Any career changers here?

[lightredfloyd]

Hey, all. I'm a disillusioned occupational therapy (OT) student who's just curious about the up and coming podiatrists here on these forums. As of right now I'm not sure how long I'll be staying in OT and I'm looking into possible alternatives in healthcare in case I do decide to switch. This is not to bash the OT profession, but based on my current educational and clinical experiences I'm not sure it's 100% the right fit for me since it's way more "fluffy" than I would've ever initially imagined, which is giving me a craving for learning/practicing harder medical sciences.

Podiatry stands out to me in that it takes a lot of what I like about OT (biomechanics, the option to use physical approaches like orthoses, etc.) but also affords clinicians the ability to practice medicine and surgery. One of the reasons I chose OT was ironically so that I wouldn't have to do these things but now I find myself drawn more to the practice of medicine than rehabilitation. One advantage I also see with the DPM is being a specialist right out of the gate. I could see myself working with foot/ankle/lower limb for the rest of my life, but I can't say that about some of the specialties in MD/DO.

After COVID-19 is resolved I fully intend on shadowing a podiatrist and discussing my thoughts with them. Until that point, I turn to you, SDN.

So for the career changers, I hope you'll indulge my curiosity: what field did you come from? Why did you choose podiatry? How has the journey been for you so far? Would you recommend making the switch to this field as a second career?

Thank you so much for your consideration.

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[DexterMorganSK]

What year are you in right now, and how are you doing in classes?

I have seen a few PT/nursing grads that changed to Podiatry, but they were working for a while. So, It's possible that you, as a student, have not seen what everything OT has to offer? i.e., the 'cool stuff'...maybe finish the program (depending on the number of years you have left).

I would think about the following factors if I was planning to jump ship:

1) Time-spent already + the 7 years (at least) becoming a DPM
2) Money spent + future loans/debt
3) MCAT
4) Explaining to Adcoms why the change, what ensures them that you will not jump ship again
5) Potential income lost as an OT while being a Pod student

My advice would be to finish the OT program/get the degree, but if you're truly miserable and can't stand another day, then shadowing a DPM would be the first step.

 

[lightredfloyd]

Just started my second year and I have a 3.95 GPA in my program as it stands, so pretty well. It would seem that a lot of the "cool stuff' is starting this semester and I'm not discounting the profession by any means. It's just that the "cool stuff" I'm learning right now is inspiring me to potentially look into even cooler stuff, if that makes sense. I definitely want to finish the degree and get some experience in the field before my decision is final, and even then I'd be looking at completing a few outstanding prerequisites and of course studying for the MCAT.

Here's my thoughts on the factors you mentioned:

1) I just turned 25, and probably wouldn't have my prerequisites/MCAT done until I turned 28, which means that I'd hopefully be in practice by the time I was 35-36, which I think is still decently young. I'd be able to gain some good work experience during that time as an OT as well.

2) My undergrad/graduate school didn't cost me that much, and I'm lucky enough to have my current loans under six figures. I hope to aggressively pay off what I can while I work/contemplate my decision/take prerequisites. I know that pod school can be super expensive though, so this is definitely a decision that I won't be taking lightly and will have to grapple with once I graduate and start working.

3) Yeah this one's gonna be a doozy for sure. I don't know how I'm going to tackle it yet if I decide to go the DPM route, but I always figured it would be a bridge I crossed once I got to it.

4) I don't think this will be a problem since I don't plan to drop out of my current program, but if I do decide to make the switch I hope to justify it based on my clinical work experiences on top of my personal narrative.

5) 7 years of lost income is a lot and I hadn't considered that. It's hard to gauge that right now since I'm not currently in the field, but I'll definitely be thinking about that once I start seriously thinking about the DPM path as a licensed OT.

Definitely going to heed your advice and finish the degree. Acceptance certainly isn't guaranteed so having the OT license won't hurt me if I don't get in.

 

[Weirdy]

Definitely going to heed your advice and finish the degree. Acceptance certainly isn't guaranteed so having the OT license won't hurt me if I don't get in.

Seems like you've given it some thought.


People worry about getting in, but not about finishing.

2 years of studying. 2 more years of clinicals.
3 Board exams
The different kind of tired that comes with 4th year clerkships
After that - 3 more years of residency which is on a completely different level

Finish your degree and work for a bit. Think about this carefully. It is not a cakewalk, and even after doing well on exams/clinicals- you will still slave in residency, gather cases afterwards for even more board qualifications/certs, and then find a job.