CSPM New Class

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Hey,
have you interviewed at any other pod schools yet? I'm interviewing at CSPM in about 2 weeks and definitely looking forward to the experience. What did you like specifically about the program? Any suggestions for things to do/see in the area...I've never been to oakland/san fran before. Thanks!
 
It was so great!!!! i loved all the opportunities the freshman and second years get. You start rotations second year!!! The professors there wrote the books that all the podiatry schools use. San Fran is GORGEOUS! such an amazing city! oakland has some great area's too!. where do you go to school.
 
Thanks for some info. I go to college in upstate NY and applying to pod schools now. I have interviews to pretty much everywhere except ocpm and azpod (don't think they started reviewing apps yet). I will most likely interview at cali in 2 weeks so I just wanted to hear your experience there.

Anywho, is that the only pod school you saw? Do you have anything to compare it to?
 
I got interview at scholl too. That is the only other school i applied to. I canceled the interview because i really want to stay in CA for res and practice. CA is a great place to practice. They have some of hte most liberal practicing regulations.
 
I'd like to echo that last question. I'm married (and planning for kids) and would like to know what family housing options exist. What kind of a neighborhood is the school in?
 
the school is in a nice neighborhood with some surrounding poor neigborhoods. The area's of Piedmont and Alameda are beeautiful!!! very very nice.
 
NICE mAN! GOODLUCK! ITS one of the best POD schoools. One of the oldest ones so they have a great rep
 
i don't think its age matters so much really...nycpm and ohio are both around the same "age" as cspm and people on these forums don't rank them as the elites (just following the forums opinions of course) nor do they have the highest stats or board scores. AZPOD is about 4 years old and has an excellent rep already along with 25/26 year old DMU. Not trying to be pretentious but I don't think age is everything to a program.

Anywho, I'm definitely interested in finding more about cspm and what is has to offer. Should be a great experience.
 
the text books that all the pod schools use are written by the faculty at CSPM. No one on these threads are from CA so they have no idea about the california school. THey assume its not that great. I think the faculty there are some of the most well known and respected in the pod community because of their age and reputation.
 
biggfoot17 said:
the text books that all the pod schools use are written by the faculty at CSPM. No one on these threads are from CA so they have no idea about the california school. THey assume its not that great. I think the faculty there are some of the most well known and respected in the pod community because of their age and reputation.
Click to expand...

I would have to disagree. There are some well known podiatrists in Cali like shuberth, saxena, christensen, ... but none of them are full time at the school.

And to add to that about authors of textbooks, typically the writers are the worst teachers.

When you pick a school you should look at the academic environment and the educational culture of the school. Are they focused on raising board scores? Are they focused on improving the education and moving toward the future of podiatry? and how are they doing this? Are they integrated?

nobody cares who wrote the book except for the author them selves.😎
 
biggfoot17 said:
the text books that all the pod schools use are written by the faculty at CSPM. No one on these threads are from CA so they have no idea about the california school. THey assume its not that great. I think the faculty there are some of the most well known and respected in the pod community because of their age and reputation.
Click to expand...

This is very misinformed. I am from CA and have a friend in his fourth year at the CA school. From what he said, the CA school was very strong in biomechanics at one time before they had a lot of problems and they produced some great podiatrists. However, being strong in one field of podiatry does not mean that you own the whole field. Many books at Temple that are used are from Temple people and people from other places. For instance, a lot of literture and surgical procedures has come out of the Tucker residency in Geogia which has nothing to do with the CA school. I think the CA school sold you a little too well. You must know also that many schools have great well know facutly in the profession also. The CA school isn't exclusive in this area. It is very nieve to say that every school uses the books from the CA school.

Now having said that I think the CA school is a good school and they are making great changes there increase the quality of education. But one thing my 4th year friend cautioned me about when looking at it was the fact that a new pod school is opening in 2009 in So CA. Many of the students from So CA go to the school in oakland right now. But what will happen when the new school is open? Many will go there instead and that might create problems with filling the class at the oakland school. This is why some don't like the idea of opening the new school in CA. So you have to ask yourself what type of consequences will this lead to.
 
biggfoot17 said:
the text books that all the pod schools use are written by the faculty at CSPM. No one on these threads are from CA so they have no idea about the california school. THey assume its not that great. I think the faculty there are some of the most well known and respected in the pod community because of their age and reputation.
Click to expand...

I would also have to disagree. I'm originally from the Bay Area and I am very familiar w/ Oakland. Personally, the drive between Oakland & SF was inconvenient, the traffic & the neighborhood the school is in feels very unsafe (murders & random gun shots, did you notice all the security cameras in front of the building, in the office and hallways?), and not being integrated w/ other health professionals didn't seem to fit me. Also, upon speaking to DPM alumni's from the former SF pod school, they have admitted to seeing Samuel Merrit as not on par as they use to be before the merge. California is a great place to be and I dreaded leaving it but CPMS (in Iowa) def. won me over with their program. Now that I'm taking classes w/ DO's its hard to imagine how podiatry can be recognized as equals in the medical community if they didn't take the same basic science classes w/ DO's. In practice, DPM's will always be working w/ other health professionals, so starting early will help the profession itself and plus you make connections w/ people who may end up making referrals to your office. So, I would disagree that the CA school would be on my top list but that is because of my personal interests. One person's rank may not be the same for someone else. Other schools also have a well respected faculty but do they respect you as a student? (Or is their time spent on publishing and less on the students?) Lastly, the Samuel Merritt campus has been around for a long time but not the podiatry program. I'm sure students going there are satisfied w/ the program but I would recommend comparing it with at least 2 other schools. Students not attending CA have been able to come back and set up their practice there, and one residency director says he prefers having students that have outside experience to bring to his clinic. Although you may want to end up there, you do not necessarily have to start there.

Good luck w/ your journey!
 
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