Future for Podiatric Medicine (pre-pod student)

[mattjgold]

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Hello everyone, I've posted a few times in this forum and in allopathic/osteopathic forums! Still a little undecided, but I love podiatry! I shadow a local podiatrist and I'm observing a bunionectomy surgery in 2 weeks! Anyway, can someone tell me how the future looks for this field of medicine? Does Obamacare have any effect on salaries of podiatrists? Will orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons take over this field? Not to predict the future, but I can imagine myself practicing podiatric medicine and doing surgery and maybe completing a fellowship in reconstructive and trauma surgery. How does this part of podiatric medicine look or is that a waste? Are there still hospital jobs for surgical podiatrists? Thanks everyone! Any replies are appreciated!

 

[newfeet]

I think the podiatry field looks great. I'm a hospital based podiatrist. There are a lot of opportunities for podiatrists at hospitals. I've been an attending for about 8 months so I can't tell you if the ACA will have any affect on podiatrists' salaries. . It is part of the health care system just like medicare, medicaid or private insurance. I am more worried about hitting my RVUs,coding, billing and building my practice then ACA.

 

[mattjgold]

Sounds good! Can you operate on the ankle and forefoot?

 

[newfeet]

Sounds good! Can you operate on the ankle and forefoot?

I work in NY State the ankle rules are complicated here. I don't do ankle surgery. Depending on the hospital, state and training you should be able to do ankle surgery.

 

[mattjgold]

Oh okay I see. The pod I shadow is a graduate of NYCPM. That's my dream pod school. Is that where you went Dr.?

 

[newfeet]

Yes I went to NYCPM but I practice in rural NY now.

 

[mattjgold]

I see. What is the most complex surgery you have completed in your years of practice and how long was it? Sorry if I'm asking a lot of Q's

 

[newfeet]

I've been attending least than a year. My last complex surgery was as a resident. One of my attendings, a podiatrist that works for an ortho group in NJ, did a pretty cool total ankle replacement.

 

[mattjgold]

Sounds sweet! I'm an ER Tech for a local hospital and it's a level one trauma center. If I do podiatry I really want to follow residency with a trauma fellowship. Is there a lot of trauma for pods to work on surgery wise or not really because it's handed off to F/A orthos?

 

[newfeet]

That depends on the practice you join and the location. In some practice you will be the F/A guy and in other you could be doing no surgery. It depends on you and what you are willing to do.

 

[mattjgold]

So what you're saying pretty much depends on job availability and if hospitals need a F/A guy for trauma calls as well as group practices and their needs.

 

[newfeet]

So what you're saying pretty much depends on job availability and if hospitals need a F/A guy for trauma calls as well as group practices and their needs.

Yes.