DPM student switching to D.O program?

[kelus]

i know it look really bad for a future student to ask this, but my curiosity has been sparked. Since i am amoung freinds i will ask it

i read recently on sdn that DMU dpm students had switched over to the DO program after their first year. I did not know this was possible.

Does School and azpod do this as well?

does any one have information about what is required to do this,and how D.O courses are made up later? are all pod students eligible to do this with a certain med school gpa?

are pod students that to this looked on harshly by the DPM program?

again, i am commited to the proffesion of podiatry, i just cant help be wounder about how switching programs is pulled off and decided.

any DO's switch to DPM after they start the program.

lots of questions , thanks

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[Podman]

i know it look really bad for a future student to ask this, but my curiosity has been sparked. Since i am amoung freinds i will ask it

i read recently on sdn that DMU dpm students had switched over to the DO program after their first year. I did not know this was possible.

Does School and azpod do this as well?

does any one have information about what is required to do this,and how D.O courses are made up later? are all pod students eligible to do this with a certain med school gpa?

are pod students that to this looked on harshly by the DPM program?

again, i am commited to the proffesion of podiatry, i just cant help be wounder about how switching programs is pulled off and decided.

any DO's switch to DPM after they start the program.

lots of questions , thanks

I'm sure our friends at DMU or AZPOD can give you a better or more detailed answer than mine - but the general rule is that you cannot transfer credits from your DPM school to DO - even if you attended DMU or AZPOD - yes it does sound somewhat bizzare considering that all the core basic sciences classes are taken together - but its always been that way. The people who do "switch over" after one year of DPM school - redo the first year at D.O. and are not granted entry at the 2nd year level.

Transferring credits to any school is difficult as it is - let alone from DPM to DO. This isn't a knock on the DPM students at those schools, because I believe that the average stats for the DPM and DO students at these 2 particular schools are very comparable - but they are different programs nonetheless.


I think you need to seriously consider your options before committing to DPM school. MD/DO have the advantage of leaving all specialties open - however with DPM, you are making the committment to foot and ankle surgery from day 1 - with no turning back. If this is what you want - foot and ankle specialist - then trust your instinct and go for it, but understand that in the event that you may change your mind for whatever reason - you'd have to start at year 1 for any D.O. program.

 

[jonwill]

i know it look really bad for a future student to ask this, but my curiosity has been sparked. Since i am amoung freinds i will ask it

i read recently on sdn that DMU dpm students had switched over to the DO program after their first year. I did not know this was possible.

Does School and azpod do this as well?

does any one have information about what is required to do this,and how D.O courses are made up later? are all pod students eligible to do this with a certain med school gpa?

are pod students that to this looked on harshly by the DPM program?

again, i am commited to the proffesion of podiatry, i just cant help be wounder about how switching programs is pulled off and decided.

any DO's switch to DPM after they start the program.

lots of questions , thanks

There were a few students in my original DPM class at DMU that decided that the DPM program wasn't for them. But they both had to re-apply for the DO program and started again the next year as 1st year DO students.

I've heard the rumor that this year, a 1st year DPM simply switched over to the DO program after he began but I don't know if it is true or not. The student in question does have a father who is an ER physician at one of the local hospitals. He may have had the "right connections" but again, I have not been able to confirm this.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

There were a few students in my original DPM class at DMU that decided that the DPM program wasn't for them. But they both had to re-apply for the DO program and started again the next year as 1st year DO students.

I've heard the rumor that this year, a 1st year DPM simply switched over to the DO program after he began but I don't know if it is true or not. The student in question does have a father who is an ER physician at one of the local hospitals. He may have had the "right connections" but again, I have not been able to confirm this.

I never heard that story but who knows. I would guess that the student would have had to have been accepted into the program before the first biochem test.

The policy has I have always understood is that you must be accepted into a program to receive credit for any towards said degree. Therefore, a student must drop out of the DPM program completely, apply and be accepted into the DO program and start again.

As for giving them a hard time, no one cares. Everyone must do what is best for them. At least at DMU, there is not a cut throat environment. Most students are extremely nice and don't care what program you are in. Many of my good friends are DOs and one of them was a former DPM.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Does School and azpod do this as well?

If you are asking about Scholl, the students only take 2 or 3 courses with the MD students. It is not an intergrated program.

 

[jonwill]

I never heard that story but who knows. I would guess that the student would have had to have been accepted into the program before the first biochem test.

The policy has I have always understood is that you must be accepted into a program to receive credit for any towards said degree. Therefore, a student must drop out of the DPM program completely, apply and be accepted into the DO program and start again.

As for giving them a hard time, no one cares. Everyone must do what is best for them. At least at DMU, there is not a cut throat environment. Most students are extremely nice and don't care what program you are in. Many of my good friends are DOs and one of them was a former DPM.

After searching for the student's name on the DMU website, I was not able to find him under the DO or DPM class of 2010 so my guess is that he dropped out early, applied to the DO program, was accepted, and will start with the class of 2011.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

After searching for the student's name on the DMU website, I was not able to find him under the DO or DPM class of 2010 so my guess is that he dropped out early, applied to the DO program, was accepted, and will start with the class of 2011.

I know of a student that did take that route.

 

[discusdan]

There was a student in my class that did it as well. He had to drop out and reapply to the DO program.

 

[cool_vkb]

No even in Scholl, a student cant use the classes he took as DPM for meeting requirements of other courses.

In the student handbook, it says , "It is the university's policy that none of the courses taken in a program can be transferred to another"!.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

No even in Scholl, a student cant use the classes he took as DPM for meeting requirements of other courses.

In the student handbook, it says , "It is the university's policy that none of the courses taken in a program can be transferred to another"!.

You only take a very few courses with other programs so what good would it do anyways?

 

[doclm]

You only take a very few courses with other programs so what good would it do anyways?

You are correct about Scholl students taking a few classes with other students like MD, PT,PA, ect.

Most of our classes are structured very well to build Podiatric and Basic science knowledge at the same time. Its a more efficient learning environment than just taking all of our classes with the MD students. However, Scholl is looking at doing a 2+2 program soon (possibly next year). I have heard from the curriculm coordinator that DMU's curriculm is structured somewhat similar to Scholl. But, ofcourse you guys take many basic science classes with DO students.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

You are correct about Scholl students taking a few classes with other students like MD, PT,PA, ect.

Most of our classes are structured very well to build Podiatric and Basic science knowledge at the same time. Its a more efficient learning environment than just taking all of our classes with the MD students. However, Scholl is looking at doing a 2+2 program soon (possibly next year). I have heard from the curriculm coordinator that DMU's curriculm is structured somewhat similar to Scholl. But, ofcourse you guys take many basic science classes with DO students.

I hope that they change to the 2+2 and fully integrated. That would be great for the school and the profession. If Scholl goes to this, it may start a change in all of older schools curriculum. Then if CSPM moves to Western, it would mean that 1/2 of the schools are integrated schools, and it would really pressure the other half to make a move.

I think that while other schools have classes that taught by the same professors and are structured the same, they are not the same. Ask anyone at AZPOD or DMU and I think that they would agree that the intensity and overall competitiveness is much higher in a fully integrated basic science class.

 

[krabmas]

I hope that they change to the 2+2 and fully integrated. That would be great for the school and the profession. If Scholl goes to this, it may start a change in all of older schools curriculum. Then if CSPM moves to Western, it would mean that 1/2 of the schools are integrated schools, and it would really pressure the other half to make a move.

I think that while other schools have classes that taught by the same professors and are structured the same, they are not the same. Ask anyone at AZPOD or DMU and I think that they would agree that the intensity and overall competitiveness is much higher in a fully integrated basic science class.

Some of the standalone schools just do not get it. They do not see the future of podiatry as a true medical profession and actually may do a diservice to the profession. So even if all the schools merge there will still be one stand alone...stuborn if you ask me.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Some of the standalone schools just do not get it. They do not see the future of podiatry as a true medical profession and actually may do a diservice to the profession. So even if all the schools merge there will still be one stand alone...stuborn if you ask me.

I agree but I think you will see a separation of schools reflected in applicant stats and boards scores. That means that the CPME will have major pressure to step up and correct the problem.

 

[kelus]

i can understand dr feelgood if you dont want to answer this for me after my "azpod rocks???" post but ill try
but i searched and could not find the definition

what is a 2+2 program ?

 

[krabmas]

I agree but I think you will see a separation of schools reflected in applicant stats and boards scores. That means that the CPME will have major pressure to step up and correct the problem.

I think there is already a separation which I agree will grow. But if you look at the CPME the requirements are minimal and there is no minimal board pass rate. I do not see the CPME stepping in anytime soon unfortunately.

I'm sending you a PM w/ some other info.

 

[krabmas]

i can understand dr feelgood if you dont want to answer this for me after my "azpod rocks???" post but ill try
but i searched and could not find the definition

what is a 2+2 program ?

Most MD schools opperate under the 2 + 2 program where the first 2 years are purely dydactic (sp?) and the last 2 years are clinical.

 

[jonwill]

I think there is already a separation which I agree will grow. But if you look at the CPME the requirements are minimal and there is no minimal board pass rate. I do not see the CPME stepping in anytime soon unfortunately.

I'm sending you a PM w/ some other info.

Kraby, you and I have both been at plenty of meetings where the APMA and the CPME were there. Deans of the schools have also addressed the APMSA body several times. Everybody always puts on such a good face. However, after asking many of them intelligible questions and receiving less than intelligible answers, as well as watching the national class size balloon and push the limit, I'm feeling less and less confident that ANYBODY is in charge! Is it just me, or do the "leaders" of our profession seem to be out of touch with reality? They often seem more concerned with preserving their "old-school way" of podiatry than taking the profession to the next level.

 

[JEWmongous]

Hey Feelgood,
did you hear info on CSPM wanting or intending to move/merge to the Western U pod school thats supposed to open in 2009? I'm curious if this would happen considering they merged with Samuel Merritt in the summer of 2002. Let me know what you think on this. Thanks and take care.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Kraby, you and I have both been at plenty of meetings where the APMA and the CPME were there. Deans of the schools have also addressed the APMSA body several times. Everybody always puts on such a good face. However, after asking many of them intelligible questions and receiving less than intelligible answers, as well as watching the national class size balloon and push the limit, I'm feeling less and less confident that ANYBODY is in charge! Is it just me, or do the "leaders" of our profession seem to be out of touch with reality? They often seem more concerned with preserving their "old-school way" of podiatry than taking the profession to the next level.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Hey Feelgood,
did you hear info on CSPM wanting or intending to move/merge to the Western U pod school thats supposed to open in 2009? I'm curious if this would happen considering they merged with Samuel Merritt in the summer of 2002. Let me know what you think on this. Thanks and take care.

I have not heard anything of the sort but I pray the god of skiny punks that they do not open another school. It would be the best for the profession and it would be easier for both schools to get what they want.

 

[krabmas]

Kraby, you and I have both been at plenty of meetings where the APMA and the CPME were there. Deans of the schools have also addressed the APMSA body several times. Everybody always puts on such a good face. However, after asking many of them intelligible questions and receiving less than intelligible answers, as well as watching the national class size balloon and push the limit, I'm feeling less and less confident that ANYBODY is in charge! Is it just me, or do the "leaders" of our profession seem to be out of touch with reality? They often seem more concerned with preserving their "old-school way" of podiatry than taking the profession to the next level.

well put. I could never have said so on the money like that. I absolutely agree, and my school is the #1 follower of the old school APMA/CPME.


And if the dean of the school is on the CPME is that a conflict of interest or what?

 

[diidy]

I dont know too much about how this process works but a student at NYCPM that interviewed me told me that 2 guys from her class dropped out of DPM school to go to allopathic med school out of the first year. interesting.

 

[krabmas]

I dont know too much about how this process works but a student at NYCPM that interviewed me told me that 2 guys from her class dropped out of DPM school to go to allopathic med school out of the first year. interesting.

They dropped out for osteopathic. they did not transfer, they just started over at which ever school they were accepted to.

There was one guy from my class 1st year that dropped out to go to columbia for MD/JD and he already has a PhD in biostats or something like that. Talk about a degree collector.

Every class has people that drop out for some reason or another. Many just decide that podiatry is not for them. How they know this from basic science classes I'm not sure....

 

[densmore22]

There was a guy in the 2009 class that went from DPM to DO, he didn't have to retake all of the classes because he was a TA for anatomy this year, he sat in on all the lectures, I think he had to retake biochem, but not histology or microbiology/immunology. He's redoin Physio w/ us right now. I don't know how they determine what classes he needed to retake and which ones not too, but yeah, I know for a fact that he had to reapply, but didn't have to repeat every first year class.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

There was a guy in the 2009 class that went from DPM to DO, he didn't have to retake all of the classes because he was a TA for anatomy this year, he sat in on all the lectures, I think he had to retake biochem, but not histology or microbiology/immunology. He's redoin Physio w/ us right now. I don't know how they determine what classes he needed to retake and which ones not too, but yeah, I know for a fact that he had to reapply, but didn't have to repeat every first year class.

PM who you are talking about b/c I think you may confused.

 

[dpmrunner]

All the first years at DMU know who you are talking about. The way I heard it (maybe he is on this board and can clear it up) is that he had quite a high grade in the anatomy course and talked to the anatomy department. They were the ones that decided since he would be learning the same thing, if he became like the TA king that he would receive the credit he needed for the course.

As you know....from the experience of one of our classmates....each department pretty much has the final say if they want to.

With that being said, the MAIN reason I believe they don't just allow people to jump ship is because they don't want people that couldn't get into the DO program or a DO program to enter DPM, as admissions are much easier, do ok in the classes, and just go to DO. If students really transfer then good for them, that's what they're doing and if they really want to they shouldn't care if they switch.

I'll easily admit I thought about doing the MD or DO thing instead because there are so many options but then I reason with myself why I chose podiatry over those other programs and realize THIS is what I want. Besides, it's fun to make jabs back and forth with my DO friends.

 

[kelus]

Well said dpmrunner