focus just on the foot? I was just freaking out picturing myself in a bloody situation in the middle of the night working on something that had nothing to do with podiatry...i hope this makes sense i just got back from a conference where i had no sleep so i'm delirious.

thanks

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[Podman]

i am considering applying to podiatry school, but wanted to know a little more about residency. What is it like? I heard the first year was rotating different departments like the clerkships and after that just like medical surgical residencies - is that true? Do you do all types of surgery or focus just on the foot? I was just freaking out picturing myself in a bloody situation in the middle of the night working on something that had nothing to do with podiatry...i hope this makes sense i just got back from a conference where i had no sleep so i'm delirious.

thanks

In our podiatric surgical residency, we do rotatate in different medical departments and are expected to admit and workup patients during that time just like other medical residents. We will definately emphasize podiatric surgery in our second and third years but rest assure you will be exposed to and called upon to assist in cases beyond just the foot - especially during the orthopoedic surgery rotation.

Here is a link that gives a rough guideline of how we spend our time in residency:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=284170

You should probably appreciate that we are getting training for foot and ankle surgery and at the same time, we are expected to be competent in pretty much all other aspects of medicine because as a future podiatric physician and surgeon, you carry a load of responsibility when you make that incision on your patient.

 

[cool_vkb]

In our podiatric surgical residency, we do rotatate in different medical departments and are expected to admit and workup patients during that time just like other medical residents. We will definately emphasize podiatric surgery in our second and third years but rest assure you will be exposed to and called upon to assist in cases beyond just the foot - especially during the orthopoedic surgery rotation.

Here is a link that gives a rough guideline of how we spend our time in residency:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=284170

You should probably appreciate that we are getting training for foot and ankle surgery and at the same time, we are expected to be competent in pretty much all other aspects of medicine because as a future podiatric physician and surgeon, you carry a load of responsibility when you make that incision on your patient.

I have a question, as podiatrists are made to rotate in other aspects of medicine, do IM or FM or other residents rotate in Podiatric Medicine.

And we as Pods do a lot of general orthopedic stuff in residencies. Do all residents like IM,FM, Peds also get to do knee replacements,hips,etc surgeries,etc. Or since Podiatry is considered a Surgical speciality and close to Orthopedics, tats why we are trained or taught orthopedic procedures.

I know this is a very very stupid question. But i gotta ask. whats the point of learning Knee replacement or other non foot & anke ortho surgery when we cant do it in real life, there arent any exceptions where a Pod can do Knee surgery,hip,etc. So why are we taught that. I mean its good to have knowledge but apart from that does it serve any constructive purpose.

 

[Podman]

I have a question, as podiatrists are made to rotate in other aspects of medicine, do IM or FM or other residents rotate in Podiatric Medicine.

And we as Pods do a lot of general orthopedic stuff in residencies. Do all residents like IM,FM, Peds also get to do knee replacements,hips,etc surgeries,etc. Or since Podiatry is considered a Surgical speciality and close to Orthopedics, tats why we are trained or taught orthopedic procedures.

I know this is a very very stupid question. But i gotta ask. whats the point of learning Knee replacement or other non foot & anke ortho surgery when we cant do it in real life, there arent any exceptions where a Pod can do Knee surgery,hip,etc. So why are we taught that. I mean its good to have knowledge but apart from that does it serve any constructive purpose.

In some programs and hospitals, non-DPM residents do in fact spend some time rotating in the podiatric medicine departments. But this is not always the case.

All Medical residents and students do rotations in every specialty of medicine including orthopoedic surgery (as they usually experience orthopoedic surgery during their 3rd/4th years).

We scrub in cases for knee replacements, hip-joints, and shoulders because it is part of our education - when you begin school, you will realize that the human body is dynamic and the foot is not isolated from the rest of the body - so the principles of surgery will always remain the same whether you operate on a hip or a foot - the purpose of this rotation is not to turn us into knee experts or hip-replacement experts but rather it is part of the overall education - and for us to better understand the dynamic function of the human body as a whole. So yes it serves a very constructive purpose and you'll appreciate it better when you are progressing in school

 

[cool_vkb]

All Medical residents and students do rotations in every specialty of medicine including orthopoedic surgery (as they usually experience orthopoedic surgery during their 3rd/4th years).

Iam asking during residency. Do they (non surgical specialities) do rotations in Orthopedic Surgery like for 3 months during their residency. I know every MD student has to do rotations in these subjects when in school. but i was curious do they do that in residency also or not.

 

[jonwill]

Iam asking during residency. Do they (non surgical specialities) do rotations in Orthopedic Surgery like for 3 months during their residency. I know every MD student has to do rotations in these subjects when in school. but i was curious do they do that in residency also or not.

Most MD/DO residencies 1st year is considered an internship year. They spend most of this year rotating through different specialties (like us). And yes, I have met MD/DO residents that rotated through podiatry. Like everything else, that is program dependent.

 

[whynotfeet?]

Pod. residency is like fighting to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, only to find the light is a train!

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Pod. residency is like fighting to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, only to find the light is a train!

 

[funfeet]

Can someone tell us how an average week of podiatry residency is? Like hours and times for example. I hear the stories of MD residents doing 100+ hours a week, wasn't sure if that is completely true and if pod residents are like that too. And what is the average pay for residencies?

 

[Podman]

Can someone tell us how an average week of podiatry residency is? Like hours and times for example. I hear the stories of MD residents doing 100+ hours a week, wasn't sure if that is completely true and if pod residents are like that too. And what is the average pay for residencies?

I know that for average hours - that depends on the program - some programs are intense and have hours comparable to the 80+ ones...typically the level I trauma hospitals will have such programs - but i think for the most part or on average, the hours are very standard - and i've heard reseidents from different programs that their on-call schedule is very flexible...but again, it depends on the program - since really each on has its own niche.

In terms of salary - I've seen ranges from $30,000/year to $60,000/year and an average of about $40-42,000/year which is very comparable to the MD or DO resident's salary, with figures increasing every year. I should also note that the maximum salary figure of $60,000 belongs to a program in NYC - so it definitely takes into account the extremely expensive cost of living in that city - but for the most part you'll see figures around the $40,000 range (from my research at least).

 

[krabmas]

Can someone tell us how an average week of podiatry residency is? Like hours and times for example. I hear the stories of MD residents doing 100+ hours a week, wasn't sure if that is completely true and if pod residents are like that too. And what is the average pay for residencies?

like podman said it completely depends on the program.

There are those programs that are called "country club" residency programs that have hours similar to 9-5 and not alot of call. these programs may have good teaching and good pods working at them but with little call there is not going to be much trauma and there also may not be much time for academics.

There are programs that are based out of many hospitals and many surgicenters (20-30) locations and the residents make a weekly schedule (usually a 1st year calls all the podiatric attendings offices for a schedule of surgeries for the week and every day for add ons) so you'll only go to 1-3 locations in a day. and hospital rounds are usually only in a few hospitals. these programs tend to have more academics at night. one program I know of the day usually starts around 7am and ends at 9pm after journal club or presentations. sometimes there are late cases (I was there til 2am once)
they sometimes get off in the afternoons because there are usually not cases later than 2-3pm then the nightly activity is usaually at 6-9ish pm. These programs also have on call which varies based on location and hospitals ER level.

There are also programs that are hospital based with the attendings that work in that hospital only (not common for pods) and the hours may be 6am-6pm with surgeries, clinic, and academic rounds and morning academics. And of course on call.

there are programs that are in between and just different than these.

On-call:
Most programs do every other week for on call and pass it between 1st and 2nd years. some programs also have on call for 3rd years. Depending on the state and hospital will depend on how much call you get. If the hospital has ortho residents it is very important to ask how the call is split between the ortho and pod residents so each get enough foot and ankle trauma. If you only get a few months rotation w/ ortho to get all your trauma - that is not enough. The programs that split on call w/ ortho or have rules about when pods are called vs. ortho (every other case or something) that is better. If there are ortho residents at your hospital it is very important that there is a good relationship between them and pod. There are many hospitals where the pods say there is a great relationship but if all the call goes to ortho for trauma (fractures not I and Ds and Nails) then there is not a good relationship.

The 80 hour rule:
Podiatry is not part of the AMA, podiatry residents are not included in the 80 hr max work week. Some hospitals make the rule cover all residents some do not. question this on externships if you care. I have heard of programs that when the pod resident is on internal med rotation since the MD/DO residents cannot work past 80 hours the pod residents must stay longer and take up the slack - bad if you ask me.

I hope this helps.

PM me for names of programs or more info on specific programs (that I know about)

 

[funfeet]

Thanks sooo much Podman and Krabmas!!! Both very very helpful!