Future role of podiatric assistants & pay scales?

[GymMan]

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From what I see the need is there. But will they pay well if DPM's have trouble getting reimbursement, as many procedures (though more & more are) are being are paid for very little by Medicare/Medicaid & private insurance. Will Pod asst's grow like PT or OT assistants or will the growth be much slower due to a DPM's inability or reluctance to employ them? Or will it explode with growth like Dental Hygientists? This asst career may be an option for those that don't want to go the whole way through Pod school, yet want to still be in the field & with flex hours & much more time for a family. If you need only 20K to live on, this may do the job with a ton less stress.

 

[UNMorBUST]

I think alot of it depends on patient base. PTs, Dentists, OTs, have far more patients then they can give 100% to. Weather Pods will employ assts depends on weather they have a large enough patient base. Who knows this could be the next hot job.

 

[GymMan]

I think alot of it depends on patient base. PTs, Dentists, OTs, have far more patients then they can give 100% to. Weather Pods will employ assts depends on weather they have a large enough patient base. Who knows this could be the next hot job.

It might be, I agree.

Also, point of note: It is "whether" NOT "weather", as in weather the storm.

 

[UNMorBUST]

It might be, I agree.

Also, point of note: It is "whether" NOT "weather", as in weather the storm.

Grammer Po Po. 😀 Thanks for catching my error👍.

 

[Feli]

I'd imagine that it'll be a fairly fast growing and popular career. Right now, most pod offices just hire Med Assistants or train LPNs, CNA, etc as their assistants. For more skilled positions, some DPMs hire a PA, RN, etc.

When I start a practice, I'd certainly try to hire a pod assistant or two if there were some available. It's a minimally skilled position that's not terribly hard to train a general Medical Assistant for, but nonetheless, time is money, so someone who already has most of the skills you need from an assistant (taking vitals, dressing changes, taking and developing XRs, cleaning instruments, etc) is more valuable.

 

[justtesting]

If you need only 20K to live on, this may do the job with a ton less stress.

judging by the amount of inquiries based on the salary of podiatrists, i doubt there would be much interest in a 20k job even if it is in the same field. who knows though, there might be a couple people out there.
speaking of less stress, i am unfamiliar with the training necessary to become a podiatrist assistant.... is it similar to physician assistant or anesthesia assistant (4yr+2yr)?

 

[G0dFather]

i never knew there was a field for this .... the pod i shadowed had a surgical asst with him .....

 

[GymMan]

judging by the amount of inquiries based on the salary of podiatrists, i doubt there would be much interest in a 20k job even if it is in the same field. who knows though, there might be a couple people out there.
speaking of less stress, i am unfamiliar with the training necessary to become a podiatrist assistant.... is it similar to physician assistant or anesthesia assistant (4yr+2yr)?

I'm not sure there is any standardized training. I just read about them. If it worked for dentistry, where dentists CAN clean teeth but won't due to lost precious time & less money made for the dentist, I see a need for trained pod asst's that can do trimming nails or maybe an eval on a diabetic foot circulation checkup (though this may be lawsuit material).

So, who knows what the future brings.

 

[GymMan]

I'd imagine that it'll be a fairly fast growing and popular career. Right now, most pod offices just hire Med Assistants or train LPNs, CNA, etc as their assistants. For more skilled positions, some DPMs hire a PA, RN, etc.

When I start a practice, I'd certainly try to hire a pod assistant or two if there were some available. It's a minimally skilled position that's not terribly hard to train a general Medical Assistant for, but nonetheless, time is money, so someone who already has most of the skills you need from an assistant (taking vitals, dressing changes, taking and developing XRs, cleaning instruments, etc) is more valuable.

Feli, this field will blowup huge. With less money thrown around for healthcare, I'll bet this'll save tons in offices coast to coast. Hospitals first used CNA's & now they're in vogue everywhere. The same will be true for DPM's asst's.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

Feli, this field will blowup huge. With less money thrown around for healthcare, I'll bet this'll save tons in offices coast to coast. Hospitals first used CNA's & now they're in vogue everywhere. The same will be true for DPM's asst's.

CNAs blew up because Gas docs did not want to practice in places like idaho, North Dakoa, Arkansas, etc. The demand >supply and those lesser desired areas took a chance with CNAs. Are DPMs refusing to practice in rural areas as well? What are the training requirements for POD assistants? I know that CNAs get a 4 year undergrad +4 yrs of post undergrad.

 

[GymMan]

CNAs blew up because Gas docs did not want to practice in places like idaho, North Dakoa, Arkansas, etc. The demand >supply and those lesser desired areas took a chance with CNAs. Are DPMs refusing to practice in rural areas as well? What are the training requirements for POD assistants? I know that CNAs get a 4 year undergrad +4 yrs of post undergrad.

Woe you're mixing up CNP = (Cert Nurse Pract) w/ cheap (CNA's) = Certified Nursing Asst's here. NP's (or Nurse Pract's) make a ton like PA's (Phys. Asst's) do. Bedpan changers like (CNA's) nursing asst's make zilch. Is this what you meant?

 

[NatCh]

Woe you're mixing up CNP = (Cert Nurse Pract) w/ cheap (CNA's) = Certified Nursing Asst's here. NP's (or Nurse Pract's) make a ton like PA's (Phys. Asst's) do. Bedpan changers like (CNA's) nursing asst's make zilch. Is this what you meant?

Navylabtech08 was referring to CRNA's (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) who provide anesthesia during surgery.

There are four levels of nursing in the US, listed by increased training and responsibilities:

1. CNA (Cert. Nurse Assistants). Not actual nurses. Used to be called orderlies.
2. LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
3. RN (Registered Nurse)
4. APRN (Advanced Practical RN). Includes: NP (Nurse Practitioners), CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife).

Physician's Assistants (PA-C) are highly-trained midlevels

Medical Assistants (MA) are basically trained and are the folks who take your vitals when you see your primary care Doc. There are some training programs at vo-tech schools that lead to a certificate, but many are trained on the job.

Podiatry Assistant ("PA" I suppose) is not the same as PA-C. No formal training needed. OJT usually.

 

[justtesting]

CNAs blew up because Gas docs did not want to practice in places like idaho, North Dakoa, Arkansas, etc. The demand >supply and those lesser desired areas took a chance with CNAs. Are DPMs refusing to practice in rural areas as well? What are the training requirements for POD assistants? I know that CNAs get a 4 year undergrad +4 yrs of post undergrad.

cRna's actually only get 4+2 (their grad program is usually 2-2.5yrs) and the reason they are doing so well is because there is a huge demand for anesthesia providers that cannot be met by physicians. the CRNAs practice in more than just rural areas, in fact you will find them in probably every major city in the US. the thing to keep in mind is that CRNA's do the exact same thing as an anesthesia doc, just at about a third the cost. i worked hand in hand with CRNAs and anesthesiologists for three years and they literally did the exact same thing, (however the physicians were the final word on any question about treating pts and they usually took the more difficult cases/traumas) i highly doubt there will be a pod assistant position similar to the CRNA position because i cannot imagine anyone being able to do the same thing as pods (like CRNAs do the exact same thing as docs) with no standard training and with the minimal education required that has been described on this thread for a pod assistant. i guess all i'm trying to say is its not a good comparison to compare CRNAs to pod assistants.

 

[UNMorBUST]

i worked hand in hand with CRNAs and anesthesiologists for three years and they literally did the exact same thing,

👎

 

[justtesting]

👎

not sure why the thumbs down? if you disagree with the statement you quoted, thats fine. i'm not saying they are the same or know the same. physicians obviously know more and can do more but the majority of anesthesia situations can be handled easily by a crna. thats why in some states, crnas can operate as the sole anesthesia provider, completely independant from any supervisor or attending. granted an MD/DO knows more but that doesnt change the fact that CRNAs provide the same services.