Is podiatry worth it

[podlyfe95]

So I was recently accepted to podiatry school which I was excited about. I love many aspects of podiatry and I felt that many of the pros outweighed the cons, but after reading various posts here I am not sure if podiatry is worth it. I am concerned about future job prospects especially since I plan to live in the new england area. I know the range of pay for podiatry varies, but are 80k jobs basically the norm on what I should expect when applying to jobs in the future. Are hospital jobs and multi-specialty groups really difficult to find? I also have been reading how podiatry will soon be a dying field because other health care providers can do what podiatrists do. All these facts honestly scare me. I knew there are ups and downs of all careers, but reading about podiatry here on sdn seems very depressing. Like is this field worth the debt and the 7 year education?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

So I was recently accepted to podiatry school which I was excited about. I love many aspects of podiatry and I felt that many of the pros outweighed the cons, but after reading various posts here I am not sure if podiatry is worth it. I am concerned about future job prospects especially since I plan to live in the new england area. I know the range of pay for podiatry varies, but are 80k jobs basically the norm on what I should expect when applying to jobs in the future. Are hospital jobs and multi-specialty groups really difficult to find? I also have been reading how podiatry will soon be a dying field because other health care providers can do what podiatrists do. All these facts honestly scare me. I knew there are ups and downs of all careers, but reading about podiatry here on sdn seems very depressing. Like is this field worth the debt and the 7 year education?

You will get some that say its worth and some they say it isnt. You will get some that make a lot of money and some that aren't making as much as they thought they would. These are questions that are brought up a lot, and there is never a hard, concrete answer to them. Work hard, do your best, be normal, network and control what you can.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

So I was recently accepted to podiatry school which I was excited about. I love many aspects of podiatry and I felt that many of the pros outweighed the cons, but after reading various posts here I am not sure if podiatry is worth it. I am concerned about future job prospects especially since I plan to live in the new england area. I know the range of pay for podiatry varies, but are 80k jobs basically the norm on what I should expect when applying to jobs in the future. Are hospital jobs and multi-specialty groups really difficult to find? I also have been reading how podiatry will soon be a dying field because other health care providers can do what podiatrists do. All these facts honestly scare me. I knew there are ups and downs of all careers, but reading about podiatry here on sdn seems very depressing. Like is this field worth the debt and the 7 year education?

Welcome to SDN.
Use the search function (top-right corner).

 

[podlyfe95]

Welcome to SDN.
Use the search function (top-right corner).

Wow thanks I didn't know that. I have used the search function. Like I said everything I have read about podiatry n sdn has been more negative than positive IMO. If you do not have anything of substance to add , please ignore the thread.

 

[de Ribas]

So I was recently accepted to podiatry school which I was excited about. I love many aspects of podiatry and I felt that many of the pros outweighed the cons, but after reading various posts here I am not sure if podiatry is worth it. I am concerned about future job prospects especially since I plan to live in the new england area. I know the range of pay for podiatry varies, but are 80k jobs basically the norm on what I should expect when applying to jobs in the future. Are hospital jobs and multi-specialty groups really difficult to find? I also have been reading how podiatry will soon be a dying field because other health care providers can do what podiatrists do. All these facts honestly scare me. I knew there are ups and downs of all careers, but reading about podiatry here on sdn seems very depressing. Like is this field worth the debt and the 7 year education?

I don't really see a genuine question for which you are looking an answer.

Feels like you know all about podiatry and I don't think that someone else can convince you if it is worth it.

So, I don't see a point in this discussion.

 

[bunNfxr]

Rather than answer this directly. I'll tell what you may not have considered:
First of all a DPM degree has no use other than practicing podiatry. That may never be a problem, but if you grow weary of the field, you will most likely not be able to make enough money to pay your loans and life expenses.
Second, your career will be tied to your practice and its location. This is important because if you need to relocate, you need to start over. The building process can be long and you may not make nearly as much as you expect for a few years each time you relocate. This can happen if you need to move closer to family or the practice arrangement you have chosen is no longer working out well for you. A physician assistant or CRNA can pick up and move anywhere and have no income disruption. Other medical specialties also depend upon practice building, but can generally relocate into another group with minimal disruptions to income.
Enough podiatrist do well to convince a matriculating student, that there is nothing else he or she needs to consider. I remember looking into new EMR programs and calling references. Many of those doctors were young practitioners that had opened their own offices, but had been in practice 5-10 years. I would ask them if the EMR workflow allowed one to get through 20-30 patients a day without hours of end of the day charting. Many did not know, as they did not see that many patients. Seemed odd as I know many docs that see more than that.
Podiatrist don't always get the referral base they train for. Many end up cutting toenails on Medicare patients, for so many years that they can no longer feasibly take a job doing the surgeries they were trained to do. Windows for board certification close on many such doctors before they can find a job that taps their skills and training. Once that window closes, a young doctor would have to go back through residency. This almost never happens as it would disrupt one's life and wife (or husband) too much. At which point the young podiatrist applies for a primary care podiatry board, relegating him or herself to corn and toenail cutting ; a few injections, wound debridements and ingrown toenail procedures. Not too bad. Patients will generally be very thankful for the services you provide. But, it is not what was expected when they were sitting in your position now.
Some of your classmates will soar into success and make more money than you thought likely. They will own shares in surgery centers or other ventures. Others will seem successful, but you will find out later that they are making their money by playing orthotic and specialty product salesman, using their podiatric medical degree as leverage. Others, will be in trouble for billing procedures that were never done or some other creative income streams that do not use the skills of their residency and medical education.
Despite some very optimistic surveys, I regularly hear of young podiatrist that do not make enough to justify todays student loan burden. Podiatrists themselves have little control over their own fate and the changing health care policies are making it harder to practice podiatry more than other MD specialties.
I was called in over the weekend for two limb threatening diabetic foot infections. Based on two days of clinical improvement, I think both patients will keep their legs because of the procedures I did. I am regularly thanked, hugged and blessed for making people feel better. It's great work. But I steer my kids away from the field because more risk has entered the equation, with no increase in reward.

 

[Sweatshirt]

If you think an 80K salary is the norm, you need to do much more research

I'm not going to pick apart all your "facts", but some I'll address some of your major concerns. Podiatry is not a dying field and I can't see it ever dying especially with a huge diabetic population. If you've shadowed enough, you'll realize that podiatrists are VERY good at what they do. Yes, other people can do some of the things we do, but we are the best at everything foot and ankle related. Podiatrists can generate a lot of healthcare dollars, and we can save a lot of healthcare dollars in the process through a reduction in complications, deaths, etc. We had a lecture where some county in Arizona banned podiatrists, and their healthcare costs and patient mortality both increased.

There's a lot of negativity on this website. Take everything anecdotally. I've loved my time as a student and I look forward to my future, it's a great career!

 

[SnozzBerry]

That’s a tough question and one I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been shadowing some pods in the OR and they seem busy, well compensated, and relatively happy. But then there are all the other pods who didn’t get great surgical training in residency, who spent 7 years training to do essentially wound care and clip nails. I think there’s more of a reason podiatry admission standards are so low compared to other fields than the usual one thrown around here as “it’s a field most people don’t know about.” Yes surgical podiatrists can do well if they are in the right place at the right time, and WORK for it. But what percentage of new grads are going to get there? I don’t know the answer to this, but would like to hear opinions on that.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

If you think an 80K salary is the norm, you need to do much more research

I'm not going to pick apart all your "facts", but some I'll address some of your major concerns. Podiatry is not a dying field and I can't see it ever dying especially with a huge diabetic population. If you've shadowed enough, you'll realize that podiatrists are VERY good at what they do. Yes, other people can do some of the things we do, but we are the best at everything foot and ankle related. Podiatrists can generate a lot of healthcare dollars, and we can save a lot of healthcare dollars in the process through a reduction in complications, deaths, etc. We had a lecture where some county in Arizona banned podiatrists, and their healthcare costs and patient mortality both increased.

There's a lot of negativity on this website. Take everything anecdotally. I've loved my time as a student and I look forward to my future, it's a great career!

I’ve been at this a long time, and I cringe at the comment “we are the best at everything foot and ankle”. Sorry, but that’s a very arrogant statement and without merit.

The word “everything” is all encompassing. Don’t kid yourself that NPs, PAs, vascular surgeons, etc., can’t debride an ulcer as well as a DPM.

Don’t kid yourself that any can’t cut toenails or calluses as well. Some may just choose not to perform those procedures.

Don’t kid yourself that a fellowship trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon can’t perform surgery as well as a DPM.

Your comment has no merit and is an urban legend. Get off your high horse and realize there ARE others who can perform foot and ankle care very competently.

 

[Sweatshirt]

I’ve been at this a long time, and I cringe at the comment “we are the best at everything foot and ankle”. Sorry, but that’s a very arrogant statement and without merit.

The word “everything” is all encompassing. Don’t kid yourself that NPs, PAs, vascular surgeons, etc., can’t debride an ulcer as well as a DPM.

Don’t kid yourself that any can’t cut toenails or calluses as well. Some may just choose not to perform those procedures.

Don’t kid yourself that a fellowship trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon can’t perform surgery as well as a DPM.

Your comment has no merit and is an urban legend. Get off your high horse and realize there ARE others who can perform foot and ankle care very competently.

I never said there weren't people that cannot do foot and ankle things competently. But when it comes to the foot and ankle and how it related to your overall health and wellness, we are simply the best at treating it. That's a reason why the specialty or podiatry is here to stay. You CAN be the best at something, so be proud of it my guy : )

 

[GypsyHummus]

Why doesnt Podiatry have a monopoly on foot care like dentists do for mouths? You dont see too many general surgeons pulling teeth, but general surgeons amputate toes.

I’ve been at this a long time, and I cringe at the comment “we are the best at everything foot and ankle”. Sorry, but that’s a very arrogant statement and without merit.

The word “everything” is all encompassing. Don’t kid yourself that NPs, PAs, vascular surgeons, etc., can’t debride an ulcer as well as a DPM.

Don’t kid yourself that any can’t cut toenails or calluses as well. Some may just choose not to perform those procedures.

Don’t kid yourself that a fellowship trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon can’t perform surgery as well as a DPM.

Your comment has no merit and is an urban legend. Get off your high horse and realize there ARE others who can perform foot and ankle care very competently.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

I never said there weren't people that cannot do foot and ankle things competently. But when it comes to the foot and ankle and how it related to your overall health and wellness, we are simply the best at treating it. That's a reason why the specialty or podiatry is here to stay. You CAN be the best at something, so be proud of it my guy : )

Spare me the rah rah crap. I don’t know where you are in your training, but I’m willing to say that I’ve been around the block a few more times than you. I have been very successful in this profession and have performed a high volume of surgical cases. So I’m not new and not naive. I’m extremely confident in my skills, knowledge and ability.

I’m proud to say I’m very good at what I do. But put an end to the “we do it better than anyone” rant. Unless you’ve seen everyone do it, then simply say you or we do it well.

 

[Sweatshirt]

Spare me the rah rah crap. I don’t know where you are in your training, but I’m willing to say that I’ve been around the block a few more times than you. I have been very successful in this profession and have performed a high volume of surgical cases. So I’m not new and not naive. I’m extremely confident in my skills, knowledge and ability.

I’m proud to say I’m very good at what I do. But put an end to the “we do it better than anyone” rant. Unless you’ve seen everyone do it, then simply say you or we do it well.

Congrats to where you are in your career and all of your accomplishments thus far. But if you want to have a negative mentality and tell yourself that you are replaceable, then you go ahead. Sometimes a little bit of confidence is good

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

Why doesnt Podiatry have a monopoly on foot care like dentists do for mouths? You dont see too many general surgeons pulling teeth, but general surgeons amputate toes.

It’s just the nature of the beast. Orthopedic surgeons perform foot and ankle surgery. Dermatologists treat skin and nail disorders. General surgeons and vascular surgeons treat wounds and perform denridements and amputations. Physical therapists and physiatrists treat many ailments such as plantar fasciitis. PAs, NPs and general practitioners treat many common foot ailments. And the list goes on. And don’t fool yourself that none of them do it well.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

Congrats to where you are in your career and all of your accomplishments thus far. But if you want to have a negative mentality and tell yourself that you are replaceable, then you go ahead. Sometimes a little bit of confidence is good

You don’t get it. I am EXTREMELY confident and sometimes a little cocky or “arrogant”. I did not obtain success by having a “negative mentality”. However, I don’t discredit others for the sake of boosting my ego. I’ve been in the OR with amazingly talented foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons. I’ve worked in wound care centers with talented wound care nurses and vascular surgeons.

So there is no negativity. It is reality that we are well trained and there are many others without a DPM degree that are also well trained and talented.

Tell everyone you’re a talented genius and tell them you are great at your chosen career, but do NOT tell them “we do it better than anyone else”. It’s a foolish and immature comment.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Well, thank goodness that Pods of the past had the foresight to secure surgical privileges, otherwise the DPM degree would be little more than an over glorified Nurse practitioner degree for the foot and ankle.

I suppose the same overlap would have manifested if there was a hand and wrist school, analogous to podiatry.

From the research I've done, it seems that under MD/DO and DDS, DPMs have the next best spot on the healthcare totem pole, so to speak. DPMs can practice autonomously, do surgery, write prescriptions, and have all the same rights and privileges as physicians for the foot and ankle (depending on the state you practice in). Contrasted to Pharmacy or Optometry, where they are plagued with oversaturation, or Physical therapy or audiology both which have a notoriously low compensation rate, and nursing which are capped at what they can do, Podiatry seems like a safer bet.

It’s just the nature of the beast. Orthopedic surgeons perform foot and ankle surgery. Dermatologists treat skin and nail disorders. General surgeons and vascular surgeons treat wounds and perform denridements and amputations. Physical therapists and physiatrists treat many ailments such as plantar fasciitis. PAs, NPs and general practitioners treat many common foot ailments. And the list goes on. And don’t fool yourself that none of them do it well.

 

[UnDecided92]

@podlyfe95 everyone has their opinion on the field. The hard part is you do not know the people that give their input on the field. You do not know what their educational background is, where they did their residency (if they got solid surgical training or not), how long their residency was and how they did in podiatry school or when they attended. I would say shadow podiatrists that practice the way you would want to practice. This would give you a better idea. I personally believe in the field pros and cons included and a good portion of my family is involved in podiatry so if you got questions message me and I will try to pass it on. One thing that I can say for certain about the field is that you will have to bust your ass to be successful because this is not just a cop-out speciality.

 

[GypsyHummus]

OP, I'll try and keep my comments to a minimum on this thread because Im not a podiatrist, but keep in mind all the factors. The podiatry of today is not the Podiatry of 20 years ago. There use to be no residency required to be a pod. I remember reading on here that 5 years ago, it was almost unheard of for DPMs to be in hospital settings, now, it is becoming more commonplace. In 7 years, Podiatry will have progressed even further.

Also, if you ask other doctors, not necessarily DPMs if they would go into medicine again, you get about a 50-50 Yes to No. Medicine is a tough road. The training is long and so are the hours of the day. When I shadowed, I asked to see the whole spectrum of what the doctor did, including paperwork dictation they did at 8pm when everybody else had gone home. I saw the behind the scenes fight with insurance companies to try and get someone covered. I saw patients who have had irreversible damage done to their feet by an incompetent podiatrist who performed a bunionectomy 20 years ago, but I also saw the "wins" when someone was able to walk without pain after taking out an ingrown toenail.

Make sure this is what you want.

 

[UnDecided92]

and notice that taking away someone's pain due to a ingrown nail is just the bare minimum of what you can do. You can save someone's life or limb in this field and also be able to make a positive impact on their life. I think their are some underlying issues with the field that need to be addressed so future docs can appropriately guide the field into the future but I do think podiatry can be very rewarding and also professionally satisfying.

 

[Sweatshirt]

You don’t get it. I am EXTREMELY confident and sometimes a little cocky or “arrogant”. I did not obtain success by having a “negative mentality”. However, I don’t discredit others for the sake of boosting my ego. I’ve been in the OR with amazingly talented foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons. I’ve worked in wound care centers with talented wound care nurses and vascular surgeons.

So there is no negativity. It is reality that we are well trained and there are many others without a DPM degree that are also well trained and talented.

Tell everyone you’re a talented genius and tell them you are great at your chosen career, but do NOT tell them “we do it better than anyone else”. It’s a foolish and immature comment.

We do foot and ankle better than everyone else. It's in the name. You go to an ophthalmologist to get the best eye care, and you go to the podiatrist to get the best foot care

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

We do foot and ankle better than everyone else. It's in the name. You go to an ophthalmologist to get the best eye care, and you go to the podiatrist to get the best foot care

I wouldn’t say that so generally.. maybe with wound care and diabetic complications. But foot and ankle in general?? There are F/A orthopedists

 

[DexterMorganSK]

You don’t get it. I am EXTREMELY confident and sometimes a little cocky or “arrogant”. I did not obtain success by having a “negative mentality”. However, I don’t discredit others for the sake of boosting my ego. I’ve been in the OR with amazingly talented foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons. I’ve worked in wound care centers with talented wound care nurses and vascular surgeons.

So there is no negativity. It is reality that we are well trained and there are many others without a DPM degree that are also well trained and talented.

Tell everyone you’re a talented genius and tell them you are great at your chosen career, but do NOT tell them “we do it better than anyone else”. It’s a foolish and immature comment.

Would you agree or disagree that a DPM's training through 4 years of Pod school and 3 years of residency in foot&ankle is more than any other field/specialty out there? As far as I know, even the Ortho who are specializing in foot and ankle are not required to complete the same number of case logs (surgical) as that of a DPM.

I'm not asking if someone out there is a doing better job or not..just asking if a DPM has the best or the complete training in the lower extremities?

Thanks.

 

[UnDecided92]

I would say there are good surgeons and bad surgeons in every field. Being well known for how good you are as a surgeon goes pretty far in healthcare.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

We do foot and ankle better than everyone else. It's in the name. You go to an ophthalmologist to get the best eye care, and you go to the podiatrist to get the best foot care

Wow. You really don’t get it. There are no other surgeons who perform eye surgery. There are other very highly qualified surgeons who perform foot and ankle surgery.

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

Would you agree or disagree that a DPM's training through 4 years of Pod school and 3 years of residency in foot&ankle is more than any other field/specialty out there? As far as I know, even the Ortho who are specializing in foot and ankle are not required to complete the same number of case logs (surgical) as that of a DPM.

I'm not asking if someone out there is a doing better job or not..just asking if a DPM has the best or the complete training in the lower extremities?

Thanks.

It is dependent on the quality of the training. There is a difference between training and quality training. I know residency directors who are horrible surgeons with no morals or ethics. So I have a hard time saying that an orthopedic surgeon who trained at Harvard and completed a strong fellowship isn’t going to do as good a job as a DPM who did some crap residency program. And there ARE crap programs.

My practice is unique. 30% or more of my surgical cases are “re-dos” of failed prior surgery. I get referred the cases that went bad and no one will touch. So I don’t want anyone preaching to me how we are “the best”, we have the “best training” or that we “own the foot and ankle”. I have spent a lot of time in the OR fixing nightmares caused by “the best”.

Please understand that the entry requirements to get into a US Medical school are incredibly difficult. These are the cream of the crop academically. And obtaining an orthopedic residency is very difficult. And completing a 5 year + residency AND fellowship is difficult. So please don’t kid yourself thinking these well trained MDs aren’t capable of the highest quality of care.

So the short answer is that I can not definitively say “we” have the best training. It depends on the student and the teacher.

 

[podlyfe95]

Thanks for the input. With podiatry I love the Mixture of different specialties which attracted me to the career in the first place. I’ve shadowed a bunch of podiatrists. Most were positive about it and only disliked the typical issues in medicine in general. However what has been mentioned here and other threads I’ve read further shows me that I have a lot of thinking to do. I do believe that with hard work and dedication you can bring in success , but with seeing the limitations in this field I feel like podiatry might be a risky field to persue . I am still interested in podiatry , but I also want to make sure I have a stable career and lifestyle .

 

[UnDecided92]

Thanks for the input. With podiatry I love the Mixture of different specialties which attracted me to the career in the first place. I’ve shadowed a bunch of podiatrists. Most were positive about it and only disliked the typical issues in medicine in general. However what has been mentioned here and other threads I’ve read further shows me that I have a lot of thinking to do. I do believe that with hard work and dedication you can bring in success , but with seeing the limitations in this field I feel like podiatry might be a risky field to persue . I am still interested in podiatry , but I also want to make sure I have a stable career and lifestyle .

Hey man I know it might be discouraging to read SDN, I’ve also been in your shoes before as have many others not just in these forums but also in the MD and DO forums. The fact remains this: You make who you are and you have the power to put yourself where you want to be and what you want to be. At the end of the day it comes down to what you want to be. I know I want to be a kickass surgeon one day so I’m going to bust my ass to get kickass grades so I can get a kickass residency and kick even more ass so I can land a kickass job where-ever that’s in a hospital or practice so I can be a kickass doctor for my patients. At the end of the day it’s up to you to make your dreams a reality. Wish you the best of luck.

 

[hematosis]

If you're making your career decision based on the Podiatry section of SDN then you deserve to fail in life. Most of the crap thats written here from these old semi retired Podiatrist are pretty negative imo. I would shadow local podiatrist for a better idea. Even emailing any of these residency directors (CASPR Directory, American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine) and asking them about their opinion on Podiatry and if their graduated residents are finding jobs and what kind of jobs would be a better use of your time. Don't be stupid.

 

[DYK343]

I was originally a 10 year SDN member but deleted my account. I couldnt take the SDN negativity anymore. I'm crushing it. My practice is thriving and I'm super busy. Maybe I'm lucky but I always took my fathers advice: Hang out with the smart kids who dont complain a lot. It's been the best advice I ever had. All my friends are doing well too........

 

[GypsyHummus]

There was a quote by someone I forget who but always stuck with me: you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

I always took my fathers advice: Hang out with the smart kids who dont complain a lot. It's been the best advice I ever had. All my friends are doing well too........

 

[ExperiencedDPM]

To make things crystal clear, I’m not negative about podiatry. I’ve done very well in this profession but I’m also realistic and want everyone to understand it’s not a simple path.

ALL of medicine is being slammed with ridiculous rules and regulations.

It’s a fact that there is little DPMs do that is unique and can’t be or isn’t reproducible by other professions. That does NOT mean we aren’t valuable. It does mean we need to be at the top of our game.

It’s irresponsible to state that “we do it better than anyone else”. There are good and bad in all professions and making comments like “we own the foot and ankle” or “we do it better than ANYONE” is a great way to keep a wall between DPMs and everyone else.

Can we do it well? Absolutely. But you can praise yourself but not at the expense of other professions.

 

[bunNfxr]

OP, I'll try and keep my comments to a minimum on this thread because Im not a podiatrist, but keep in mind all the factors. The podiatry of today is not the Podiatry of 20 years ago. There use to be no residency required to be a pod. I remember reading on here that 5 years ago, it was almost unheard of for DPMs to be in hospital settings, now, it is becoming more commonplace. In 7 years, Podiatry will have progressed even further.

Also, if you ask other doctors, not necessarily DPMs if they would go into medicine again, you get about a 50-50 Yes to No. Medicine is a tough road. The training is long and so are the hours of the day. When I shadowed, I asked to see the whole spectrum of what the doctor did, including paperwork dictation they did at 8pm when everybody else had gone home. I saw the behind the scenes fight with insurance companies to try and get someone covered. I saw patients who have had irreversible damage done to their feet by an incompetent podiatrist who performed a bunionectomy 20 years ago, but I also saw the "wins" when someone was able to walk without pain after taking out an ingrown toenail.

Make sure this is what you want.

Your statements are completely wrong and show a lack of research. Residencies have been required in almost every state for well over 20 years. If you think newer residents are better trained than those of 10, 20 or 30 years ago, ask a residency director about the quality of residents. I have! And the colleagues I know, that participate with residencies say the same thing every time about the majority of residents for the past 10-15 years. "Poor work ethic and they think they know everything already". I have never heard anyone say "wow this crop is so much better educated than years past. The profession is really moving forward. ". It is usually more along the lines of "oh god help us!!"

 

[bunNfxr]

For what is worth, I am more middle of my career. No where near the retirement goalpost. If someone my age is sugar coating the above issues it is because podiatrist traditionally have relied on fresh meat to buy out old practices and fund the retirement of our seniors. I don't think that is going to happen any more either.
I think most of you guys will work for Ortho, multi spec and hospitals. Private practices are loosing value very quickly. But that is not your concern as an entering student.
But since podiatry will dependent upon other entities to sustain the profession, we will be loosing control over the profession. Previously, if a podiatrist could not get hospital privileges they would set up an in office OR suite and control market share with or without a hospital's blessing. That is not even an accepted practice by patients in this day and age. Without that outlet for the profession to grow, the "need for podiatry" is at the discretion of other entities that only care about you, if you are the most profitable way to capture market share of foot and ankle care. With the great overlaps in our profession, that means more DPMs will be displaced during their career. Even if it is not a good financial move for the hospital, some bean counter will suggest replacing x% of doctors with NPs and PAs. It happens all the time right now. When that does happen you will have less flexibility to restart your career as a DPM than Derm, neuro or other MD/DO. In my opinion that is the most significant risk you are facing in podiatry as the profession "evolves" and is "better accepted" by hospitals and ortho groups.
If you pursue or end up in private practice you might as well rent your office space from ToysR Us. I hear they have some inexpensive commercial real estate.

 

[GypsyHummus]

20 years ago you could practice podiatry with a 1 year residency. Now, you have to do a 3 year. Would it not limit a DPMs options coming from a 1 year residency vs a 3?

I would think 3 times the amount of training would be better, though like I said I’m not a podiatrist and an open to being corrected if I’m wrong. MD/DOs used to be able to do a 1 year internship and practice as a GEneral practitioner which limited their options, now they have to do 3 years of residency.

Edit; and you point about private practice dying out, that is happening to many practices, not just podiatry, as hospital chains grow. Plus, private practice podiatry groups is where we see a majority of the horrible offers (60-70k), whereas hospitals routinely offer 200k+ for the newly minted DPM. It is hard to feel any sympathy for the private practice pod groups that notoriously take new DPMs for a ride.

Double edit: yes yes yes lazy and entitled, everyone says that about millennial.

Your statements are completely wrong and show a lack of research. Residencies have been required in almost every state for well over 20 years. If you think newer residents are better trained than those of 10, 20 or 30 years ago, ask a residency director about the quality of residents. I have! And the colleagues I know, that participate with residencies say the same thing every time about the majority of residents for the past 10-15 years. "Poor work ethic and they think they know everything already". I have never heard anyone say "wow this crop is so much better educated than years past. The profession is really moving forward. ". It is usually more along the lines of "oh god help us!!"

 

[streetsweeper]

Finished residency in 2014. I haven't struggled to find a job but it's true you have to bust your tail if you want to make it. You're not gonna become a millionaire with a minimum wage work ethic. I found my current job through a google search. Will it be the same by the time you graduate? who knows...I thought I was going to struggle to find a job because of the same fears being tossed around now. I also thought I was in a region saturated by podiatry when I started out but I am rapidly becoming the go to go for second opinions and anything surgical beyond a bunion and I happily accept these referrals. Your reputation and skills will be the most valuable asset when you get out.

Tax bracket sucks.. But I'll say it's worth it around 2024 (once student debt is paid off and I'll have a lot of equity built up by then). By then I'll be in my late 30s and the rest of my career/life to deal with. Not great but not bad either.

 

[msion]

SDN is a very small, or minor representation of our profession, and actually for every single medical profession. A lot of people come here to seek for validation of their identities. The real world is very different.

When you start school I am pretty sure you will learn the history of podiatry and its former self, chiropody. You will then learn that it was created over 100 years ago as a first attempt for medical specialization. We maintain a separate school for historical reasons, but we are well integrated into the allopathic world. The MD world did not designate us as quackery as they did with the DOs and chiros in the early years after the release of the Flexner Report. In the 50s and 60s we underwent our own version of the Flexner Report and that improved our training and perception. We are a small profession that historically practices in an outpatient setting. In fact we pioneered the movement of ambulatory surgeries. Hospital privileges, especially admitting privilege, are only recent and therefore providers who tend to work in the inpatient setting are not familiar with our training or skills.

Healthcare is only getting more and more diverse and more people will seek medical care. If chiropractors, naturopathic schools and other energy healing programs are still well alive today, then I won’t worry about our profession at all. We do need to watch out for the mid-level providers, as they are trying to expand their scopes without a more formal standardized training. I do not like NPs. This whole online DNP degree really bothers me and now they start to call themselves cathopathic physicians. PAs are great, but now they are trying to change their title as well.

Anyway, your knowledge and skills will matter more. So just study hard and be that guy/gal if we truly see ourselves as the foot and ankle (or the lower leg) specialist. You are the future of this profession.

 

[ksp2276]

Lets see:
I make 200+k per year
I live near a major city
im 30
I drive a supercar
I have a smoking hot gf

id say it's worth it brahh...

...Ok now that the superficial stuff that millennials care about is out of the way...:
I love my job and have a lot of respect from other specialties at my hospital
I'm able to take care of my parents and pretty much travel where I want
I give back philanthropically because of the acquired wealth
the money is great but I really like the lifestyle and the gratification you can get from helping some patients (especially limb salvage) is something that very few get in an occupation