How'd you guys get into podiatry????

Hey peeps. I'm a first year med student and I was wondering how you guys got interested in podiatry. I never met anyone involved in it during undergrad and therefore didnt consider it as an option. It seems like such a specific field to commit to, especially because I have no idea what type of medicine I want to practice.

Thanks

My neighbors across the street were podiatrists. However, I didnt even know it was a separate school. I knew they were doctors and that was it. My career center was having a meeting with Ohio podiatry school (which didnt show up...and i was the only one there...). Thats when I found out it was separate. I figured they went to a reg med school. Like you, I didn't really know what I wanted to do in medicine. I talked to my neighbor, and she loves what she does and I know her husband loved it very much.

NotAnMD said:

Hey peeps. I'm a first year med student and I was wondering how you guys got interested in podiatry. I never met anyone involved in it during undergrad and therefore didnt consider it as an option. It seems like such a specific field to commit to, especially because I have no idea what type of medicine I want to practice.

Thanks

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I was fortunate enough to have been exposed to podiatry during my time volunteering at the hospital, as I was a pre-med. I got to shadow a few surgeries and shadow some podiatrists at their private practice and I loved it. I knew this was for me and so when it came to decision time - I went with DPM school because this was what I wanted to do - I loved the idea of specializing early on with a specialty that allows for the application of a vast array of clinical skills despite being geographically "limited" to the Lower extremity. One day, I can do routine primary nail care for a diabetic patient - which is very rewarding because they truly appreciate your service - the next patient could need a cortisone injection for their pain, then maybe some orthotic casting - and then another patient can come in for a surgical consult - so its always something different, which truly makes this field special and rewarding.

For that reason, I highly recommend Premeds to shadow a podiatrist to obtain some exposure. This isn't for everyone obviously. If one feels that they need more options (outside of the Lower extremity) then MD/DO school is probably their best route. But they'll get a better perspective on the fields and specialties available - because you're right, podiatry is a small specialty and not many premeds get exposed to it during their undergrad (soul searching) years.

I shadowed a ton of different doctors and I liked podiatry the best. I enjoy the diversity of basic podiatry, as well as trauma, infectious disease, derm, etc, all of which you get to do. One day, you are doing bunions and hammer toes and the next day, you're doing an ORIF on a tri-malleolar ankle fracture or working up gangrene in the ER. It is a blast!

jonwill said:

I shadowed a ton of different doctors and I liked podiatry the best. I enjoy the diversity of basic podiatry, as well as trauma, infectious disease, derm, etc, all of which you get to do. One day, you are doing bunions and hammer toes and the next day, you're doing an ORIF on a tri-malleolar ankle fracture or working up gangrene in the ER. It is a blast!

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Haha. jonwill, your quote sounds like the talk of a crazy man, if read from a non medical student's (layman's) point of view.

Luckily I'm nuts too but reread the, "working up gangrene in the ER. It is a blast!", and see if you don't fall over laughing.

NotAnMD said:

Hey peeps. I'm a first year med student and I was wondering how you guys got interested in podiatry. I never met anyone involved in it during undergrad and therefore didnt consider it as an option. It seems like such a specific field to commit to, especially because I have no idea what type of medicine I want to practice.

Thanks

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I never considered medicine until this last year as an undergrad. It took me a lot of thinking before considering taking the MCATs. But I started to feel lost not knowing where I will be once I graduate so I spoke with a pod rep from school during a career fair and that's how it started for me. I then did the Temple internship and walked away unsure about podiatry. And finally I did some research in the orthopedic dept and I work closely with a podiatrist here. And then WHAM!! I found my calling 😛

I took the MCAT and got a mailer.

I will say I am completely unhappy and utterly disgusted with my school and their quality of education.

May some of the higher Podiatric life forms (APMA etc) , who actually give a crap about the profession, rain brimstone and fire down on some of the academic institutions and their "academics."

Isn't it time for a change, yet?

What's your school whiskers?

Catayst said:

What's your school whiskers?

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Good luck getting an answer there. We all have our suspicions though due to process of elimination.

I have a dissociative fugue that prevents the disclosure of that unknown. I suspect that it may be podiatric related....