Had an interesting conversation with an MD today...thoughts

[Windom Earle]

I was at the doctor the other day when he asked me what I was doing. I told him I was a first year podiatry student. He asked what I was learning right now and I told him the skull.

He looked a little confused and said why are you learning about the skull if you're just going to be a foot doctor? I was slightly taken aback only because he probably should have known the pods learn everything from head to toe. I sensed a slight feeling of inferiority when he asked that tbh.

Nonetheless, I explained to him that alot of problems from up top can be seen in the foot, or can even start off there. And that alot of pods work with MDs and DOs so you should know what you're talking about as a DPM.

He still looked a little confused and said we should just about the foot as that's all we're going to treat and that I better damn well know about every centimeter of the foot when I graduate. I said I would and that was that.

Thoughts on this?

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[Weirdy]

This happens more than you think.

I've had MD/DO students do the same thing. Same with other professions. Nursing, OT, PT you name it.

They all think we're just a 2 year equivalent. They don't realized we have a mandatory residency. They don't know we can cut, do wound care, prescribe orthotics.

Best thing you can do is be patient, explain to them why we're taking those courses, and show them what the profession is by your actions and demeanor.

No point getting in a pissing contest or having an inferiority complex.
Doesn't help us and doesn't help the profession.

I used to laugh at this stuff til I started and realized even people in the healthcare field have no idea wtf we do.

 

[GypsyHummus]

When I was accepted to a DPM program, I would say Both “accepted into medical school” and “accepted into Podiatry school”. The results were mixed.

When I would say medical school, 90% of people would be like “oh sweet”. 10% would ask “oh, MD or DO?” When they ask I would explain what the DPM degree is, that there are like 5 ways to become a phycician in America (MD,DO,DPM,Carribean, OralSurgery) and what exactly a Podiatrist can do.

When I would say “Podiatry School” I would get 50/50 people knowing what that is to people going “is that like feet?” To “pediatrics?”.

I think a better idea would be saying “studying to become a foot doctor” that ends the ambiguity nicely.

Nobody, even Other physcicians know what a DPM does or what the responsibilities are. I think that is slowly changing.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

I was at the doctor the other day when he asked me what I was doing. I told him I was a first year podiatry student. He asked what I was learning right now and I told him the skull.

He looked a little confused and said why are you learning about the skull if you're just going to be a foot doctor? I was slightly taken aback only because he probably should have known the pods learn everything from head to toe. I sensed a slight feeling of inferiority when he asked that tbh.

Nonetheless, I explained to him that alot of problems from up top can be seen in the foot, or can even start off there. And that alot of pods work with MDs and DOs so you should know what you're talking about as a DPM.

He still looked a little confused and said we should just about the foot as that's all we're going to treat and that I better damn well know about every centimeter of the foot when I graduate. I said I would and that was that.

Thoughts on this?

One response would be to explain to them that you are going to be a specialist and just like any other specialty field, you have to learn about the body as a whole first and not just the chosen field. As in, same goes for derm, ophtho, nehpro, endo, etc, etc.

In fact, my question to the doc would have been, "do you ask the same thing to your cardiologist or gastroenterologist friends".

The diseases that affect the lower extremities and the drugs we will be prescribing future patients, have an effect throughout a patient's body and not just the feet, hence, having a good understanding of other system plays a key role in diagnosis, treatment, side effects, and prevention. Another reason why we learn about the entire body is due to collaboration between one field and another.

But like Weirdy said above, just explain and move on, there is no need to feel anything at this point. If you have to then explain in detail after your DPM degree.

 

[msion]

Surgeons in general usually have a good idea of what we do. DPMs are pretty popular at amuatory surgery centers. Anesthesiologists in that sense are also familiar with our capabilities and training.
With more and more doctors being hired by hospitals, other disciplines will get to learn more about us.
Don’t overthink it. Spend the time to master the material and surgical skills, be good at it, and people will respect you.

 

[apollofx]

Your doc sounds like a jerk and his logic makes no sense. Like others have said every other specialty has to learn the entire body as well. This won’t be the last time you will run into this attitude.

 

[Windom Earle]

He was a foreign grad, which may help partially explain his ignorance. It was the first time I felt like I was being looked down on by a medical professional. I suppose I should get used to it.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Yup. There is a reason DPM is people's backup to the backup. Some people would rather just not be doctors than only become a DPM.

It was the first time I felt like I was being looked down on by a medical professional. I suppose I should get used to it.

 

[feet2017]

Yeah be prepared for others to be confused for the rest of your career. I'm at a hospital where the residency has existed for decades and nobody knows our scope still for the most part.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

If any MD was actually stupid enough not to know why DPMs need to know the entire body anatomy and physiology when they “only” treat the foot/ankle, my reply would be simple.

I’d sing the fool a song:

The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone, the leg bone’s connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone.................