Md -> dpm

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It used to be very common for podiatrists to work without residencies (only around 50% of graduates would get one in the past) and I think it is still possible though it extremely limiting especially when it comes to surgery.

Did you scramble into a FM residency or something?
 
Naw, I'm in radiology

I wouldn't switch now if I were in your shoes. I would be a radiologist for ten years then if I decided working remotely part time for $400K/yr. and taking vacations every month got boring then I'd consider switching.
 
I believe all but a few states require post-graduate training (residency) for Pods to get licensed. I think this ranges from one to two years depending on the state, but I'm not 100% sure. However, all Pod residencies are now three years long, so earning a DPM and doing residency is now a 7 year investment total.

I think it would be a good idea to focus paying off your med school loans by practicing as a radiologist first. If after awhile you still decide to pursue Podiatry, then put away enough money for 4 years of Pod school (living expenses, food, etc, around 200k total). That way you won't have to take out any additional loans and won't have to worry about paying off prior debt neither.

I'm only a pre-pod so take this with a grain of salt, but from what I have learned, I would strongly recommend completing a podiatric residency. I feel that it can only help you.
 
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If you want to really practice podiatry, it'll take the full 7 years unfortunately. Re-entering the match or whatever you have to do to become an ortho would actually be faster...but then you have to voluntarily pass up on the higher paying joints (shoulders, hips, knees) which fewer and fewer orthos are doing it seems.
 
It used to be very common for podiatrists to work without residencies (only around 50% of graduates would get one in the past) and I think it is still possible though it extremely limiting especially when it comes to surgery.

Did you scramble into a FM residency or something?

No, every Pod needs to have a 3 year residency since like 2007-ish. But even before then, there were 3 year residencies and also surgical based 2 year residencies.

Pods in that past that did 1 year residency or no residency at all ( and this is very long ago like in the 70's or earlier) could not do any kind of surgical procedure at all. They mainly did pallatative procedures.
 
This is going to seem funny but I've been thinking about podiatry for some time. I have an MD and currently in a residency. I was wondering if anyone here switched MD to DPM. My rational for switching is to have a very focused, niche surgical subspecialty consult-only practice which is really hard to do in medicine because of the competition, length of training, expectation of being able to manage everything. I was hoping to go into foot/ankle trauma + wound care. Can pods work without residency?

Call the new york school. they might have some way to transfer some of your courses and have you take boards part 1. You would definitely qualify for good scholarships but it will add some chunk to your current debt. i'd suggest working a few years to pay it off, then maybe switching career if your still not content with your current one. Anything is possible and any of these schools would love to have you. good luck.
 
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I might stick this out for a couple of years or so but at some point, i know im going to want to fix that fracture rather than just pointing it out. I worked with some pod residents as a med student, they all seemed non malignant, and I definitely consulted pods as much as possible rather than the orthopods as an intern (easier to deal with).

I'll probably stop by the local podiatry school to see if they can work with my situation (free radiological staffing/faculty for a "subsidized" DPM degree, i dunno, but wouldnt that be nice?)

I'll definitely check out NYCPM too. I know in medicine, they definitely gave advance standing to residents that switched specialty or have completed residencies in other countries. I wouldnt mind doing an abbreviated surgical podiatric residency (they do it for the OMFS guys)
 
The problem is that all of those med schools and residency programs are accredited by the same organization. Pods have a separate regulatory agency, board examiner, degree, etc. You may get advance standing at a school or two, but there is no way around completing all 3 years of residency.
 
Please dont do that .... im serious... your in a road specialty... at least shadow and see what its all about outsideof the OR .... since thats what you will be doing for the most part.... plus making a living is much eaiser and waaay more as a radiologist. .. but if thats really what you want, it is what it is and noone can really stop you.

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