No Shadowing a DPM

[rockman_ariel]

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Has anyone gotten in without shadowing a DPM? I've shadowed an emergency physician, and I've volunteered in a small clinic. However, I'm having trouble getting into a DPM's clinic for shadowing time.

 

[heybrother]

This is a 7 year commitment + $250K + the rest of your life decision. That some person out there is the exception to the rule is irrelevant. Keep looking - no one likes cold calling people - we all get it - its not fun. But this part is easy compared to what's coming. The people at the link below may be able to assist you.

http://www.aacpm.org/contactpod/

 

[Telekinesis]

Has anyone gotten in without shadowing a DPM? I've shadowed an emergency physician, and I've volunteered in a small clinic. However, I'm having trouble getting into a DPM's clinic for shadowing time.

I googled and called and emailed. Try that.

 

[CapCrunch]

Yeah cold calling feels awkward, but more than likely if they're okay with you coming to shadow, they'll be decent people. The pod I shadowed was a pretty good guy and I just cold called him.

 

[rockman_ariel]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll keep trying to get that shadowing experience!

 

[FootAndAnkle]

If you try showing up to clinics in person (particularly on slower days of the week for business) you may have more luck than via phone or email.

 

[KSUCPM2015]

To answer your question OP:
Technically, I think you have to shadow a DPM to get accepted. That's what the schools say. If you've been on here long enough though you know that to every "rule" in admissions offices there is an exception. If I could offer one suggestion, ask that ER doc you shadowed if he knows any DPM's or has any friends of friends that are. That might make a cold call a little easier if you have a name you can throw out.

 

[rockman_ariel]

Thanks KSUCPM2015, I will definitely try that!

 

[duckied123]

If you try showing up to clinics in person (particularly on slower days of the week for business) you may have more luck than via phone or email.

I wouldn't recommend showing up to a clinic out of the blue. I work in a private office and we had that happen to us once and it was really weird and awkward for everyone involved.

 

[hughesn2]

First off, I think you are REQUIRED to have a letter for a podiatrist.
Barry: One (1) letter of recommendation from a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.
Kent State: A letter of recommendation from a podiatrist or other medical professional
Temple: An academic letter of evaluation is required from an advisor, premedical advisory committee or two letters from science faculty and ONE letter from a podiatric physician.
Scholl: One (1) letter of recommendation from a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.


Second, if you shadow a D.O. or M.D. and assume that a podiatrist will be extremely similar you will be surprised. You may not think that you will like the occupation if you shadow a podiatrist for a couple, so there is always that. I was lucky because the podiatrist I shadowed is a family friend, I use to do landscape for him throughout HS and some of college during the summer, and he was my podiatrist when I had Plantar fasciitis. Then the other two podiatrist I am already planning on talking to during my off year includes a podiatrist my cousin who is at D.O. school has shadowed as well and he told her to me give him a call. The other podiatrist worked in the same office as my family physician.

You mention that you shadowed an ER physician, so why not talk to him and see if he knows of any podiatrist that you could shadow for a couple weeks. The thing is that if you don't know this podiatrist that well you will have to shadow most likely more than 30 hours for him to actually write you a decent letter. I have seen people on these forums saying that they shadowed only a couple times and they didn't even know the podiatrist at all. To me, that would be equivalent to asking for a LOR from a college professor in which it was a 200+ student class and you never went to see the teacher during their office hours, but you asked for a LOR just because you got a 4.0. It will be hard for the DPM to "WOW" the admissions committee if the guy barely knows you & he only saw you less than half a dozen times. That is just my personal opinion on Letter of Recommendations.

 

[FootAndAnkle]

I wouldn't recommend showing up to a clinic out of the blue. I work in a private office and we had that happen to us once and it was really weird and awkward for everyone involved.

Worked great in my experience - it likely depends on how you conduct yourself.

Edit: You don't necessarily need to shadow that day (though I was able to), rather this can facilitate actually getting the arrangements made to do so.