Questions regarding Podiatry school

[poox]

---

Members do not see this ad.

1.) What is the competition level for Podiatry admissions?
2.) Do schools generally weigh the MCAT more than GPA?
3.) Can I apply to Pod. schools without a B.sc degree, or is this required? I know that, for example, you can apply to Pharm schools after only two years of undergrad work, and I was wondering if the same can be done for Opt schools
4.) Pod. is 4 years of professional training. Is there any other training beyond this(residency?), or can you start working right away?
5.) What is the average salary for a Podiatrist?
6.) Job security: Heavily in demand or is it hard to find a job?
7.) Are you overwhelmed with the work load, or is it manageable?

Thanks!

 

[DaveApple]

Great questions that everyone had at some point when they started looking into the field. You'll find it will be pretty easy to answer all of them through the search function on this forum as well as some decent google searching. Here are a few websites that will help as well.

BLS.gov section on Podiatry
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos075.htm

AACPM.org
http://www.aacpm.org/

 

[air bud]

1. Very little
2. Maybe, maybe not. DMU probably thinks GPA>MCAT http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=706391
3. Only need 90 hours, including pre-reqs. I would highly recommend it. Sounds like a great idea.
4. By the time you get there, 3 year mandatory, possibility of fellowships afterwards
5. Good. 100-300k. Dont get some people on here started, and dont think too much into whatever you might google. See number 7.
6. Good demand. The field has come a long way in recent years. New graduates are more highly trained (surgically) than older pods, but conservative care (especially with diabetes increasing) will continue to be of critical importance. Also, as a general rule, orthopods are beginning to move away from the foot and allowing Pods to be the foot/ankle expert
7. Some pods work 20 hours, most work 50-60 hours, and some can work 70+ hours, but there probably is more likely to flexibility vs. a spine or cardiothoracic surgeon.

I am only a first year, but the more I learn about Podiatry, the more I realize what a great choice I made. I had other options, but I ended up choosing podiatry (for the right reasons). I think a lot of it depends on what you want out of medicine. My wife (who is in the health field) loves watching mystery diagnosis. She likes sitting in on case studies at the hospital. She likes puzzles and putting the varying symptoms/signs together to come up with some rare disease that afflicts 1/150k people. I like the idea of quickly finding the ailment (bunion, ulcer, fracture) and fixing it and seeing the patient be healthy (relatively). My aunt is a FP. Her garden is important to her because she needs to see some things through to completion (ie seeds grow to plants). She spends all day giving meds out to chronically ill patients who will never get better. Everything I want out of medicine I can achieve through podiatry. This is both professionally and personally important to me. I don't think I could say the same if I were to be some other type of physician. Feet are Neat.

 

[poox]

1. Very little
2. Maybe, maybe not. DMU probably thinks GPA>MCAT http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=706391
3. Only need 90 hours, including pre-reqs. I would highly recommend it. Sounds like a great idea.
4. By the time you get there, 3 year mandatory, possibility of fellowships afterwards
5. Good. 100-300k. Dont get some people on here started, and dont think too much into whatever you might google. See number 7.
6. Good demand. The field has come a long way in recent years. New graduates are more highly trained (surgically) than older pods, but conservative care (especially with diabetes increasing) will continue to be of critical importance. Also, as a general rule, orthopods are beginning to move away from the foot and allowing Pods to be the foot/ankle expert
7. Some pods work 20 hours, most work 50-60 hours, and some can work 70+ hours, but there probably is more likely to flexibility vs. a spine or cardiothoracic surgeon.

I am only a first year, but the more I learn about Podiatry, the more I realize what a great choice I made. I had other options, but I ended up choosing podiatry (for the right reasons). I think a lot of it depends on what you want out of medicine. My wife (who is in the health field) loves watching mystery diagnosis. She likes sitting in on case studies at the hospital. She likes puzzles and putting the varying symptoms/signs together to come up with some rare disease that afflicts 1/150k people. I like the idea of quickly finding the ailment (bunion, ulcer, fracture) and fixing it and seeing the patient be healthy (relatively). My aunt is a FP. Her garden is important to her because she needs to see some things through to completion (ie seeds grow to plants). She spends all day giving meds out to chronically ill patients who will never get better. Everything I want out of medicine I can achieve through podiatry. This is both professionally and personally important to me. I don't think I could say the same if I were to be some other type of physician. Feet are Neat.

Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated it.
For #7, I was wondering how the workload was DURING school. Do you get a lot of time off, or are you constantly studying? How does it compare to Undergrad?

 

[air bud]

It depends I guess. Some study a moderate amount and have free time, I study a lot. It pays off. I am doing very well in school. I figure I can hammer the books hard for a few years, put myself in the best possible position to be more in control of residency selection, put myself in the best possible position to get a job that fits my wants and desires, and then go to work and live life. Others have a different mindset. I use my past professional failures to motivate me. I remember the hopelessness and fear that I used to feel when I went to work each day. I am not going to have any regrets from school, and I sometimes feel like some of my fellow students are going to regret some of the decisions they have made in school. Some of that comes with perspective though. If you are 22 and coming out of undergrad, it may be hard for you to think like that. I believe in delayed satisfaction over instant gratification. others don't. But it is also a delicate balance. Some handle it better than others, and it depends on your personal situation. I am married with a VERY understanding and supportive wife. Others are trying to do long distance. Others (and here at DMU, lots) are married with kids.
To get back to the main point, I personally don't have a lot of "free time" but that is how I choose to do it. I am inefficient in the fact that I turn 5 hours of studying into 8 or more, but I do that by choice. I am able to watch a TV show when I want, walk my dog or run some errands whenever I want.. In return, I can't say I have a 8 hour block where school is completely blocked out of my mind because I came home and hit the books for 4 hours straight while focused.
If you are getting A's in undergrad, keep doing it here, whatever it is that works. If you are not getting A's, forget everything you think you know about studying, and put on your learning cap when you matriculate. The first few months, there was a clear distinction between the haves and havenots here at DMU. After that, the playing field has quickly leveled as students have learned how to study and be effective and efficient. At this point in the game, I think things are pretty set in stone. I dont think a B student will become an A student and vice versa. Some things may change come clincal time, but I cant say anything from personal experience.

 

[air bud]

To be theoretical, if you stay on top of things daily, you should be able to have almost all day saturday and part of sunday to do what you want.
In all practicality, that is not the way it works, especially here at DMU. Weekly tests (and sometimes more) means you are always robbing peter to pay paul. At least from my experience.

Others, like Sig Savant are going to chime in with all the things to do in NYC. That is great, I am glad they are able to do that. I am just relaying my personal feelings and situation.

also, being stuck in des moines in the cold gives you few other options. Fewer outside distractions=more time to study.

 

[Sig Savant]

Pod school isn't easy, as air bud has been saying. I study A LOT. I have very little time to do anything other than study. I'm also learning so much information and loving every minute of it.

Coming from college, you find out very quickly if your study habits hold up. Most of the time, they don't, and you have to find out what you need to change. Then you make those changes or you fail. Most people are fine and adapt well.

I'm never feel overworked. Its all relative. I also spend about 16 hours a day between school and studying. I study seven days a week, go out on Fri/Sat nights, wake up around noon on the weekends and study the rest of the day. Obviously, I take a lot of breaks to chat and eat. I don't have a job, I don't have a family here; School is my full time job and my life, because I want to be a good doctor.

Schools pushing toward 2015 are going to be harder than those being left in the dust. Schools that take classes with DO students are going to be harder.

What was this topic about again?

 

[sorham]

To be theoretical, if you stay on top of things daily, you should be able to have almost all day saturday and part of Sunday.

What do you mean part of Sunday is there something you have to do on Sundays? I figured weekends would be free to do whatever or study?

 

[air bud]

to do whatever you want.

 

[Sig Savant]

You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest.

 

[Shireiqiang]

How many of you students out there are studying all weekend could you get most of your studying done saturday if you had to?

 

[damhsoir]

How many of you students out there are studying all weekend could you get most of your studying done saturday if you had to?

ME!

I take Fridays off after 6pm for my mental health! 😛 If I studied 6 or so hours on Friday night and then 12 hours on Saturday, I wouldn't have to study on Sunday. BUT I would much rather study 6-8 hours a day, everyday (4 on Friday) to stay on top of my classes and avoid burnout.

 

[MaseratiGT]

Thanks for the input, greatly appreciated it.
For #7, I was wondering how the workload was DURING school. Do you get a lot of time off, or are you constantly studying? How does it compare to Undergrad?

People commented on 1st year, so I will comment on 2nd - I think 2nd year was much more difficult than 1st. You're not as fresh, and until you get to clinic courses, they are very general (path, pharm, micro). IMO, you have to study a lot more than 1st year to keep equivalent grades. That being said, you have to find a balance, no matter what year you are in. You can't study all the time, and I don't think you should. You should enrich your life and make yourself a well rounded residency applicant.

GL

MGT

 

[air bud]

People commented on 1st year, so I will comment on 2nd - I think 2nd year was much more difficult than 1st. You're not as fresh, and until you get to clinic courses, they are very general (path, pharm, micro). IMO, you have to study a lot more than 1st year to keep equivalent grades. That being said, you have to find a balance, no matter what year you are in. You can't study all the time, and I don't think you should. You should enrich your life and make yourself a well rounded residency applicant.

GL

MGT

Just to give students some perspective, DMU takes path and micro 1st year. Not sure what gets switched in and out between 1st and 2nd year between DMU and Temple though. And yes, micro is draining. We just finished. And yes, Path seems to be hard, 1/4 of the way through. It is a month long course.

 

[Busdriver321]

How many of you students out there are studying all weekend could you get most of your studying done saturday if you had to?

There are some times when I study for several hours on Saturday but for the most part I keep Saturday and Sunday open for my family and myself. It is much needed recovery time from the week. By doing this, it has helped me to keep my priorities straight. Obviously there are those whose first priority is school. That just isn't my case, although it clearly is near the top.

It is understood that there is so much to learn and you will always feel behind however if you are proactive and efficient, studying doesn't have to control your life and occupy all your time. You don't have to devote every second of your time to studying in order to be a good student and a good doctor. I am not the top student in my class but I do fine for myself and still have a very comfortable life with my family which I love. Neither do you have to be the top student to get a good residency and/or training.

 

[Paulywog]

There are some times when I study for several hours on Saturday but for the most part I keep Saturday and Sunday open for my family and myself. It is much needed recovery time from the week. By doing this, it has helped me to keep my priorities straight. Obviously there are those whose first priority is school. That just isn't my case, although it clearly is near the top.

It is understood that there is so much to learn and you will always feel behind however if you are proactive and efficient, studying doesn't have to control your life and occupy all your time. You don't have to devote every second of your time to studying in order to be a good student and a good doctor. I am not the top student in my class but I do fine for myself and still have a very comfortable life with my family which I love. Neither do you have to be the top student to get a good residency and/or training.

I concur

 

[MaseratiGT]

Just to give students some perspective, DMU takes path and micro 1st year. Not sure what gets switched in and out between 1st and 2nd year between DMU and Temple though. And yes, micro is draining. We just finished. And yes, Path seems to be hard, 1/4 of the way through. It is a month long course.

Pathomechanics or pathology? It's systemic pathology that's the doozy. It should be loaded into 6-8hr/wk for a semester, or something equivalent...

Pathomechanics is interesting, and that is more relevant to us, so it's not as bad.

 

[MaseratiGT]

So I just checked out your website and it's path as in pathology?!

hmm...how do you get it all crammed into a month long course? I just found the information from all the systems to be incredibly immense 😕

::Edit:: I think I figured it out...do you guys do some basic fundamentals of pathology for a month then study the pathology of individual systems during those system courses during second year?

::EDIT-EDIT:: We take lower anatomy and biomech 1st year for the trade off