I used to want to do general surgery but after lots of shadowing it doesn't seem like the life I want to have. I don't care about doing crazy complex cases, I'd be satisfied with being in the OR preferably once a week doing bunions or hammertoes. I love all the little in office procedures too. I'd probably be as satisfied doing several office procedures as I would be doing 1-3 cases in the OR.
Yah based on numbers you are likely to be in top half of your class and maybe top 25 percent or higher if you work hard.
2 Things
1.Do not discount midlevels. In my experience in most settings they practice fairly independently. It was different 30 years ago when PAs could not even write an Rx.
You might be able to get into a PA program or if you became a BSN you might be smart enough to become a CRNA. Many in podiatry school will be worse students than you and not even have these options. Most would still be smart enough though to get their BSN and go onto be a NP which is still a good career.
If you finish a podiatry residency you will cry with our job market there is just no getting around this. Being open geographically helps, but is not a gurantee you do not end up as an associate. You will probably feel less independent as an associate than most midlevels. Yes you might eventually get a better job or open your own practice. Jobs don’t come to you as a podiatrist just because you have experience….you have to chase them. Offices do not just open themselves …..it is hard and involves risk and a period of negative cash flow for most.
2. Being an above average student is good…..but as with everything in podiatry there is no guarantee. I feel with effort there is realistically no way you will fail out like some bottom feeders. Let’s say you finish top 25 percent or even top 10 percent in your class. You have a good chance at a good residency and will likely have more available externships and interviews, but that is not a guarantee for a good residency. Someone well below you in class rank that is better looking, more charismatic, a former college athlete etc might get the residency despite you being hard working, humble and a good student. This is life really and what you get with the supply versus demand for good residencies and good jobs. It is how life is for most outside of careers that involve a lot of time and education…..part of why many go through all the schooling and take on so much debt is to know there is a good job waiting for them right? Podiatry does not have this guarantee.
Now say you remain geographically open and get a typical residency. Well it is still probably good enough in many regards I suppose. Slight chance for a good job if extremely open geographically, but more realistic you will be an associate. You will not feel so independent and often feel rather trapped wondering how you become the successful podiatrist you had planned on becoming . Again midlevels have predictable good jobs everywhere. Want to go to a desirable city for a few years when you are young then move closer to home later to raise a family…….not a problem as a midlevel.
In podiatry you are looking for that one good opportunity or to make your own by opening an office. If good jobs were more readily available podiatry would be a great profession for those who shadowed and liked the work.
As per surgery it can be fun, but I have many colleagues who would cut back if they did not have ownership in a surgery center. They make good money from their surgery center, but the surgery itself not so much. As an attending complications from surgeries can lead to sleepless nights.
If you have also legitimately researched/shadowed midlevel options and still really want to do podiatry then do it. Try as hard as you can though to realize the real risks involved. Getting into podiatry school is the easy part, but you will someday face the less than good job market.
