Advice: keep my stats? Apply DO? Surgery in pod?

[aHealthNut]

Hi everyone, I've made a few posts in WAMC in both pre-med and pre-pod forums, and it seems that my stats are competitive for pod schools, and on the lower end of competitiveness for DO schools. Briefly my stats are:
Top 15 university, rigorous science/engineering major
cGPA: 3.1, sGPA: 3.05
MCAT: 24 (6ps/8verbal/10bs)
Very good leadership ECs, very involved in ECs at school. (Club Sport President, RA)
I've shadowed podiatrists in a practice for about 20 hrs. Other shadowing exp., some research exp, volunteering (clinical and non).

So I'm currently looking to apply to podiatry schools, and DO schools this upcoming cycle. I like how podiatry has a variety of cases and how you get to combine a lot of different specialties into treating problems with the foot/ankle (like sports medicine cases, derm: although there are some foot warts/fungus is not super appealing, radiology, wound care, and treating everything in between). I feel that I would love to have knowledge of the body as a whole, but also be an expert in the foot/ankle area, and treat things using my hands.

My interest in osteopathic medicine (besides the fact that it is more realistic that I'd gain an acceptance from one of these schools, compared to MD) is from learning about the whole body as well, and learning about OMM techniques. I can see how I could enjoy primary care, and other subspecialties like sports medicine, and think I'd get to make use of being active and treating patients with a hands on approach using manipulative techniques as well.

Firstly, I've read the pod vs DO threads, and have found valuable info on both sides, and realize that a DO school gives me the choice between a bunch of specialties/primary care, etc. But from what I see (at least now), I want to work with my hands, interacting face to face with patients, have a healthy/active lifestyle, and potentially dabble in sports medicine/work with these types of cases. I do like feet (not in the fetish way...), and could see myself specializing in this area over most other areas of the body.

One of the big differences for me b/w pod and a primary care physician is that pods have to go through a surgical residency. I've seen many ingrown toe-nail procedures, and others in office, but no "big" (amputations?, bad fractures?, etc.) surgical procedures. I'm kind of on the fence about the big surgical procedures, but am good with my hands and think I could, but what are everyone's thoughts on this? Are there opportunities in podiatry w/out executing many/big surgical procedures?

What are everyone's thoughts? I know I rushed taking my MCAT, and have started restudying for it again, but am now on the fence since my semester has started, and I may just be looking into applying to pod schools. Would anyone just keep my MCAT score and focus on getting more clinical experience/getting really good grades? Sorry for all the questions! My big ones are about the part that surgery plays in podiatry as a whole, and my application, and reasons to keep DO as a top choice. Thanks and appreciate any comments !

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[FootAndAnkle]

If you have an opportunity to, it'd probably be a good idea to at least shadow an internist in addition to the podiatrist you've shadowed. Also, if there's any doubt as to whether you like podiatry or not, I'd try shadowing the DPM a bit more, as well (maybe spend all day there for a couple of days during a break). It's good to separate out beforehand whether you're more interested in practice focused on the foot and ankle versus the types of practices that rely very heavily upon knowledge of the body as a whole (i.e., IM), and it's difficult to tell this without spending some time shadowing and conversing in some depth with practicing physicians in both fields.

If you're satisfied with podiatry, I think the main incentive for retaking the MCAT would be for higher scholarships. If you're not too concerned about that then working solely improving your grades and using your classes to prepare yourself for podiatry school should be fine.