Bachelor’s Degree

[Foot_Girl]

Is a bachelor’s degree really important? Has anyone been accepted without it? I noticed that there is only 90 hours required. So far, I have been offered 2 interviews. I have acknowledged the fact that I won’t complete my bachelor’s degree if accepted via email before being offered the interviews. I have a pretty high GPA and made As in most of my pre-reqs. I have a 3.75 cGPA and a 3.6- sGPA. I am very passionate about podiatry and I don’t see the point in waiting any longer just to complete a bachelor’s degree, I can use my money towards podiatry school and not undergrad. Any advice is also welcomed for approaching my interviews without a bachelor’s degree.

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[SGLT]

On AACPM website it says "Over 97% of the students who enter podiatric medical school have a bachelor’s degree." So I guess not everyone gets bachelor's? And you've already gotten interviews so I don't see any issues honestly.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

The issue will be if for some reason you do not make it out of the Pod program (for whatever reason), then you would have to return to undergrad and finish the bachelor's degree. IMO, Podiatry schools aren't going anywhere....finish your degree..take the MCAT...Shadow....and if this field is still your dream then go for it.

But to answer your original ques...no, you do not need a bachelor's degree, as long as you meet all the aacpmas requirements.

https://aacpm.org/becoming-a-podiatric-physician/admissions/

 

[Foot_Girl]

Just wanted to come back and retouch on this post in case anyone finds themself in a similar situation in the future. I am a fourth year now, I passed all of my board exams/classes and just matched into residency first time around. It's possible, however, I did have a classmate my first year that did the same thing and dropped out once first semester was over. Looking back, it was risky but my stats were higher than the average podiatry student.

 

[Robin-jay]

I know someone who is now practicing that graduated podiatry school, residency, etc. and originally applied without even finishing a bachelors.

Honestly, I didn't even know you could apply to podiatry school and get accepted so easily without even finishing a bachelors. Kind of a red flag that our medical schools are accepting people with high school level credentials, without the need for an actual advanced degree. And yes, I'm aware that pre-reqs need filled.

 

[JulienMarshall]

I know someone who is now practicing that graduated podiatry school, residency, etc. and originally applied without even finishing a bachelors.

Honestly, I didn't even know you could apply to podiatry school and get accepted so easily without even finishing a bachelors. Kind of a red flag that our medical schools are accepting people with high school level credentials, without the need for an actual advanced degree. And yes, I'm aware that pre-reqs need filled.

I think that it's still very rare, if the data provided above is true, only 3% of people are accepted there without a degree.

 

[Robin-jay]

I think that it's still very rare, if the data provided above is true, only 3% of people are accepted there without a degree.

If there is anything I have learned after getting my doctorate at podiatry school is that I honestly think all of their stats are misleading and trash.
Honestly, it's Caribbean medical school level lying.

80% board part 1 pass rates, ya after 3 tries and when a lot of students have dropped out
95% boards part 2 pass rates, ya after 3 tries and the retaking students are forced into a scramble situation
99-100% residency acceptance rate, haha, based on "eligible students" for the match, which is misleading

The drop out rates, 4,5,6 year graduation rates that are shown on stats, etc..... are no better.

I've met quite a few people who did not have a bachelors before applying, so the school of mine that said 1% of my class had to be inaccurate.

 

[Treaty of Dorsi]

If there is anything I have learned after getting my doctorate at podiatry school is that I honestly think all of their stats are misleading and trash.

Isn’t graduation in May

 

[Robin-jay]

Isn’t graduation in May

If one has graduated all externships and all courses, does one then have the degree officially?

Or does it need to be exactly on ceremony day? (As though there's a big difference in time lapse of near April and early May anyway)

Not only does this question not matter, it's kinda silly to even bring up.

But if you do care, you can probably contact your school and ask them this very important question...

 

[Treaty of Dorsi]

If one has graduated all externships and all courses, does one then have the degree officially?

Or does it need to be exactly on ceremony day? (As though there's a big difference in time lapse of near April and early May anyway)

I honestly think all of their stats are misleading and trash.
Honestly, it's Caribbean medical school level lying.

so the school of mine that said 1% of my class had to be inaccurate.

With that sentiment, I guess if the schools/boards numbers are “close” enough…why does it even matter

 

[Robin-jay]

With that sentiment, I guess if the schools/boards numbers are “close” enough…why does it even matter

The point is that it's irrelevant, considering If I was in a coma until May I'd still have a doctorate degree.

 

[Dermato Fight Club]

A thread I can certainly contribute to. So this was my experience back in 2005-2009 so take it for what it's worth. I was accepted to Barry University about 10 credits short of graduating from undergrad.

I couldn't even had taken those credits over the Summer and start in the Fall because the courses I needed were not offered.

I was told by Barry that once I completed the needed credits, they would essentially give me a Bachelors degree. They did this for another classmate of mine. After my first year, I sat down with a counselor to discuss this and she said that since I was short a religion class and some other class that I would have to take those as well.

Of course there was no way I was going to take more useless classes on top of the podiatry classes I was already taking so I did not do it.

I graduated podiatry school, residency, became board certified (ABFAS) without a Bachelors degree.

When Covid hit and college classes were online, I reached out to my undergrad college and was able to complete 2 courses to obtain my Bachelors degree.

So I graduated podiatry school in 2009 but received my Bachelors in 2021.

Also, although likely much more rare, some MD's do not have their bachelors degree. Rand Paul is an ophthalmologist and does not have one.

So to answer your question. A bachelors degree is not important at all. But my wife did throw an awesome graduation party when I received mine, keg stands and all.

 

[footdoctor22]

Is a bachelor’s degree really important? Has anyone been accepted without it? I noticed that there is only 90 hours required. So far, I have been offered 2 interviews. I have acknowledged the fact that I won’t complete my bachelor’s degree if accepted via email before being offered the interviews. I have a pretty high GPA and made As in most of my pre-reqs. I have a 3.75 cGPA and a 3.6- sGPA. I am very passionate about podiatry and I don’t see the point in waiting any longer just to complete a bachelor’s degree, I can use my money towards podiatry school and not undergrad. Any advice is also welcomed for approaching my interviews without a bachelor’s degree.

it's almost laughable that someone asks this but I will take it that you're serious. High school and College are completely different in terms of rigor. High school degree means nothing.

 

[Weirdy]

This was posted 4 years ago. Closing.