...I'm running out of new things to say here...
I agree to an extent.
We say the same things again and again in slightly different ways. I would say it is not so much of an argument in most cases as much as it just stating certain truths as far as the pros and cons of this profession. ...
I think the same things are said, on SDN and just among DPMs in general, because
the same issues are asked again and again: jobs, residencies, board exams, contracts, loans, ROI, very lax admissions, etc.
The issues of severe shortage of high quality residencies, low DPM associate pay, few hospital jobs (compared to current and past grads who want them), not using full scope skill at most jobs, etc etc have existed since I was in pod school (and joined SDN). I take extended breaks from the forums for that reason: it often seems like a loop.
It has always been make-your-own-luck in podiatry.
Always. There were times when many grads got no residency. Various lengths of residency. Now, it's still highly varied quality of residency.
There are, and basically always have been, the haves and the have-nots in terms of DPM residencies, jobs, boards, income.
The main concern is that the podiatry issues don't get better; they get worse. ROI is rougher and rougher. The luck is harder to make.
- Tuition for podiatry goes up faster than incomes, so ROI goes down further.
- High quality DPM resident spots are finite, yet we open new schools.
- Supply of "3yr foot and ankle surgeron" goes up and up (now fellowships!), demand drops.
- Hospital jobs and good MSG/ortho gigs are harder as more locations and positions fill... and pay drops or stagnates despite inflation (due to massive apps for them).
- Starting or buying a PP is harder due to lending tight and hugely negative debt-to-income ratio for grads.
The schools will struggle and saturation will come to a head in the way that pharmacy did, but that doesn't mean there won't still be tons of DPMs competing for the same pts and jobs. The problem won't correct automatically, and it'll get worse before it gets better. It's too bad.
...I tell people all the time, but
the key is realizing there are MAJOR holes in the podiatry training and career field!!! That knowledge is power. Podiatry can still be good... even very good. Learn the flaws. Get mad. Get motivated. Do what it takes to get results. That's usually done by getting the best possible knowledge and training (top third/quarter of class gpa and top third/quarter of DPM residencies which are actually good). After school, being
persistent on passing ABFAS and saving to get to PP owner or cold calling and networking and shooting applications to find one of the increasingly few quality DPM employed positions (hospital, partner, etc). That is the best chance to success, but it's a relatively small % of DPMs.
^^^There is nothing wrong with saying that stuff. At all. People need to know how it is. If they don't know, they are BLINDSIDED by the fact that just because podiatry school is easy to get in it is
not easy to do well, struggle in match, shocked with the job market, saddened by the poor ROI, don't love the job quality, amazed even some podiatry 'hero' type students/residents still take basic low pay jobs, etc. If they know podiatry's pitfalls going in by reading SDN or wherever, they can handle it well... or at least not be totally shocked and depressed by it. They need that road map to swerve the big mistakes or disappointments that many DPMs face. Ideally, they'll use it as motivation to study and match well, and a likely crap first job is a fire to work for better - or create better. But hey, we still get many of these "$400k and 7yrs for $100k no benefits crap jobs??? Wtf" threads year in and year out. We now have more people thinking maaaybe doubling down on the debt with some fellowship magic might change the offers they're facing.
I would say
more people considering podiatry school or currently training for podiatry need to realize the issues, not less.
