Question about MD practicing podiatry

[badabg286]

Hey guys... Recent MD grad here. I'm sorry if this question comes off as ignorant, but I am juggling options as I await match day and couldn't find info easily on any state's licensing websites. I was hoping some of you may know the answers to my questions off-hand:

My dad is a podiatrist close to retirement with a private practice in a relatively remote location. I have started working for him the past few months, and am learning the details of the field and, especially, the business. If I wanted to pursue a career in podiatry at this point, would it be possible? If so, how would I go about it?

It SEEMS that in order to sit for all of the podiatry boards, or to get licensed, one is required to be a graduate from podiatry school. Do you know if there is any way to test out of that? I am mostly speaking out of ignorance, but I can't imagine there are enough differences in our education that would warrant an entirely new degree. Also, would I have to undergo a podiatric residency only if I wanted to do surgery? Would I be able to get a podiatric residency?

Any advice would be appreciated!

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[torontopharm]

Hey guys... Recent MD grad here. I'm sorry if this question comes off as ignorant, but I am juggling options as I await match day and couldn't find info easily on any state's licensing websites. I was hoping some of you may know the answers to my questions off-hand:

My dad is a podiatrist close to retirement with a private practice in a relatively remote location. I have started working for him the past few months, and am learning the details of the field and, especially, the business. If I wanted to pursue a career in podiatry at this point, would it be possible? If so, how would I go about it?

It SEEMS that in order to sit for all of the podiatry boards, or to get licensed, one is required to be a graduate from podiatry school. Do you know if there is any way to test out of that? I am mostly speaking out of ignorance, but I can't imagine there are enough differences in our education that would warrant an entirely new degree. Also, would I have to undergo a podiatric residency only if I wanted to do surgery? Would I be able to get a podiatric residency?
Any advice would be appreciated!

You have to do a Podiatric residency to practice as a Podiatrist i.e. even if you wanted to be a non-surgical pod, you'd still need to have a 3 year podiatry residency done.
For you to be able to get a Podiatric residency, you must be a Podiatry school graduate.
At this point, for you to practice as a Podiatrist, you have to get into the advanced standing Podiatry schools (NYCPM and one of the Cali schools i forgot which). You'll then go through ~2 years of school, followed by 3 years of residency. In other words, as a recent MD grad, you're looking at about 5 years of commitment until you can practice as a Podiatrist.

Hope that helps!

 

[ldsrmdude]

If you aren't really worried about the title of podiatrist, but are just interested in doing a lot of the things podiatrists do in the office, your quickest route may be to do a family medicine residency and focus on foot and ankle pathology in practice, maybe even work with your father. Essentially everything that we do in the office would be in your scope, especially if you get a lot of hands-on training in the office with your father. You wouldn't be able to do surgery (if you wanted to do foot and ankle surgery your choices at this point would be either go through the path @torontopharm laid out or do an orthopedic surgery residency +/- a foot and ankle fellowship) but all of the in-office stuff (ingrown nails, injections, routine care, etc) would be within your scope following a family practice residency I would think. You'd also be able to work at a wound center if there is one nearby ( 2/6 of the physicians at the wound center I am at are family medicine - I'm the only pod). I'm sure there are legal issues that would come up if you were to market yourself as practicing podiatry, so you'd probably have to figure out another way to promote yourself.

 

[heybrother]

A few months ago I met a family medicine doctor who had completed an additional fellowship in sports medicine. He was told me loved his practice - in an orthopaedic group, entirely outpatient, no call.

 

[NatCh]

It's not often one reads about someone with an MD wanting to practice podiatry. What aspects of the profession attract you?

 

[FootAndAnkle]

Hey guys... Recent MD grad here. I'm sorry if this question comes off as ignorant, but I am juggling options as I await match day and couldn't find info easily on any state's licensing websites. I was hoping some of you may know the answers to my questions off-hand:

My dad is a podiatrist close to retirement with a private practice in a relatively remote location. I have started working for him the past few months, and am learning the details of the field and, especially, the business. If I wanted to pursue a career in podiatry at this point, would it be possible? If so, how would I go about it?

It SEEMS that in order to sit for all of the podiatry boards, or to get licensed, one is required to be a graduate from podiatry school. Do you know if there is any way to test out of that? I am mostly speaking out of ignorance, but I can't imagine there are enough differences in our education that would warrant an entirely new degree. Also, would I have to undergo a podiatric residency only if I wanted to do surgery? Would I be able to get a podiatric residency?

Any advice would be appreciated!

An alternative to some of the suggestions above would be contacting the AACPM to see their stance on whether you'd be permitted to apply and interview for a podiatric residency given you're a US MD who has passed USMLE Parts I and II. That would give you a definitive answer from the organization making that decision. Whether a program would accept you or not, if allowed to apply, would remain uncertain given the lack of specialized training.

 

[badabg286]

An alternative to some of the suggestions above would be contacting the AACPM to see their stance on whether you'd be permitted to apply and interview for a podiatric residency given you're a US MD who has passed USMLE Parts I and II.

Thanks everyone. I think I will try calling AACPM as footandankle suggested and see if there is any reciprocation for my education.

You have to do a Podiatric residency to practice as a Podiatrist i.e. even if you wanted to be a non-surgical pod, you'd still need to have a 3 year podiatry residency done

If you aren't really worried about the title of podiatrist, but are just interested in doing a lot of the things podiatrists do in the office, your quickest route may be to do a family medicine residency

Do you all need 3 years residency before getting licenced to practice? Is this true in all states?

That's not really the way it works for us, as in most states one can legally gain licensure and practice independently any type of medicine (technically) after 1st year of residency. It seems if I were wanting to practice strictly outpatient that would be the fastest, albeit not wisest, route. That is, complete one year of any MD residency and hang up a shackle indicating I focus on feet...thereby still technically be a 'foot doctor'. Looks like to be realistic and gain hospital privileges, I would need to complete a residency, either ortho or somehow podiatry. Am I missing anything? Obviously this is not the most straight forward path, but I'm trying to think outside the box and appreciate your input.

I wasn't sure about that last part, as in my dad's day post-grad training was optional.

It's not often one reads about someone with an MD wanting to practice podiatry. What aspects of the profession attract you?

I don't know if it's necessarily a separate profession? Esp being in this field now for a few months. Really, it's just a specialty of medicine/surgery IMO. Not like I would be changing careers, just area of concentration, no?

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[FootAndAnkle]

It's not often one reads about someone with an MD wanting to practice podiatry. What aspects of the profession attract you?

You might be surprised - I think podiatry would be one of the more desirable specialties if it was available through the traditional medical track. I was recently operating with a pediatric general surgeon and when she found out I was going into podiatry, her comment was "Please take me with you!" When you compare the lifestyle of our surgical specialty with that of others, I think we have a pretty sweet deal.

 

[ldsrmdude]

I think there are one or two states that don't technically require a residency to practice as a podiatrist, but it would be tough to get credentialed at a hospital or in some case get onto insurance plans as a podiatrist without a residency.

 

[NatCh]

I don't know if it's necessarily a separate profession? Esp being in this field now for a few months. Really, it's just a specialty of medicine/surgery IMO. Not like I would be changing careers, just area of concentration, no?

Thank you for the feedback!

What I was getting at was that some things you would be able to do as an MD, such as treat ingrown toenails, plantar warts, plantar fasciitis, neuromas, etc. at least with conservative measures and some office-based procedures.

If you are also interested in doing surgery in an operating room I think you might run into credentialing issues. Some rural General Practitioners still do appendectomies and cesarean sections in the O.R. so maybe they would permit you to do foot surgery if you were in the right community. You would be held to the same standard as someone who had full foot surgery training though.