Never been good at making decisions

[DickDastardly87]

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Well I just got my mcat score back and now I have some decisions to make....I am a senior biology major at a division I school and my is 3.8 overall and a 3.6 science. I am also a resident of Georgia...I guess that may up my chances getting into Mercer...but I took the mcat in september for the first time and just found out what I got......23 😱! I don't know what I was expecting, I scored high teens on my practice tests and the highest prior to the big test day was a 21. I studied for like 3 months and I have no desire to take it again. Obviously I realize that medical school can be crossed off the list, but now I'm debating between DO school and podiatry school. I was originally more partial towards podiatry school, but after reading several negatives about podiatry...I'm now alittle more towards DO school...........ok so 1.) Do I have a decent shot at DO or Podiatry school? 2.) Does anyone have any thoughts on podiatry and where that profession is going? I'm sure this question gets asked tons, but I can't find any recent answers...I keep coming across blogs and posts from 2007 or later. Does anyone know where there may be pictures of the podiatry schools? I just get this overall sketchy sense when I go on the aacpm website.
One example is their statement that the average net income of a podiatrist in 2006 was $189,030....is that not really high?
I realize I have waited kinda late to start applying places, but I'm just stuck on what to do

 

[dyk343]

Well I just got my mcat score back and now I have some decisions to make....I am a senior biology major at a division I school and my is 3.8 overall and a 3.6 science. I am also a resident of Georgia...I guess that may up my chances getting into Mercer...but I took the mcat in september for the first time and just found out what I got......23 😱! I don't know what I was expecting, I scored high teens on my practice tests and the highest prior to the big test day was a 21. I studied for like 3 months and I have no desire to take it again. Obviously I realize that medical school can be crossed off the list, but now I'm debating between DO school and podiatry school. I was originally more partial towards podiatry school, but after reading several negatives about podiatry...I'm now alittle more towards DO school...........ok so 1.) Do I have a decent shot at DO or Podiatry school? 2.) Does anyone have any thoughts on podiatry and where that profession is going? I'm sure this question gets asked tons, but I can't find any recent answers...I keep coming across blogs and posts from 2007 or later. Does anyone know where there may be pictures of the podiatry schools? I just get this overall sketchy sense when I go on the aacpm website.
One example is their statement that the average net income of a podiatrist in 2006 was $189,030....is that not really high?
I realize I have waited kinda late to start applying places, but I'm just stuck on what to do

The best answer to your question is to shadow and ask questions. You will get into pod schools if you apply, but will you be happy? Its similar and quite different than MD/DO schools.

 

[DickDastardly87]

I'm calling podiatrist in the area 2moro...Are u considering pod?

 

[dyk343]

I'm calling podiatrist in the area 2moro...Are u considering pod?

Yes, Im just trying to finish my personal statement. I should send in my app before this week is over!

 

[215353]

Obviously I realize that medical school can be crossed off the list, but now I'm debating between DO school and podiatry school. I was originally more partial towards podiatry school, but after reading several negatives about podiatry...I'm now alittle more towards DO school...........ok so

What negatives about Podiatry have you read off SDN to make Podiatry school less attractive?

I suggest you shadow a POD ASAP to learn more about the profession and what his/her view points are. From my shadowing experiences, being a POD is what you make of it. Nothing is handed to you in this profession. You have to be proactive and go out there and market yourself to build your practice. The ones who do are the ones who are making good money. The ones who sit on their ass are the ones who complain that Podiatry is a dead-end career, yada yada yada yada.

If you are still unsure about trying to start a Podiatry practice right after residency you could always join a practice and earn a paycheck and learn the Biz for a couple of years. Then go out there and do it on your own.

Again, from what I have learned, Podiatry is what you make of it.

 

[DickDastardly87]

What are your stats like? I've had people tell me that a 23 won't get me into podiatry school and then I've had others say that it would. I think my gpa is fine and I have pretty good extrac. Which pod schools are u considering? I'm looking into temple and nycpm.
....As for the negatives...it's just posts I have seen, but I'm not going to shadow a pod and make my own observation.

 

[dtrack22]

At 23 your MCAT is average for pod schools, but your GPA is well above average. You'll get in at either Temple or NYCPM...hell, Temple will offer you an interview for just letting them know you're applying (kidding, kind of ). Just do the shadowing, I would suggest finding a local pod who completed a 3 year surgical residency as his/her practice is more likely to be what you'd expect, and then find a pod who did one of the old 1 year programs and is limited to cutting nails. That way you see each end of the profession. You should be able to find residency info on most pod's websites, otherwise you can call and ask the receptionist what kind of procedures the Dr. does. IMO by the time we are out of school/residency, the chances of us being limited to the latter type of work is unlikely but you gotta be prepared for anything.

 

[Royal Rooters]

I agree with some of the other posters that you should most definitely spend some time shadowing a podiatrist and developing a good rapport with them. See them in their daily clinic and in the OR (if they do surgery) on many occasions to really get a feel for the profession. Also, I would recommend shadowing different podiatrists as the practices can vary greatly from clinic to clinic. Like any other medical profession (MD, DO, DPM, DDS, OD), it is what you make of it, and therefore, will require a proactive approach on your part.

It seems to me the question you should be asking yourself is not whether you have a better chance to get into DO or podiatry school but rather which career path do you want to pursue? If you decide DO, then unfortunately, you may need to retake the MCAT or have some explanation for a score on the lower side of the spectrum.

The bottom line here is that at the end of the day you'll be treating patients, but the capacity in which you treat them is different. I think you need to determine which profession (DO, pod) will make you wake up in the morning and get you excited about the career choice you made. Either type of professional school will be rewarding (financially and in the warm-fuzzy you're making a difference way), yet will also time consuming, incredibly expensive, and will require a commitment by you like no other - so make sure you have an idea of what you're getting yourself into before you make a big leap.

Good luck on your decision 🙂 Hope the pod shadowing goes well!

 

[DickDastardly87]

Everyone here is too helpful.lol, but really you guys are really helping me out

 

[dyk343]

If you applied to enough DO schools, I bet you get an acceptance somewhere. It may not be your first choice, but I wouldn't be surprised if you gained acceptance at a few schools.

You would get into every pod school.

Good luck with your decision.