Shadowing a podiatrist

[alparkeruab]

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Would shadowing a podiatrist be considered useful or worthwhile for applying to medical school?

 

[superZ4040]

Would shadowing a podiatrist be considered useful or worthwhile for applying to medical school?

If you have already done it, then great. Mention it in your personal statement.

If this is something you plan to do. Consider this: You have to go to podiatry school and not medical school to become a podiatrist. Would shadowing a dentist, an optometrist, or a pharmacist be worthwhile for applying to med school? It would only be useful if it somehow led or reconfirmed your decision to go the route and become an MD. I'd recommend finding an MD to shadow.

 

[Its_MurDAH]

Would shadowing a podiatrist be considered useful or worthwhile for applying to medical school?

NO

 

[jbing]

it might be an interesting way to get your foot in the door.......GET IT, FOOT????

 

[MossPoh]

It wouldn't probably be as good as a doc, but if asked you could say it also led to interests in other orthopedic oriented stuff..Outside of the whole fact you work with feet all day they do get to do some pretty cool stuff, and in fact I went to one over an orthopedic guy and never regreted it...but yea while it may not HURT..I'd still think MD/DO is the best option for medschool aspirations.

 

[Law2Doc]

Would shadowing a podiatrist be considered useful or worthwhile for applying to medical school?

I would be concerned that it would open a whole lot of questions in terms of whether you were really focused specifically on going into allopathic medicine. The point of shadowing is to see what doctors do, and it doesn't provide you with the same perspective if you shadow someone in a different field. Shadowing an MD is preferable, for allo admissions purposes.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

Before you do this, just be aware that one of the grossest things in the world is gangreous diabetic feet. We'll all have to deal with disturbing medical problems in med school, just be ready for it when you step into the pod's office.

 

[Orthodoc40]

INSTEAD of an MD or DO? Probably not. IN ADDITION TO an MD or DO? Can't hurt. I did it. I also shadowed 4 MDs and one of them for over a year, so all I'm saying is that if it's in addition to shadowing a physician, it can be useful to YOU, and insightful in some ways. Podiatrists learn alongside MD's in school.

 

[jonwill]

Would shadowing a podiatrist be considered useful or worthwhile for applying to medical school?

It depends! If you are really interested in the MD/DO route, shadow MD/DO. If you are not sure what you want to do and you are interested in podiatric medicine, definitely shadow a DPM as well as the others. Try and shadow him in the clinic and in the OR. I'm a 4th year pod med student getting ready to apply for residency and I love it.

As far as shadowing a DPM to get into an MD/DO program, it probably won't hurt (showing a general interest in medicine and OR time is always a plus) but shadowing an MD/DO would probably be a lot more profitable. Good luck!

 

[Bluntman]

Feet are ****ing gross.

 

[jonwill]

Before you do this, just be aware that one of the grossest things in the world is gangreous diabetic feet. We'll all have to deal with disturbing medical problems in med school, just be ready for it when you step into the pod's office.

Yup, nothing like getting called into the ER to manage a diabetic foot infection! I've taken some pretty long showers after those cases!