Some thoughts for the pre-pods from a PGY-3 resident who's about to graduate at the end of next month:
STUDENT DOCTOR NETWORK:
This is the first time I looked at SDN in the last 3-4 years or so, I remember reading all of this doom and gloom about podiatry on this forum years ago and it completely turned me off from SDN. I look now, and it's the same thing. If you notice, there's a few 'regulars' who seemingly appear in every thread across the forum. I don't know if they're miserable or unsuccessful (maybe a combination) or what their deal is. Maybe they didn't get into their school of choice or residency program, maybe they failed out of a different degree... but they have put a stain on this entire forum and constantly bash the career. Take their opinions lightly, if they are posting that frequently on a forum like this, maybe they should find something better to do.
PAY for residency:
Residency pay has significantly increased within the last 3 years - as it should have with inflation. The MD residency positions at my hospital have also gone up. In podiatry school, I remember a resident doing a presentation, talking about how his biweekly paycheck in residency was $1400 just a few years ago, this is no longer the case. You can check residency salaries here, they are all listed. Some programs are in HCOL places with meh pay, some are in lower cost of living areas with great pay. You will not be dirt poor in residency, it is not rice and beans every night...
DEBT:
Disclaimer - I have benefitted greatly from the COVID student loan interest pause and the SAVE plan for the last 5 years. I am grateful for this, as I have saved thousands of dollars. Remember, if you have a $100,000 loan at 5% interest, you owe 5% of $100,000 per year... so each year you get hit with $5,000 of interest. This interest does not compound, it accrues. $200,000 at 8% is $16,000 per year or $1333 a month. So you need to pay $1333 every month to keep your loan balance at $200,000. This can be brutal. It's why you see people saying, "I paid back $160,000 over TEN YEARS and I still owe the same amount!" You have to pay back more than the interest to make a dent...
All of the tuition is listed on the school websites, consider where you will live in school. I do not know why some people say "400k in debt" for this career. It is not that much. If you are spending $100k per year on tuition and living expenses, maybe you need to change something up... Get roommates. Keep your expenses at a minimum. Learn to cook. Figure it out.
I have about $225,000 in debt, which is more than I thought I would have... However, I was able to save up a significant amount in residency (way more than I thought I would have) that I plan to throw at my loans. As soon as SAVE plan turns off, I will be in less debt than my first job salary.
FIRST JOB:
I signed a $175k job base salary associates position a few months ago in my home state, + a bonus. Yes, you CAN be a CRNA and make more. You CAN go MD/DO and make more. You can go into engineering and be a cubicle slave for a defense company for your entire career designing things for other people and make more... Or finance.. Or whatever. . . The reason I'm being transparent is there's a lot of doom and gloom on SDN which states your first job will be $100k - $120k, which is not true. "Well LOOK at these job listings!!!" yes, look at these unfilled positions, they are unfilled for a reason. I am completely satisfied with $175k base + bonus as my first job, maybe you're not, maybe the 'regulars' are not. Believe it or not, the base salary has increased in the last few years for associate positions. Also, the ceiling in podiatry is high. Some guys I know make way more, some less. Keep in mind that some podiatrists are totally comfortable making $100k a year working 2-3 days a week seeing a few patients. Some bring in 7 figures owning multiple practices.
BEYOND:
The ceiling is quite high. My residency director and all of my attendings make great money. Many are private practice, some are hospital based jobs, some are orthro group. There are older podiatrists out there who want to take advantage of the young docs, they'll want to sell their practice for an unreasonable amount of money... just don't take those jobs.
OUTLOOK:
#1 reason diabetics get admitted is their feet... the last I checked, diabetes has skyrocketed and continues to skyrocket... However, not all podiatry is diabetic ulcer care and limb salvage. There's a lot more to the career than that. Also, the majority of podiatry deals with the older population, the geriatrics, the BOOMERS. This is the oldest population the USA has ever had due to the Boomers (ages 60-79).
HAPPY:
I made lifelong friends in podiatry school and residency, some weeks were miserable, but you get through those weeks. It's difficult, you have to work hard. Learn as much as you can. You can absolutely have a life in school and residency (maybe not the 'regulars' posting on SDN daily). I do not regret my career choice and I am thrilled to start as an associate in a few months.
SHADOW:
If you are curious about the career, get off of this lame website and try to shadow different practices. The first podiatrist I shadowed did a lot of routine diabetic care cutting toenails and calluses, I was turned off. The next podiatrist I shadowed had a high paced wound care clinic + took call at the hospital, it was much better. The third podiatrist let me go into the OR and see some cases for the very first time. Dress professionally, be interested (I cannot stress this enough), do not be on your phone. Learn one thing a day and write it down.
TOENAILS:
Some podiatrists do a lot of toenails. I would not be satisfied with my career if all I did was nails every day. I like doing a mix of elective and non elective surgeries such as reconstructive surgery to bunions, trauma, amputations, limb salvage, etc. There's a lot more to the career than toenails... do not let the 'regulars' of this forum tell you it's $400k debt to make $100k trimming toenails all day eating rice and beans daily. That is simply not true.
REGULARS:
Get a hobby, everyone sees your avatar and it's cringe. "This guy again." Maybe go back to school and do what you dreamed of doing.
END RANT
STUDENT DOCTOR NETWORK:
This is the first time I looked at SDN in the last 3-4 years or so, I remember reading all of this doom and gloom about podiatry on this forum years ago and it completely turned me off from SDN. I look now, and it's the same thing. If you notice, there's a few 'regulars' who seemingly appear in every thread across the forum. I don't know if they're miserable or unsuccessful (maybe a combination) or what their deal is. Maybe they didn't get into their school of choice or residency program, maybe they failed out of a different degree... but they have put a stain on this entire forum and constantly bash the career. Take their opinions lightly, if they are posting that frequently on a forum like this, maybe they should find something better to do.
PAY for residency:
Residency pay has significantly increased within the last 3 years - as it should have with inflation. The MD residency positions at my hospital have also gone up. In podiatry school, I remember a resident doing a presentation, talking about how his biweekly paycheck in residency was $1400 just a few years ago, this is no longer the case. You can check residency salaries here, they are all listed. Some programs are in HCOL places with meh pay, some are in lower cost of living areas with great pay. You will not be dirt poor in residency, it is not rice and beans every night...
DEBT:
Disclaimer - I have benefitted greatly from the COVID student loan interest pause and the SAVE plan for the last 5 years. I am grateful for this, as I have saved thousands of dollars. Remember, if you have a $100,000 loan at 5% interest, you owe 5% of $100,000 per year... so each year you get hit with $5,000 of interest. This interest does not compound, it accrues. $200,000 at 8% is $16,000 per year or $1333 a month. So you need to pay $1333 every month to keep your loan balance at $200,000. This can be brutal. It's why you see people saying, "I paid back $160,000 over TEN YEARS and I still owe the same amount!" You have to pay back more than the interest to make a dent...
All of the tuition is listed on the school websites, consider where you will live in school. I do not know why some people say "400k in debt" for this career. It is not that much. If you are spending $100k per year on tuition and living expenses, maybe you need to change something up... Get roommates. Keep your expenses at a minimum. Learn to cook. Figure it out.
I have about $225,000 in debt, which is more than I thought I would have... However, I was able to save up a significant amount in residency (way more than I thought I would have) that I plan to throw at my loans. As soon as SAVE plan turns off, I will be in less debt than my first job salary.
FIRST JOB:
I signed a $175k job base salary associates position a few months ago in my home state, + a bonus. Yes, you CAN be a CRNA and make more. You CAN go MD/DO and make more. You can go into engineering and be a cubicle slave for a defense company for your entire career designing things for other people and make more... Or finance.. Or whatever. . . The reason I'm being transparent is there's a lot of doom and gloom on SDN which states your first job will be $100k - $120k, which is not true. "Well LOOK at these job listings!!!" yes, look at these unfilled positions, they are unfilled for a reason. I am completely satisfied with $175k base + bonus as my first job, maybe you're not, maybe the 'regulars' are not. Believe it or not, the base salary has increased in the last few years for associate positions. Also, the ceiling in podiatry is high. Some guys I know make way more, some less. Keep in mind that some podiatrists are totally comfortable making $100k a year working 2-3 days a week seeing a few patients. Some bring in 7 figures owning multiple practices.
BEYOND:
The ceiling is quite high. My residency director and all of my attendings make great money. Many are private practice, some are hospital based jobs, some are orthro group. There are older podiatrists out there who want to take advantage of the young docs, they'll want to sell their practice for an unreasonable amount of money... just don't take those jobs.
OUTLOOK:
#1 reason diabetics get admitted is their feet... the last I checked, diabetes has skyrocketed and continues to skyrocket... However, not all podiatry is diabetic ulcer care and limb salvage. There's a lot more to the career than that. Also, the majority of podiatry deals with the older population, the geriatrics, the BOOMERS. This is the oldest population the USA has ever had due to the Boomers (ages 60-79).
HAPPY:
I made lifelong friends in podiatry school and residency, some weeks were miserable, but you get through those weeks. It's difficult, you have to work hard. Learn as much as you can. You can absolutely have a life in school and residency (maybe not the 'regulars' posting on SDN daily). I do not regret my career choice and I am thrilled to start as an associate in a few months.
SHADOW:
If you are curious about the career, get off of this lame website and try to shadow different practices. The first podiatrist I shadowed did a lot of routine diabetic care cutting toenails and calluses, I was turned off. The next podiatrist I shadowed had a high paced wound care clinic + took call at the hospital, it was much better. The third podiatrist let me go into the OR and see some cases for the very first time. Dress professionally, be interested (I cannot stress this enough), do not be on your phone. Learn one thing a day and write it down.
TOENAILS:
Some podiatrists do a lot of toenails. I would not be satisfied with my career if all I did was nails every day. I like doing a mix of elective and non elective surgeries such as reconstructive surgery to bunions, trauma, amputations, limb salvage, etc. There's a lot more to the career than toenails... do not let the 'regulars' of this forum tell you it's $400k debt to make $100k trimming toenails all day eating rice and beans daily. That is simply not true.
REGULARS:
Get a hobby, everyone sees your avatar and it's cringe. "This guy again." Maybe go back to school and do what you dreamed of doing.
END RANT
