Curious as why admission standards are so low yet DPM is so lucrative?

[capo]

Why have admission standards been traditionally so low, yet the career so lucrative? It seems that most DPM residents from what I've seen, are on par salary-wise with MD/DO's residents in training. Yet there is a disparaging difference in admissions standards, that STILL remains.

Can anyone elaborate on WHY, over the past 10-20 years, DPM admissions has been so lagging if there is a great career waiting for the graduate? I love the idea of pods as a specialty but continue to be miffed, at why it remains so unattractive to so many MD/DO candidates -- unless they are rejected from their first choice profession (medicine, I'm assuming)?

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[bkpa2med]

This question needs to be answered. I would like to know as well. I will probably apply in January for NYCPM.

 

[Dmayor22]

I am hoping to be accepted into Podiatry school in about a year, so I am not expert on the matter.

But to me, Podiatry use to be like PA..a field that isnt as well known in medicine so the standards are lower. Alot of people dont realize what all a podiatrist can/does do, its not just the stereotypical toenail clippers anymore, they do surgery, orthotics and so forth. I think as more and more people start developing an interest, the schools standards will raise with time. Also, being a podiatrist is like a dentist...both are looking at part of the body that a majority of people dont like, but for the few that do we get a great career.

 

[jonwill]

1) Awareness of podiatric medicine: Many think you go through an MD program and specialize in podiatry. They are not aware that colleges of podiatric medicine exist (there are only 8 of them).
2) Not many people actually realize what a podiatrist does. Many people think of a podiatrist as someone who sits in his/her small private office and cuts nails and shaves corns all day! If people understood what we did medically and surgically, it would be a lot more competitive. Even many general medical students are unaware of our training. After seeing what we really do, I've spoken with many podiatric externs that have had MD students tell them that they wish they knew about podiatry when they started!
3) While it is easier to get into a DPM program (some anyway), it is just as difficult as any other medical program to get through a DPM program. Those who think otherwise don't make it through the first year!

There are pros and cons of podiatric medicine being such a well kept secret.

 

[jonwill]

Also, being a podiatrist is like a dentist...both are looking at part of the body that a majority of people dont like, but for the few that do we get a great career.

I was at the hospital yesterday and happened to listen to an OB/Gyn doc dictating. After hearing his dictations, feet didn't seem that bad

 

[bkpa2med]

bump

 

[Osteodog]

Well, it's really quite easy to explain. The salaries/incomes are not the same and the job opportunities are utterly different.

How do I know? Because I'm a DPM (degree in 1998, California College of Podiatric Medicine, which doesn't exist anymore) and now I'm a 3rd year DO student. Whatever statistics you see for podiatry should be viewed with a skeptical eye. Don't think "salary" because it's unlikely that you'll be hired after your residency with a any sort of "salary" commensurate with your debt/hard work. When you see numbers like "average income of $120,000" don't imagine that you're going to get hired by any entity and offered that kind of money. There are a handful like Kaiser, but they are far and few between. Check it out for yourself. Ask some DPM's who are in the workforce. Most of them started from scratch, getting additional business loans and they struggled for a while. It's more likely that you're going to hired by a group that will pay you by the hour or a small salary like 60K. Believe me, with your loans to pay off, 60K is really small. Check some of the podiatry journals. See if there are any decent job offers in the back like there are in DO and MD journals. The extremely low admission requirements exist for a reason.

 

[Osteodog]

No offense, jonwill, but the level of difficulty between pod school and med school is not comparable. I think I'm uniquely qualified to comment on this since I'm a DPM (1998) and I'm a 3rd year DO student.

The curriculum is similar in the 1st two years, but the breadth of education and depth of study is greater in DO school. Also, the exams are generally more difficult in DO school. Of course, this is only my opinion, but I did experience both. Also, the podiatric boards that I took were unbelievably simplistic. Again, I mean no offense, I'm just saying what I think. The DO and MD boards cover so, so much more material and it is in so much more detail. It isn't even close. Lastly, my rotations and externships were, for the most part, a waste of time. I'm hoping (and I think I've heard) that the clinical experince has improved for the current crop of pod students, but it was scarily hit or miss only 8-9 years ago. For these reasons and others I made a fortuitous decision to drop everything and start over to become a fully licensed physician. I couldn't be happier.

1) Awareness of podiatric medicine: Many think you go through an MD program and specialize in podiatry. They are not aware that colleges of podiatric medicine exist (there are only 8 of them).
2) Not many people actually realize what a podiatrist does. Many people think of a podiatrist as someone who sits in his/her small private office and cuts nails and shaves corns all day! If people understood what we did medically and surgically, it would be a lot more competitive. Even many general medical students are unaware of our training. After seeing what we really do, I've spoken with many podiatric externs that have had MD students tell them that they wish they knew about podiatry when they started!
3) While it is easier to get into a DPM program (some anyway), it is just as difficult as any other medical program to get through a DPM program. Those who think otherwise don't make it through the first year!

There are pros and cons of podiatric medicine being such a well kept secret.

 

[capo]

Well, it's really quite easy to explain. The salaries/incomes are not the same and the job opportunities are utterly different.

How do I know? Because I'm a DPM (degree in 1998, California College of Podiatric Medicine, which doesn't exist anymore) and now I'm a 3rd year DO student. Whatever statistics you see for podiatry should be viewed with a skeptical eye. Don't think "salary" because it's unlikely that you'll be hired after your residency with a any sort of "salary" commensurate with your debt/hard work. When you see numbers like "average income of $120,000" don't imagine that you're going to get hired by any entity and offered that kind of money. There are a handful like Kaiser, but they are far and few between. Check it out for yourself. Ask some DPM's who are in the workforce. Most of them started from scratch, getting additional business loans and they struggled for a while. It's more likely that you're going to hired by a group that will pay you by the hour or a small salary like 60K. Believe me, with your loans to pay off, 60K is really small. Check some of the podiatry journals. See if there are any decent job offers in the back like there are in DO and MD journals. The extremely low admission requirements exist for a reason.

This does not paint a very good picture. I spoke to a podiatrist back in California in 1998 and he told me then, while I was still doing undergrad work, to stay away from pods. I thought he was just sour grapes or old school. He told me to go to the caribbean and try to be a family doc MD, before going into pods. But I've no interest in family meds or MD, so I brushed off his comments as disgruntled. Was this wrong?

Other pods I've spoken to since then have seemed happy, and certainly drive better cars and have better lifestyles than I have -- unless I become CEO of Exxon/Moblie.

 

[Osteodog]

This does not paint a very good picture. I spoke to a podiatrist back in California in 1998 and he told me then, while I was still doing undergrad work, to stay away from pods. I thought he was just sour grapes or old school. He told me to go to the caribbean and try to be a family doc MD, before going into pods. But I've no interest in family meds or MD, so I brushed off his comments as disgruntled. Was this wrong?

Other pods I've spoken to since then have seemed happy, and certainly drive better cars and have better lifestyles than I have -- unless I become CEO of Exxon/Moblie.

Well, I can't say that I'm unhappy that I went through pod school - if I didn't, I probably wouldn't have been able to get into DO school!

IMHO, I see nothing about podiatry to recommend it to anyone. Having said that, here are some exceptions: If you really, truly want to be a podiatrist and not an MD or DO, if you have a strong business acumen and if you're ok with settling down in an area that may not be the most exciting to live in. Out of those 3 exceptions, the 1st is the most important. You have to know before you go in that you're not going to get the same education as a full body physician. You're not going to learn all about medicine like an MD or DO will. When I was in pod school I can't tell you how many times I heard from visiting professors something like, "do you guys need to know this"? You will oftentimes have to explain your education/training for the rest of your life (the same is true for DO's). Some will think of you as a "medical practitioner" or as a "quasi-doctor". Do some research and find out how, exactly you find a job when you're done with your residency. It should be an eye-opener. Find out how much you'll get paid and, for that matter, how you'll get paid (hourly, part-time, etc.). I didn't do any research, but even if I did, I'd probably still have gone through it with reckless hope.

Caribbean schools are at least as risky. You'd better do a lot of research on that one. There are some threads on this forum. Check them out.

 

[IlizaRob]

Well, I can't say that I'm unhappy that I went through pod school - if I didn't, I probably wouldn't have been able to get into DO school!

IMHO, I see nothing about podiatry to recommend it to anyone. Having said that, here are some exceptions: If you really, truly want to be a podiatrist and not an MD or DO, if you have a strong business acumen and if you're ok with settling down in an area that may not be the most exciting to live in. Out of those 3 exceptions, the 1st is the most important. You have to know before you go in that you're not going to get the same education as a full body physician. You're not going to learn all about medicine like an MD or DO will. When I was in pod school I can't tell you how many times I heard from visiting professors something like, "do you guys need to know this"? You will oftentimes have to explain your education/training for the rest of your life (the same is true for DO's). Some will think of you as a "medical practitioner" or as a "quasi-doctor". Do some research and find out how, exactly you find a job when you're done with your residency. It should be an eye-opener. Find out how much you'll get paid and, for that matter, how you'll get paid (hourly, part-time, etc.). I didn't do any research, but even if I did, I'd probably still have gone through it with reckless hope.

Caribbean schools are at least as risky. You'd better do a lot of research on that one. There are some threads on this forum. Check them out.

I know you mean no disrespect to the podiatric profession, but I have to say that my skepticism lies with the posters on the internet. I have talked to many, many practicing pods, residents and students and I have to tell you, not one of them gave me the advice you did. Im not saying that what you experienced is false, but I wouldnt consider your comments evidence based either. Not to bag on the california school but they have struggled in the past and Im not sure that you have the best viewpoint with regards to training and quality of exams. Not many graduating podiatrists start their own practice anymore. This is evident from a recently done survey by the APMSA. A lot has changed in the last 8 years. I do agree with you however that you should know that you want to be focused on the foot and ankle before starting podiatry. Thats a given. Those who dont realize this hurt themselves later on. Perhaps you for example.

 

[jonwill]

Well, I can't say that I'm unhappy that I went through pod school - if I didn't, I probably wouldn't have been able to get into DO school!

IMHO, I see nothing about podiatry to recommend it to anyone. Having said that, here are some exceptions: If you really, truly want to be a podiatrist and not an MD or DO, if you have a strong business acumen and if you're ok with settling down in an area that may not be the most exciting to live in. Out of those 3 exceptions, the 1st is the most important. You have to know before you go in that you're not going to get the same education as a full body physician. You're not going to learn all about medicine like an MD or DO will. When I was in pod school I can't tell you how many times I heard from visiting professors something like, "do you guys need to know this"? You will oftentimes have to explain your education/training for the rest of your life (the same is true for DO's). Some will think of you as a "medical practitioner" or as a "quasi-doctor". Do some research and find out how, exactly you find a job when you're done with your residency. It should be an eye-opener. Find out how much you'll get paid and, for that matter, how you'll get paid (hourly, part-time, etc.). I didn't do any research, but even if I did, I'd probably still have gone through it with reckless hope.

Caribbean schools are at least as risky. You'd better do a lot of research on that one. There are some threads on this forum. Check them out.

Your statements are WAY OFF. None of that is even close to true. Your assuming the education that you got a decade ago at one school is equivalent to the education of now. Please don't post unless you know what you are talking about. YOU DON'T!!!
I would rather take advice from the many that succeeded rather than the one that failed. You have GOT TO be kidding me. Troll???

 

[krabmas]

I'd rather hear wisker's oppinion!

Oh wait - maybe that is wiskers he just forgot his poetic sense.

 

[IlizaRob]

I'd rather hear wisker's oppinion!

Oh wait - maybe that is wiskers he just forgot his poetic sense.

Ah hah! Its all coming together now. He is a new poster.

 

[doclm]

Ah hah! Its all coming together now. He is a new poster.

That is some transition.
From Whiskers to Osteodog!

 

[desertpod]

This does not paint a very good picture. I spoke to a podiatrist back in California in 1998 and he told me then, while I was still doing undergrad work, to stay away from pods. I thought he was just sour grapes or old school. He told me to go to the caribbean and try to be a family doc MD, before going into pods. But I've no interest in family meds or MD, so I brushed off his comments as disgruntled. Was this wrong?

Other pods I've spoken to since then have seemed happy, and certainly drive better cars and have better lifestyles than I have -- unless I become CEO of Exxon/Moblie.

Capo, Don't listen to someone who couldn't cut it as a podiatrist, The difference between pod schools in 1994 which is when he would have started and now is night and day. So many opportunities for podiatry have opened up in the last 10 years from level of learning to surgical based residencies. As for DO school being harder than podiatry school, we take all of our 1st and 2nd year classes with DOs and our test scores are just as competitive.

 

[capo]

Capo, Don't listen to someone who couldn't cut it as a podiatrist, The difference between pod schools in 1994 which is when he would have started and now is night and day. So many opportunities for podiatry have opened up in the last 10 years from level of learning to surgical based residencies. As for DO school being harder than podiatry school, we take all of our 1st and 2nd year classes with DOs and our test scores are just as competitive.

Desertpod, I won't. First of all from all that I've seen and heard since then, NO ONE has put down nor regretted the podiatric profession that I've talked with. This group includes both students AND pods in practice, so I'm confident this is a true representation of the current vibe in pods.

Since pods are working in ortho groups more and more each day, are getting more than enough patients with baby boomers aging, what's NOT to like about this field? There are opportunites opening practically everyday, with pro sports teams and now even cosmetic podiatry taking off in big cities.

There is NO doubt this profession is going big places. I'm not going to let ANYONE deter my enthusiasm -- let alone an internet (im)poster.