Need Advice/Concern

[SAFOOT]

I'm from southern california and want to stay in california for my residency and get accepted into a good residency. But i was not very impressed with californias program or school. I feel that they just made their curriculum harder because they were having problems and were having lower board scores. They stated they were raising the bar but I feel it wasn't for the right reasons, more possibly because they have lower board pass rates. Why would a poor program raise the bar higher than a school Temple for example that has lower standards. Temple has more students, better program accepts various tests for admission and still has better board scores, and better training and considered a great school.

My ultimate concern and question however is which I feel is basically the reason one decides the school besides geographic reasons is will a person who goes to california school or whichever pod school be able to get a residency in southern cali for example with ease or does one have to go to a top tier school Temple for example to get that residency where one wants it? If i can get into a great residency with ease after attending california it makes no sense to move out to Temple, geographically and in terms of cost however I prefer California because it will be slightly cheaper for me. I'm really having a tough time deciding based on that reason plus the 10k scholarship that is offered every year at cali.

As you mentioned boards are ultimately up to the student and almost everyone passes podiatry schools and those that leave podiatry are for personal reasons and not because they couldn't handle the load. My concern is really the residency factor of getting into a residency in southern california if it is easily manageable then it makes no sense to go to a better program, because ultimately the real experience comes from the residency. Hopefully i can get some feedback from current students otherse that feel can help answer my question and what they feel about that.
Thanks

SAFOOT

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[Dr_Feelgood]

As you mentioned boards are ultimately up to the student and almost everyone passes podiatry schools and those that leave podiatry are for personal reasons and not because they couldn't handle the load.

This is not true at CPMS. We have about 5 to 10 students that cannot "cut the mustard" and are dismissed for academics.

But you concerns in general are common. Any pod school can give you a good education but what is important is your effort. I worry that some schools try to teach what the feel is important for boards and that is why students fall short at game time. I cannot speak for AZPOD, but at DMU you receive a true medical education. The first year is tough but as it gets later in the year, it seems easy. I think that is true for 2 reasons. 1) Students are adapted. 2) Medicine is finite. By that I mean, the human body has only 1 liver. I a strong edition program, you will look at the liver in various ways, biochemically, anatomically, physiologically, and pathological. But the liver is the liver and as your educational base grows you will find things get easier. And when boards and rotations come around you will remember your basic science b/c it has been drilled into your head.

I think you can be successful anywhere if you want it.

 

[discusdan]

It is possible to go to Pod school outside of California and get back there for residency. I have a few friends that are fourth year students that are doing some externships in California and they go to DMU. I can only speak for our school but our students go everywhere when it comes to externships and residencies.

 

[dpmgrad]

I'm from southern california and want to stay in california for my residency and get accepted into a good residency. But i was not very impressed with californias program or school. I feel that they just made their curriculum harder because they were having problems and were having lower board scores. They stated they were raising the bar but I feel it wasn't for the right reasons, more possibly because they have lower board pass rates. Why would a poor program raise the bar higher than a school Temple for example that has lower standards. Temple has more students, better program accepts various tests for admission and still has better board scores, and better training and considered a great school.

My ultimate concern and question however is which I feel is basically the reason one decides the school besides geographic reasons is will a person who goes to california school or whichever pod school be able to get a residency in southern cali for example with ease or does one have to go to a top tier school Temple for example to get that residency where one wants it? If i can get into a great residency with ease after attending california it makes no sense to move out to Temple, geographically and in terms of cost however I prefer California because it will be slightly cheaper for me. I'm really having a tough time deciding based on that reason plus the 10k scholarship that is offered every year at cali.

As you mentioned boards are ultimately up to the student and almost everyone passes podiatry schools and those that leave podiatry are for personal reasons and not because they couldn't handle the load. My concern is really the residency factor of getting into a residency in southern california if it is easily manageable then it makes no sense to go to a better program, because ultimately the real experience comes from the residency. Hopefully i can get some feedback from current students otherse that feel can help answer my question and what they feel about that.
Thanks

SAFOOT

As mentioned earlier, you can go to any Podiatry schools and still get into good residency programs if you work hard and do well at school. Temple students has actually done very well this past year in placing students into Kaiser programs (SF Bay Program) and Scripps Mercy Program in San Diego. If you think that California school is more economical for you, I think that you should consider the school. Just work hard, learn as much as you can, and do well and you can go to whatever residency program you want.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

As mentioned earlier, you can go to any Podiatry schools and still get into good residency programs if you work hard and do well at school. Temple students has actually done very well this past year in placing students into Kaiser programs (SF Bay Program) and Scripps Mercy Program in San Diego. If you think that California school is more economical for you, I think that you should consider the school. Just work hard, learn as much as you can, and do well and you can go to whatever residency program you want.

Is SF considered Southern Cali??? I thought Southern Cali was LA and SD.

 

[dpmgrad]

Is SF considered Southern Cali??? I thought Southern Cali was LA and SD.

Actually, you are correct. Thanks for the correction.

 

[teefRcool]

good point

 

[SAFOOT]

So in reality its not the board pass rates that really matter its how many students of the school that make it into great residency programs. thats the information that I'm concerned about which I can't really find anywhere, because residency programs are where you are actually getting the real experience not the 4 years of the school that your attending. Schools can talk all they want about the curriculum their classrooms, sim labs, yada yada but in the end its grades that count. Boards you can keep taking it untill you pass. The stats that schools give that their proud of is the first time board pass rates (DMU for example), so eventually majority of the students pass the friggin boards, 2nd or 3rd time who cares what the first time pass rates are. Since boards aren't give a score and their pass fail then its the grades that one earns in podiatry school that base the student what kind of residency he or she would get correct? This is my ultimate dilemma. Comments. It is economically better for me to stay in Cali but I just want to know the difference it really makes if i go to a better school temple or DMU for example. Thanks guys your comments are all helpfull in helping me narrow down my choices. Also is there a test to get into residency programs or is it automatic and based on your grades from pod school?

 

[dpmgrad]

So in reality its not the board pass rates that really matter its how many students of the school that make it into great residency programs. thats the information that I'm concerned about which I can't really find anywhere, because residency programs are where you are actually getting the real experience not the 4 years of the school that your attending. Schools can talk all they want about the curriculum their classrooms, sim labs, yada yada but in the end its grades that count. Boards you can keep taking it untill you pass. The stats that schools give that their proud of is the first time board pass rates (DMU for example), so eventually majority of the students pass the friggin boards, 2nd or 3rd time who cares what the first time pass rates are. Since boards aren't give a score and their pass fail then its the grades that one earns in podiatry school that base the student what kind of residency he or she would get correct? This is my ultimate dilemma. Comments. It is economically better for me to stay in Cali but I just want to know the difference it really makes if i go to a better school temple or DMU for example. Thanks guys your comments are all helpfull in helping me narrow down my choices. Also is there a test to get into residency programs or is it automatic and based on your grades from pod school?

I don't want you to get the wrong idea. The ability of the students to pass the board exams is rather important. In fact, a few states, such as Pennsylvana, the graduating students must be able to pass all 3 parts of the board exams before starting their residency training here. Yes, students may eventually pass the board exams. However, the student should always try to pass the board exams on the first try. If it took the student four tries to pass the Part 1 exam, this may cause the residency directors to question whether the student may be able to pass the Part 2 exam before they graduate. Hence, it may decrease your chances in getting into that residency program.

Every single school have their strengths and weaknesses. I recommend you to learn more about the schools and visit the schools (which is usually done during your interview). You should choose the school that would best fit your needs. As mentioned earlier, if you work hard, learn as much as you can, and do well, it will not matter which school you go to. If you are interested in some residency programs that predominantly take students from a certain school, I would recommend you to consider that school since it might increase your chances in getting into that program.

Almost all of the residency program interview have some academic component to it. Hence, you may be ask to work up a case study or to answer a bunch of random questions in a rapid fire fashion during the residency program interviews. Several programs used to required the students take a written exam as part of the interview process. However, AACPM is discouraging that practice and very very few programs require a written exam during the residency interview process. The main reason why residency program interviews have an academic component to it because our board exams are graded only pass / fail basis. In addition, the student's grades and rankings can not be relied on as the only source of student performance since each school does grade students slightly different.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

So in reality its not the board pass rates that really matter its how many students of the school that make it into great residency programs. thats the information that I'm concerned about which I can't really find anywhere, because residency programs are where you are actually getting the real experience not the 4 years of the school that your attending. Schools can talk all they want about the curriculum their classrooms, sim labs, yada yada but in the end its grades that count. Boards you can keep taking it untill you pass. The stats that schools give that their proud of is the first time board pass rates (DMU for example), so eventually majority of the students pass the friggin boards, 2nd or 3rd time who cares what the first time pass rates are. Since boards aren't give a score and their pass fail then its the grades that one earns in podiatry school that base the student what kind of residency he or she would get correct? This is my ultimate dilemma. Comments. It is economically better for me to stay in Cali but I just want to know the difference it really makes if i go to a better school temple or DMU for example. Thanks guys your comments are all helpfull in helping me narrow down my choices. Also is there a test to get into residency programs or is it automatic and based on your grades from pod school?

Residencies definitely do take into consideration your school when they evaluate applicants. But more important is how you impress them during a clerkship or visit. If you do not have a solid foundation of evidence based medicine, you will not get the program.

I want to restate that you can be successful at any school, but success seems to come easier to students at certain programs.

Also, you can sit for the boards a 100 times but at $900 a pop and many schools will not let you graduate w/o passing Part I of the boards. You may want to make board scores a priority.