Are you glad with your career choice?

[emericana]

Hey guys. I have posted a bit on the pre-podiatry forum. I am applying to pod schools this year for matriculation into next fall.

Just wanted to hear from some practicing podiatrists.... are you guys glad that you chose this career over say MD/DO (even though I know that podiatry is the same thing just specializing on lower extremity)? Do you guys have any regrets? If you could do it all over would you choose the same career?

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[347932]

Hey guys. I have posted a bit on the pre-podiatry forum. I am applying to pod schools this year for matriculation into next fall.

Just wanted to hear from some practicing podiatrists.... are you guys glad that you chose this career over say MD/DO (even though I know that podiatry is the same thing just specializing on lower extremity)? Do you guys have any regrets? If you could do it all over would you choose the same career?

I'm thrilled with how my career has gone so far. The only regrets I've had are my own mistakes in choosing the wrong people to work with after Residency. I would chose Podiatry every time again if given the option.

I busted my butt in school and did quite well, had three years of residency when three years of training was not the norm, my residency trained me VERY well for real world practice and taught me to be the surgeon I hoped I would be.

I'm proud of who I am as a practitioner and have made strides politically on our profession and have worked hard to get onto the lecture circuit which is very rewarding for me.

I have become, through hard work and volunteering, well respected in my community and meet interesting new people almost every day.

I have a wonderful wife and three kids, and this profession allows me the freedom to watch my family grow and spend time with them. I also have a few hobbies outside of the profession and even though I have less and less time to pursue them, the time is still there, when I decide to use it for that.

The next question for you is: Is this really what YOU want to do? ONly you can answer this question regardless of what other will tell you on these forums or in the community.

Good Luck!

 

[ladpm]

While I do agree that ultimately it is your choice to make, you may still feel that more feedback is needed till then. Be critical of what people tell you on the forums, both the pros and cons. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. You can PM me

 

[krabmas]

Hey guys. I have posted a bit on the pre-podiatry forum. I am applying to pod schools this year for matriculation into next fall.

Just wanted to hear from some practicing podiatrists.... are you guys glad that you chose this career over say MD/DO (even though I know that podiatry is the same thing just specializing on lower extremity)? Do you guys have any regrets? If you could do it all over would you choose the same career?

I don't think it matters if we are happy. This makes no difference as to whether or not you will be happy with your choice.

There are plenty of ____________ your choice of profession from trash collector to teacher to physician to PhD that are unhappy with their career choice or have low job satisfaction.

If you will long for an MD/DO after your name after completing podiatry school you will not be happy as a podiatrist.

If you want to be a specialist, perform procedures, maybe do complex surgical reconstruction, provide relief for most patients in the same visit podiatry is a great profession. You also will know your specialty from day one.

If you are stuck on the MD/DO. You will get a similar education to podiatry in the 1st 2 years but much less lower extremity then you will do many more months of internal medicine rotations and other rotations similar to podiatry students all the while trying to decide what specialty you like and what crap shoot of the residency match you want to enter all based on your USMLE scores. If you are fortunate enough to get ortho or some other surgical specialty that you want you may in the end be happy. But if you look at percentages most people who go to medical school end up in internal medicine and some specialize after that. If you end up with your coveted MD/DO degree but are "stuck" doing internal medicine will you be happy with that?

As much as it s_cks to defend my degree, which happens seldomly, on a day to day basis I like what I get to do.

 

[podpal]

Podiatry CAN be a great field, if you are lucky and get a residency after you graduate. There seems to be little/no ability to practice in the USA if you do not have residency training. Insurance companies require residency training or requirements such as active hospital privilages that you will only be able to obtain through residency training. States require residency training too.

If you do podiatry you may want to have a career to fall back on, such as nursing. With the MD/DO training it seems much more likely that you will get a residency training opportunity.

Explore what you enjoy. Podiatry is a lot of orthopedic stuff. MD/DO you can get more involved in really fun options, such as endocrinology, hematology, oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, and have a very broad knowledge base with respect to the entire body... You'll have the opportunity to manage a variety of patient conditions, but with the DO field you may be restricted in residency to OB/GYN, Family Practice, ER, and General Surgery.

My mistake was that I observed podiatrists who had completed residency training and thought this was a given...go to school, get good grades, do residency. This is NOT the case as I learned and am now paying the price. The field is awesome, getting surgical training is awesome! It's worth a shot but please don't get your hopes up too high that it'll all work out for you upon graduation.

 

[347932]

Podiatry CAN be a great field, if you are lucky and get a residency after you graduate. There seems to be little/no ability to practice in the USA if you do not have residency training. Insurance companies require residency training or requirements such as active hospital privilages that you will only be able to obtain through residency training. States require residency training too.

If you do podiatry you may want to have a career to fall back on, such as nursing. With the MD/DO training it seems much more likely that you will get a residency training opportunity.

Explore what you enjoy. Podiatry is a lot of orthopedic stuff. MD/DO you can get more involved in really fun options, such as endocrinology, hematology, oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, and have a very broad knowledge base with respect to the entire body... You'll have the opportunity to manage a variety of patient conditions, but with the DO field you may be restricted in residency to OB/GYN, Family Practice, ER, and General Surgery.

My mistake was that I observed podiatrists who had completed residency training and thought this was a given...go to school, get good grades, do residency. This is NOT the case as I learned and am now paying the price. The field is awesome, getting surgical training is awesome! It's worth a shot but please don't get your hopes up too high that it'll all work out for you upon graduation.

When did you graduate?

Even in MD/DO you may get "stuck" doing something you had no interest in for the rest of your career.

I gave the example of my brother who didn't match with his top NINE choices and now is an anesthesiologist. Sure he makes lgood iving, but he doesn't love what he does when he goes to work everyday. Its a JOB for him and not a passion.

Hopefully, within the next 4-5 years (or by 2015), every graduating Podiatrist will have access to a 3 year residency experience. Don't forget that even if you have surgical training, it doesn't necessarily make you a surgeon. Only your brains and your hands can assure you of that regardless of your training.

 

[janV88]

...if you are lucky and get a residency after you graduate...

I just wanted to quickly comment on this. The overwhelming majority of graduates do get a residency. Statistically...you would have to be very unlucky not to land a residency.

 

[347932]

I just wanted to quickly comment on this. The overwhelming majority of graduates do get a residency. Statistically...you would have to be very unlucky not to land a residency.

Sometimes...just sometimes, luck has absolutely nothing to do with it.

 

[dtrack22]

Currently the only graduates who don't get residency positions either are not qualified or they aren't deserving of one.

Did you know that there are currently 4th year students (around 15) who will be applying for the match who haven't passed part I? Maybe your anger should be directed towards the programs and deans that string students along as opposed to the APMA, CPME, COTH, etc.

 

[347932]

Currently the only graduates who don't get residency positions either are not qualified or they aren't deserving of one.

Did you know that there are currently 4th year students (around 15) who will be applying for the match who haven't passed part I? Maybe your anger should be directed towards the programs and deans that string students along as opposed to the APMA, CPME, COTH, etc.

I didn't realize it was possible to be in your 4th year not having passed Part I. Interesting, and once again, this has nothing to do with luck.

 

[jonwill]

I've been very happy with my career choice. I enjoy the diversity of private practice with some hospital, clinic with some OR. I enjoy the fact that I get to treat ingrowns, plantar fascitis, ulcers/osteo all the way to ankles, calc, and pilon fractures. It keeps things interesting and rewarding.

 

[Feli]

...If you want to be a specialist, perform procedures, maybe do complex surgical reconstruction, provide relief for most patients in the same visit podiatry is a great profession. You also will know your specialty from day one....

This is well said.^^

I think it's a great field. If you apply yourself in school and residency, you have very very extensive knowledge about foot and ankle pathology and treatments. You get to provide a variety of med, surg, and conservative (PT/bracing/shoe gear type) cares that can help patients almost immediately. I'm very happy with my choice.

 

[Foot Doc]

Podiatry CAN be a great field, if you are lucky and get a residency after you graduate. There seems to be little/no ability to practice in the USA if you do not have residency training. Insurance companies require residency training or requirements such as active hospital privilages that you will only be able to obtain through residency training. States require residency training too.

If you do podiatry you may want to have a career to fall back on, such as nursing. With the MD/DO training it seems much more likely that you will get a residency training opportunity.

Explore what you enjoy. Podiatry is a lot of orthopedic stuff. MD/DO you can get more involved in really fun options, such as endocrinology, hematology, oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, and have a very broad knowledge base with respect to the entire body... You'll have the opportunity to manage a variety of patient conditions, but with the DO field you may be restricted in residency to OB/GYN, Family Practice, ER, and General Surgery.

My mistake was that I observed podiatrists who had completed residency training and thought this was a given...go to school, get good grades, do residency. This is NOT the case as I learned and am now paying the price. The field is awesome, getting surgical training is awesome! It's worth a shot but please don't get your hopes up too high that it'll all work out for you upon graduation.

were you foreign-trained or one of the 8-year program folks?

 

[Podmeister]

If you do podiatry you may want to have a career to fall back on, such as nursing. With the MD/DO training it seems much more likely that you will get a residency training opportunity.

What the heck...

Am I alone here?

 

[jonwill]

What the heck...

Am I alone here?

No, but we are pretty much used to Podpal complaining about not getting a residency. It would appear that the person came out when not a lot of people did or had the opportunity to do residencies. The obvious issue is that now, nearly everybody does and has the opportunity and will do a residency. For some reason, that fact continues to elude podpal.