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I remember in undergrad trying to figure out what to do with my life. I knew that I wanted to do something in the medical field but didn't know what. I had shadowed many different doctors but just hadn't found "my thing". I ran into a family friend who was a podiatrist and asked if I could follow him around. He agreed and that Wednesday, I saw my first austin bunionectomy! By shear coincidence, it was about that time that I found the infamous angelfire.com (this was 2002 and it said the exact same thing). That freaked me out but my mentor settled me down by simply stating that there were unhappy people everywhere.
Podiatry school came and flew by. I was a good student (about the middle of my class) and did well in clinicals. Fourth year came and the residency chaos began with externships, crips, match, etc. I matched at a great program and have had a blast. I have learned to respect and work with doctors from many other specialties. I have learned that with few exceptions, the "podiatry vs rest of the medical world" mentality is largely limited to pre-med/med students who don't have a clue but soon will.
When I began all of this, I remember thinking that it would never end. And yet, here I am. In about 6 months, my SDN status will change one last time, from resident to attending. Last week, I signed with a podiatry group in the southwest for a starting deal well into the six figures. Strangely enough, it was more than just about the money. I turned down more lucrative deals to go where I wanted my family to be and where I thought I had the most potential. My family and I are very excited.
I post this to point out that it does end and that it is worth it. Podiatry is a great profession with great potential. If you are a smart, capable, hard working person, you will do well. If you just scrape by in undergrad and are looking for an easy way to become a doctor and make money, you probably WILL get into some podiatry school. But that's about as far as you'll get. Whether MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DVM, or business school, you'll get out of it what you put into it. The success stories that you so often hear are a product of all the hard work and dedication that the individual puts into it.
If you're willing to work as hard as you can, you'll do fine. Don't let others disuade you. I still have plenty of hard work ahead but I think it's safe to say that I made a good decision and so have many of you. No regrets!
Podiatry school came and flew by. I was a good student (about the middle of my class) and did well in clinicals. Fourth year came and the residency chaos began with externships, crips, match, etc. I matched at a great program and have had a blast. I have learned to respect and work with doctors from many other specialties. I have learned that with few exceptions, the "podiatry vs rest of the medical world" mentality is largely limited to pre-med/med students who don't have a clue but soon will.
When I began all of this, I remember thinking that it would never end. And yet, here I am. In about 6 months, my SDN status will change one last time, from resident to attending. Last week, I signed with a podiatry group in the southwest for a starting deal well into the six figures. Strangely enough, it was more than just about the money. I turned down more lucrative deals to go where I wanted my family to be and where I thought I had the most potential. My family and I are very excited.
I post this to point out that it does end and that it is worth it. Podiatry is a great profession with great potential. If you are a smart, capable, hard working person, you will do well. If you just scrape by in undergrad and are looking for an easy way to become a doctor and make money, you probably WILL get into some podiatry school. But that's about as far as you'll get. Whether MD, DO, DPM, DDS, DVM, or business school, you'll get out of it what you put into it. The success stories that you so often hear are a product of all the hard work and dedication that the individual puts into it.
If you're willing to work as hard as you can, you'll do fine. Don't let others disuade you. I still have plenty of hard work ahead but I think it's safe to say that I made a good decision and so have many of you. No regrets!
