Questions About WesternU's Podiatric Medicine Program

[WesternU Adm]

My name is Marie and I work in the Admissions Office at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU). Since we are a new program, I thought it might be helpful to post here to let you know I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about our program or the application process in general.
I’d like to commend Mandy from Scholl on her idea to start this type of thread where many can benefit from a school’s answer to one student’s question. Great idea Mandy!
I will do my best to provide you with honest and helpful feedback but as Mandy said, I don’t feel it would be appropriate to talk about other programs. Okay, so I guess I did talk about Scholl but just to pay Mandy a compliment 🙂
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best of luck to you!
Marie
Admissions Office
WesternU College of Podiatric Medicine
http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/welcome

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[Royal Rooters]

Hello Marie,

Thank you for starting the forum for WesternU's podiatry program. I would like to know if applicants for 2010 matriculation can expect your program to be accredited in time for graduation and for residency placement. Additionally, what kind of scholarship and financial aid opportunities will be available to incoming students? Finally, will your school be giving preference to in-state residents?

Thank you.

 

[WesternU Adm]

Great questions! I'll start with the accreditation question first since that is a very common and logical question for a new program. Yes, applicants for 2010 matriculation can expect our program to be accredited before they graduate and enter residency programs. In case you are not familiar with how the accreditation process works, I'll try to summarize it below:

1) Before a program can admit students, it must submit a comprehensive eligibility application to the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) outlining all aspects of the program. The CPME approved our eligibility application in October 2008. This was the first step in the accreditation process.

2) The next step is to submit an application for "candidate status" which will be followed by an on-site visit by the CPME once the first class is enrolled. We have submitted our application for "candidate status" and anticipate a CPME site visit in late fall or in January/February 2010.

3) The site team will then submit a recommendation to the CPME for their April 2010 meeting. We anticipate receiving "candidate status" in early May 2010.

4) The final phase of the accreditation process is full accreditation. Our application for full accreditation will be submitted in the late Spring or early Summer of 2012 for a site visit in early Fall 2012 so final approval can be obtained in the Fall 2012. This will allow our program to have full accreditation for our charter graduating class in May of 2013.

You also asked about scholarship and financial aid opportunities. We do have some scholarships available to incoming students (the amount will vary from year-to-year) and I know the college is working hard to obtain more scholarship opportunities. Most WesternU students take advantage of financial aid. We have an awesome Financial Aid Office who works one-on-one with students to develop their budget. They also present information to students on their interview day.

As for preference to in-state residents, since we are a private institution, the state you reside in does not have any bearing on your admission. In other words … we welcome applicants from all over the world.

Just let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[MrFoot]

Hello Marie,

I am currently pre-pod and I would like to know what your current averages are in regards to admissions,Ive been looking into your program for a few months since ive heard you were opening the Pod school.
How many shadow hours/volunteer hours are recommended and is it the standard 2 lor from pods?


Also im not sure if youre equipped to answer and if you cant then please excuse the question but how will you be handing residencies for this and future classes?Weve read so much on the shortage of residencies available for future students and of course this is a real concern,but as of now my first choice is Western and I want to make sure i weigh the possibilities. 🙂

 

[WesternU Adm]

The average overall GPA of our charter class was 3.24 and the average science GPA was 3.14. The average MCAT was 22. The Admissions Committee considers many areas when reviewing applications such as GPA, MCAT, letters of recommendation, community service, research experience, motivation to the profession, etc. They conduct what is called a whole file review meaning they will look at all these areas but will also look behind the numbers and consider trends, course load, etc.

We do not have a specific number of shadowing/volunteering hours that we recommend. However, the Admissions Committee feels that one of the most important tasks a student must do is develop a thorough understanding of the podiatric medical profession. The best way to do this is to visit various types of podiatric and medical and/or surgical practices (i.e., private practices, hospital-based practices, etc.). It is for this reason that we will now require that applicants submit two letters of recommendation from podiatric physicians (to answer your other question).

WesternU's College of Podiatric Medicine administration is taking a proactive approach to residency genesis and is confident that they will be successful by the time the class of 2013 graduates.

I hope I have answered your questions fully enough. Just let me know if you think of anything else.

Have a great and safe holiday weekend!

 

[NormColeman4MN]

The average overall GPA of our charter class was 3.24 and the average science GPA was 3.14. The average MCAT was 22. The Admissions Committee considers many areas when reviewing applications such as GPA, MCAT, letters of recommendation, community service, research experience, motivation to the profession, etc. They conduct what is called a whole file review meaning they will look at all these areas but will also look behind the numbers and consider trends, course load, etc.

We do not have a specific number of shadowing/volunteering hours that we recommend. However, the Admissions Committee feels that one of the most important tasks a student must do is develop a thorough understanding of the podiatric medical profession. The best way to do this is to visit various types of podiatric and medical and/or surgical practices (i.e., private practices, hospital-based practices, etc.). It is for this reason that we will now require that applicants submit two letters of recommendation from podiatric physicians (to answer your other question).

WesternU’s College of Podiatric Medicine administration is taking a proactive approach to residency genesis and is confident that they will be successful by the time the class of 2013 graduates.

I hope I have answered your questions fully enough. Just let me know if you think of anything else.

Have a great and safe holiday weekend!

Oh wow those entrance stats are much lower than people on here made it out to be. It's quite average for pod schools. Thank you for the true stats!

 

[WesternU Adm]

You're welcome! As I mentioned in my original post, my goal is to provide everyone with accurate and honest information. We hope to see you on campus some time in the future.

 

[Sig Savant]

I would assume those stats will climb as the program gains strength. While prepods were excited about the new school, there are always doubts with a new program that probably pushed students away. As the school becomes accredited, the stats will increase.

 

[WesternU Adm]

I agree! Applicants still need to demonstrate to the Admissions Committee that they are prepared for our rigorous curriculum (especially since podiatric medicine students will be sharing many classes with the medical students).

I hope those reading this get an opportunity to visit us and meet our current students and hear from them first-hand about their experience so far.

 

[hello8]

Hi,

I did not know that Western required 2 letters of rec from a podiatric physician. Throughout college, I did not have access to a car and could only shadow one podiatrist because he was close by. Is it possible to supplement this letter with another one? I have 1 from a podiatrist, 1 from my PI (who also teaches at the medical school on campus), and 3 science professors. Thank you!

 

[WesternU Adm]

Hi,

I did not know that Western required 2 letters of rec from a podiatric physician. Throughout college, I did not have access to a car and could only shadow one podiatrist because he was close by. Is it possible to supplement this letter with another one? I have 1 from a podiatrist, 1 from my PI (who also teaches at the medical school on campus), and 3 science professors. Thank you!

You may be OK with those letters as the Admissions Committee will sometimes allow substitutions of letters. We ask that you email us explaining the reason you are requesting the substitution, along with what type of letter(s) you will submit in its place (as you have explained above). Feel free to email me your request at [email protected].

However, I would still strongly recommend that you try and connect with another DPM now. It will show you another aspect of the profession as well as show the Admissions Committee that you are putting in the time to fully research the profession. Just let me know if you need assistance locating one in your area.

Hope this helps!

 

[allenmarchallo]

Marie-

Please tell me why is it that WesternU REQUIRES a BS/BA degree?......I have 112 credits towards my B.S Biology and have taken ALL the upper-level classes that my school requires (Cell Bio, Genetics, Vertebrate Bio., Adv. Ornithology, etc, etc)----except I haven't taken the school's 100 level (freshman) classes such as: "Intro to college" (yes, that's right), "College Success, and a Biblical class....They are all 100% required for graduation & I didn't have the time, nor the patience to take them b/c I was a transfer student.....(and no, I still won't take them)

So would Western still consider me given my situation or still reject me b/c of this??-------I am a competitive applicant (3.76 GPA, lots of EC, military, decent MCAT, etc.....)

 

[WesternU Adm]

Marie-

Please tell me why is it that WesternU REQUIRES a BS/BA degree?......I have 112 credits towards my B.S Biology and have taken ALL the upper-level classes that my school requires (Cell Bio, Genetics, Vertebrate Bio., Adv. Ornithology, etc, etc)----except I haven't taken the school's 100 level (freshman) classes such as: "Intro to college" (yes, that's right), "College Success, and a Biblical class....They are all 100% required for graduation & I didn't have the time, nor the patience to take them b/c I was a transfer student.....(and no, I still won't take them)

So would Western still consider me given my situation or still reject me b/c of this??-------I am a competitive applicant (3.76 GPA, lots of EC, military, decent MCAT, etc.....)

I have good news for you! WesternU actually does not require a BS/BA degree. We do, however, require that each student have completed at least 90 semester or 135 quarter units at the time they apply. You can view our requirements at http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/requirements.

So, that being said, I would certainly encourage you to apply. Just let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[diabeticfootdr]

I think it's great that an admission counselor from one of the colleges is so accessible on SDN. Prospective applicants may find it easier to obtain information via this forum, since they frequently research professions on SDN. Also, this allows prospective students to ask anonymous questions where they might be intimidated by phone call.

Keep up the good work!

LCR

 

[air bud]

I kind of miss the good old days when things were based purely on hearsay

 

[WesternU Adm]

I think it's great that an admission counselor from one of the colleges is so accessible on SDN. Prospective applicants may find it easier to obtain information via this forum, since they frequently research professions on SDN. Also, this allows prospective students to ask anonymous questions where they might be intimidated by phone call.

Keep up the good work!

LCR

Thank you!

 

[beluah]

I have some question about Western's Podiatry program. What do you all think about a good candidate who applies, but still does not have all their basic requirement finished such as Physics? What do you all do? Do you all accept the student on a conditional basis? Also how do you all calculate gpa? I have retaken some classes. Do you all take the average of the two gpa's? In my undergrad school we just replace the old gpa with the new gpa, and that is what shows up on the transcript. Also what do you all think about finishing some pre-requisites the SUMMER before matriculation?
Thanks for doing this, I really appreciate it.

 

[WesternU Adm]

I have some question about Western's Podiatry program. What do you all think about a good candidate who applies, but still does not have all their basic requirement finished such as Physics? What do you all do? Do you all accept the student on a conditional basis? Also how do you all calculate gpa? I have retaken some classes. Do you all take the average of the two gpa's? In my undergrad school we just replace the old gpa with the new gpa, and that is what shows up on the transcript. Also what do you all think about finishing some pre-requisites the SUMMER before matriculation?
Thanks for doing this, I really appreciate it.

Many students apply with prerequisite coursework still in progress. In those cases, if the Admissions Committee feels the student is competitive, they will invite them in for an interview and potentially offer them admission. Their acceptance would be contingent upon successful completion of all prerequisite courses (with a grade of "C" or better). Keep in mind, however, if you have too many prerequisites in progress when you apply, it may be difficult for the Committee to assess your academic potential.

This year, the centralized application service will be calculating GPAs. All grades are used in the calculation so if you repeated a course, the grades will be averaged.

Unfortunately, we do not allow prerequisites to be in progress the summer just before matriculation. All prerequisites must be completed by the end of the spring semester/quarter.

Just let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[boothorp]

Many students apply with prerequisite coursework still in progress. In those cases, if the Admissions Committee feels the student is competitive, they will invite them in for an interview and potentially offer them admission. Their acceptance would be contingent upon successful completion of all prerequisite courses (with a grade of "C" or better). Keep in mind, however, if you have too many prerequisites in progress when you apply, it may be difficult for the Committee to assess your academic potential.

This year, the centralized application service will be calculating GPAs. All grades are used in the calculation so if you repeated a course, the grades will be averaged.

Unfortunately, we do not allow prerequisites to be in progress the summer just before matriculation. All prerequisites must be completed by the end of the spring semester/quarter.

Just let me know if you have any other questions.

I am retaking my Chem 2 class next summer because I cannot fit it in any sooner. I received a D in it the first go around, was playing football and other things that really disrupted my grades. I have been told by some schools to retake it and others told me if I don't have time to retake then I could use Biochem, which I take next fall. What should I do?

 

[The Real Scholl]

My name is Marie and I work in the Admissions Office at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU). Since we are a new program, I thought it might be helpful to post here to let you know I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about our program or the application process in general.
I’d like to commend Mandy from Scholl on her idea to start this type of thread where many can benefit from a school’s answer to one student’s question. Great idea Mandy!
I will do my best to provide you with honest and helpful feedback but as Mandy said, I don’t feel it would be appropriate to talk about other programs. Okay, so I guess I did talk about Scholl but just to pay Mandy a compliment 🙂
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best of luck to you!
Marie
Admissions Office
WesternU College of Podiatric Medicine
[URL="http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/welcome"]http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/welcome[/URL]

It's nice to have a little company in SND-land! Welcome to the boards, Marie! Look forward to seeing you on the road this fall.

Best,
Mandy

 

[WesternU Adm]

I am retaking my Chem 2 class next summer because I cannot fit it in any sooner. I received a D in it the first go around, was playing football and other things that really disrupted my grades. I have been told by some schools to retake it and others told me if I don't have time to retake then I could use Biochem, which I take next fall. What should I do?

Sorry to hear you have to re-take your Chem 2 class. I know that these days it can be very difficult to squeeze in all the classes you need. While Biochemistry is one of the courses we strongly recommend students take, we unfortunately cannot allow it to replace your Chem 2 class. Since we do not allow prerequisites to be taken just prior to matriculation, you would have to wait and apply for the class entering fall 2011.

Best of luck to you!

 

[boothorp]

Sorry to hear you have to re-take your Chem 2 class. I know that these days it can be very difficult to squeeze in all the classes you need. While Biochemistry is one of the courses we strongly recommend students take, we unfortunately cannot allow it to replace your Chem 2 class. Since we do not allow prerequisites to be taken just prior to matriculation, you would have to wait and apply for the class entering fall 2011.

Best of luck to you!

I wasn't applying for 2010 enrollment. I am retaking next summer but applying for 2011 enrollment. But, now I do understand I must retake.

 

[WesternU Adm]

I wasn't applying for 2010 enrollment. I am retaking next summer but applying for 2011 enrollment. But, now I do understand I must retake.

Sorry - my mistake. I thought you were talking about 2010 enrollment. If you are re-taking your Chem 2 in summer of 2010, you'll be fine to apply in fall 2010 for 2011 enrollment.

 

[dtrack22]

Will interviews be held off then until all LOR's are in? I would guess that a majority of applicants don't have two since no other school has required two until now. Guess its time to find another DPM to write nice things about me...

 

[WesternU Adm]

Will interviews be held off then until all LOR's are in? I would guess that a majority of applicants don't have two since no other school has required two until now. Guess its time to find another DPM to write nice things about me...

We often invite candidates in to interview before all LORs are received so that shouldn't delay your interview.

Have a great day!

 

[dtrack22]

Good to hear! See you in a month or two

 

[Podiatrystudent]

What are the ranges in the gpa and mcat scores of accepted students?

Are there any advantages to being a postbacc student? My freshmen/sophmore year gpa are under 3.0 while my junior/senior/postbacc are about 3.4....

 

[WesternU Adm]

What are the ranges in the gpa and mcat scores of accepted students?

Are there any advantages to being a postbacc student? My freshmen/sophmore year gpa are under 3.0 while my junior/senior/postbacc are about 3.4....

I wouldn't say that being a post-bacc student would necessarily give you an advantage. I can, however, assure you that the Admissions Committee will consider both your undergrad and post-bacc coursework and will look at improvement trends, course levels, courseloads, etc. when evaluating your academic preparedness.

The average overall GPA for our charter class was 3.24 and the science was 3.14. The average MCAT was a 22. We do anticipate that these numbers will climb for the 2010 entering class. Of course, the Committee will consider many other areas of your application in addition to the numbers.

Good Luck!
Marie

 

[KaTrInAtF4]

i've heard students talk about western guaranteeing them a residency spot. with the shortage expected, how is that possible????

thanks

 

[Lemon Tea]

Hi Marie,

Is there a way for applicants to check their application status?😀

 

[Careersearcher]

I was wondering if i retake certain credits of classes will you replace the grades or would you average of the two grades?

Also what is the size of your entering class.

 

[WesternU Adm]

I was wondering if i retake certain credits of classes will you replace the grades or would you average of the two grades?

Also what is the size of your entering class.

When AACPMAS calculates your GPA, both grades will be included so they end up getting averaged. However, on your academic history, the Admissions Committee will see that you've re-taken the course and what your latest grade was.

Our class size is 50.

Feel free to any other questions you might have.

Happy Holidays!
Marie

 

[Careersearcher]

I was wondering if it looks bad if i am retaking one year's worth of classes, not all of them i got below a 3.0 i just wanted to get better. does that look bad? the reason i did bad at those because I didn't learn hwo to study for the upper level class till the end of senior year since nobody told me and non of the professors were helpful till senior year. what do you think the admissions counselor thinks about that? My mcat score is 30 will that help, or is there more weight on gpa?

 

[WesternU Adm]

I was wondering if it looks bad if i am retaking one year's worth of classes, not all of them i got below a 3.0 i just wanted to get better. does that look bad? the reason i did bad at those because I didn't learn hwo to study for the upper level class till the end of senior year since nobody told me and non of the professors were helpful till senior year. what do you think the admissions counselor thinks about that? My mcat score is 30 will that help, or is there more weight on gpa?

The Admissions Committee will look at not only your overall and science GPA but also the trends in your academic history. I would suggest explaining in your application times where you feel you did poorly, what you learned from that experience, and how that has prepared you for the future. If you do well in the courses you are repeating, that will help give the Committee more confidence that you could succeed in our curriculum. They will look at both your MCAT scores and GPAs (and trends). You have a strong MCAT score which is definitely helpful.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] in addition to posting to the forum.

Happy Holiday!
Marie

 

[UTaustin90]

Hello Marie, at WesternU's podiatry school, does the admissions committee calculate gpa's using plus/minus system?

 

[FuturePod88]

Hello Marie,

You said a grade of a ''C" is required for all prerequisite courses. I recieved a C- in General Chemistry and a C+ in the lab, my overall GPA is around a 3.6 and my science GPA is around 3.3. Do I need to retake Chem II, or will a C- suffice?

 

[UTaustin90]

Hey futurepod, I think on the site http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/requirements it says that a C- does not count. I may be wrong but that is what is said under the WesternU's site

 

[ckjets]

I would love to hear an answer on residency shortage to KaTrInAtF4's question. How is opening a new program helping the current situation? What is Western U doing in order to create 50 new residency spots? I think Western owes its own applicants a straightforward explanation on what to expect in a near future.

My name is Marie and I work in the Admissions Office at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU). Since we are a new program, I thought it might be helpful to post here to let you know I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about our program or the application process in general.
I’d like to commend Mandy from Scholl on her idea to start this type of thread where many can benefit from a school’s answer to one student’s question. Great idea Mandy!
I will do my best to provide you with honest and helpful feedback but as Mandy said, I don’t feel it would be appropriate to talk about other programs. Okay, so I guess I did talk about Scholl but just to pay Mandy a compliment 🙂
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Best of luck to you!
Marie
Admissions Office
WesternU College of Podiatric Medicine
http://prospective.westernu.edu/podiatry/welcome

 

[air bud]

nice job fearmongering across the boards CKjets

 

[PoddyMan]

I would love to hear an answer on residency shortage to KaTrInAtF4's question. How is opening a new program helping the current situation? What is Western U doing in order to create 50 new residency spots? I think Western owes its own applicants a straightforward explanation on what to expect in a near future.

A major goal of WUCPM's administration since day 1 is to improve the residency shortage situation. WUCPM has been actively creating residency programs while setting up externships. Its goal is to create (at least) as many residency slots as the number of students it graduates. Graduates will still have the opportunity to apply anywhere, but at least the number of slots should increase proportionally, thus not generating any additional burden and possibly improving the situation.

 

[dtrack22]

Interview at western and you'll get a straight answer. Western is doing more for opening new residencies to ensure all of their students have a seat than any other program in the country...I would worry more about temple and Ohio raising admission standards and keeping class sizes smaller than western graduating 50 more kids.

 

[ckjets]

A major goal of WUCPM's administration since day 1 is to improve the residency shortage situation. WUCPM has been actively creating residency programs while setting up externships. Its goal is to create (at least) as many residency slots as the number of students it graduates. Graduates will still have the opportunity to apply anywhere, but at least the number of slots should increase proportionally, thus not generating any additional burden and possibly improving the situation.

Thanks, Is it working? Has WUCPM been successful?

I would worry more about temple and Ohio raising admission standards and keeping class sizes smaller than western graduating 50 more kids.

Temple and Ohio have been around for a while and the situation had been stable until new schools decided to open its doors. It is great that podiatry is expanding as a profession, but if there is a shortage its because something new has been added to create an imbalance to the equilibrium (something has not been done properly). I am not blaming WUCPM since the problem started before they even matriculated their first years, but I want to know their position on the matter.

nice job fearmongering across the boards CKjets

I will just PM you on this one. nice talking to you again bud. I hear your doing well, Good luck in DMU and happy holidays. What an awesome word FEARMONGERING

 

[ckjets]

A major goal of WUCPM's administration since day 1 is to improve the residency shortage situation. WUCPM has been actively creating residency programs while setting up externships. Its goal is to create (at least) as many residency slots as the number of students it graduates. Graduates will still have the opportunity to apply anywhere, but at least the number of slots should increase proportionally, thus not generating any additional burden and possibly improving the situation.

Thanks, Is it working? Has WUCPM been successful?

I would worry more about temple and Ohio raising admission standards and keeping class sizes smaller than western graduating 50 more kids.

Temple and Ohio have been around for a while and the situation had been stable until new schools decided to open its doors. It is great that podiatry is expanding as a profession, but if there is a shortage its because something new has been added to create an imbalance to the equilibrium (something has not been done properly). I am not blaming WUCPM since the problem started before they even matriculated their first years, but I wanted to know their position on the matter.

nice job fearmongering across the boards CKjets

I will just PM you on this one. nice talking to you again bud. I hear your doing well, Good luck in DMU and happy holidays. What an awesome word FEARMONGERING

 

[PoddyMan]

Thanks, Is it working? Has WUCPM been successful?

I believe that they are nearly halfway there.

Temple and Ohio have been around for a while and the situation had been stable until new schools decided to open its doors. It is great that podiatry is expanding as a profession, but if there is a shortage its because something new has been added to create an imbalance to the equilibrium (something has not been done properly). I am not blaming WUCPM since the problem started before they even matriculated their first years, but I wanted to know their position on the matter.

A major problem is that many (if not most) of the other pod med schools aren't doing very much to increase the number of slots; they seem to believe that it's the APMA's responsibility...

 

[dyk343]

I believe that they are nearly halfway there.



A major problem is that many (if not most) of the other pod med schools aren't doing very much to increase the number of slots; they seem to believe that it's the APMA's responsibility...

Temple (Mr. Martin) told me that they are accepting 10-15 fewer students this year because of the predicted residency shortage

 

[air bud]

i think the Godfather said that NYCPM also accepted 10 or 15 less students this year.

But lets get this thread back to questions about Western's Pod Program

 

[PoddyMan]

Temple (Mr. Martin) told me that they are accepting 10-15 fewer students this year because of the predicted residency shortage

I find that hard to believe; 100 students this year is 15 MORE than the year before, so let's wait and see the numbers; back down to 85?!?!

 

[PoddyMan]

i think the Godfather said that NYCPM also accepted 10 or 15 less students this year.

But lets get this thread back to questions about Western's Pod Program

I personally have not heard that any school administrators have made the decision to cut enrollment. Doesn't mean it's not true. However, just last year several increased their numbers up to what was their "maximum". Why all of a sudden did they choose to drop numbers? Keep in mind that David Martin at Temple does not make those decisions, and he is the recruiter, so it makes for good PR.

It is obviously easier to cut enrollment than to create new residency slots (though some of the schools may have financial difficulty by doing this). Given the data on the shortage of DPMs in the near future (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=8523870#post8523870) and the increasing number of patients that will need foot care, it would behoove the schools to put the extra effort into creating more residency positions and keeping the existing student enrollment. This requires a lot of work and persistence, and WesternU is serving as an innovator in this arena.

 

[ckjets]

I personally have not heard that any school administrators have made the decision to cut enrollment. Doesn't mean it's not true. However, just last year several increased their numbers up to what was their "maximum". Why all of a sudden did they choose to drop numbers? Keep in mind that David Martin at Temple does not make those decisions, and he is the recruiter, so it makes for good PR.

It is obviously easier to cut enrollment than to create new residency slots (though some of the schools may have financial difficulty by doing this). Given the data on the shortage of DPMs in the near future (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=8523870#post8523870) and the increasing number of patients that will need foot care, it would behoove the schools to put the extra effort into creating more residency positions and keeping the existing student enrollment. This requires a lot of work and persistence, and WesternU is serving as an innovator in this arena.

I agree with you. It makes sense to open new schools since there is high demand for podiatrists, not cut on admissions; however, expanding must be done properly. For the long term it would be more logical to create enough prospective spots before opening a school. The best short term solution though is to admit less students now.
Airbud is right, NYCPM has accepted aprox 20 students less this year. I was going to be part of that class. By the way, Mr. David Martin has been promoted to Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and his decisions weigh heavily at Temple.
My original post was intended to get a direct response from WUCPM on the residency shortage because they seem to have ignored KaTrInAtF4's question on that matter (she got in to WUCPM, check the acceptance thread) and I am still waiting for that response.

 

[PoddyMan]

I agree with you. It makes sense to open new schools since there is high demand for podiatrists, not cut on admissions; however, expanding must be done properly. For the long term it would be more logical to create enough prospective spots before opening a school.

What's proper is that the existing schools should create spots for THEIR students (which is what WesternU is doing). The shortage existed prior to WesternU, and was predicted long ago (probably even prior to AZpod). They all expected someone else (APMA) to be responsible. And, the only thing that some other schools have done is "cut enrollment" (which we won't know is true until the Class of 2014 numbers are announced next August).

Secondly, as noted in a previous post, data has shown that there is a great need for podiatric care in southern CA. That is why WesternU was created. And its creation has enabled its top administrators, who are and/or have been directly involved in creating major residency programs, to "commit" matriculating students to hospitals for externships and, therefore, residency programs. (Hospitals expect commitments and the "guaranteed" potential for income generation.)

The best short term solution though is to admit less students now.

That is not "short term"; that will only work for the graduates in 2014! The best short term solution is to create programs NOW! The APMA (CPME) has provided the opportunity for that to happen.

Airbud is right, NYCPM has accepted aprox 20 students less this year. I was going to be part of that class. By the way, Mr. David Martin has been promoted to Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and his decisions weigh heavily at Temple.

Again, they may "say" that they are accepting less students; however, the truth will not be known until the class of 2014 starts next August. The positive to come out of this (if it indeed occurs) is that the "low-quality" students will not be accepted. That would be the better reason for lowering the enrollment numbers.

My original post was intended to get a direct response from WUCPM on the residency shortage because they seem to have ignored KaTrInAtF4's question on that matter (she got in to WUCPM, check the acceptance thread) and I am still waiting for that response.

I don't know why WUCPM (Marie) didn't address KaTrInAtF4's question on that matter, and I can understand why you might not take my responses to her question as "official" (see my posts on this thread from 12/22 & 12/23). I'll try to contact WUCPM/Marie to confirm my responses.