Unsuccessful MD/DO applicant who chose podiatry school... AMA

[WGSgrad]

Forget about what your family wants you to do, do whatever makes you most happy. They'll get over it

Lol...they wanted me to go to law school. And I haven't allowed it to factor into what I plan to do...but that doesn't mean I given them chances to pester me about it where unnecessary ;-) I'm old (over 30) and I've learned that sometimes the best way to get along is to just not have some conversations. My parents will find out that I am pursing medical school on the day I get and accept a seat somewhere.

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[TXMED_1695]

Cool story bro.

Could we agree that anecdotes are simply anecdotes and even if true only probably represent the fewer than a dozen podiatrists who have claimed what you're saying? While also you're ignoring those on the residents/physicians section claiming to be getting starting salaries out of residency up to $280,000.

Let's instead look to the surveys.

MGMA 2010 (Did you not agree that MGMAs numbers are realistic for other specialties they track?)
General podiatry mean: $216,611
Surgical podiatry mean: $287,449
ACFAS 2015 (Surgical organization so we can assume mostly surgical podiatrists)
Mean base salary: $211,723
Mean bonuses: $51,108
APMA 2015 Young Physician's Survey (Stat below specifically for podiatrists in practice for only 1-5 years, so what you can expect towards the beginning of a career)
Mean salary including bonuses: $172,577

Check this thread out for anybody interested in salaries. It talks about real offers coming out of residency. Podiatry Employment/Income as a New Grad - questions answered

This one is a bit older, but a great read. Doesn't give any numbers, but talks about the how we make our money and the ceiling we keep mentioning. My comments regarding DPM income

Everything I mentioned is in there. He/she says they all are taking home at least $100K year 1 out, with most taking home $150K. Also, it shows how the more seasoned podiatrists are taking home $250K+. Be careful of all these online surveys say. They aren't always accurate and there's so many different variables that need to be taken into account. I'm in the schools, talking to professors, deans, 3rd, 4th, years, even people in residencies associated with our school. The career is a bright one, you will make a VERY comfortable living, well ahead of the curve

That's the last I'll touch on salary, if anybody else wants to talk about something else I'll be here!

 

[GypsyHummus]

Thats nice but none of this makes podiatry school equivalent to medical school

U never answered my question, what about the pod students that take the same exactly courses at the same time of day as the DO students? Are DOs not "physicians" either? We (meaning AZPOD, DMU, and i believe the California school) all take the same tests, the same questions, everything. We literally sit next to them during lecture. We literally are dissecting cadavers with them.

In efforts to bring back the topic, what has pleasantly surprised you about going into podiatry?

 

[Sweatshirt]

U never answered my question, what about the pod students that take the same exactly courses at the same time of day as the DO students? Are DOs not "physicians" either? We (meaning AZPOD, DMU, and i believe the California school) all take the same tests, the same questions, everything. We literally sit next to them during lecture. We literally are dissecting cadavers with them.

In efforts to bring back the topic, what has pleasantly surprised you about going into podiatry?

Honestly I'm not too sure. Right now I'm just a first year (second semester) memorizing facts and spitting them out on tests. Haven't done anything super cool yet. I have been surprised about how much info my brain can hold... Another thing that surprised me was that the words "foot and ankle" were never mentioned in any class until mid second semester in lower anatomy.

As for pleasantly surprised, I'm pleasantly surprised about how much I like school. Yeah it's hard as hell, but after every exam I feel a wave of relief and happiness. I like lower anatomy the most because it's the most useful to our future career

 

[GypsyHummus]

I wanted to bump for question

Have most of the students in your class settled on the idea of podiatry, or are they still shooting to try and get into MD school?

 

[Sweatshirt]

I wanted to bump for question

Have most of the students in your class settled on the idea of podiatry, or are they still shooting to try and get into MD school?

We just finished first year, so at this point 99% of our class is headed the podiatry route. We had one kid drop out and go to a DO school at the end of first year, but he's the only one I know of. Not many drop out once they complete first year

 

[IslandStyle808]

What are your 3 favorite Pod schools and what separates them from the rest?

 

[CommyO]

Since you switched from med to pod, may I ask what was all required in terms of the switch? If one switches from med to pod, do all the prereqs align and they should shadow a pod?

 

[cactusman]

Since you switched from med to pod, may I ask what was all required in terms of the switch? If one switches from med to pod, do all the prereqs align and they should shadow a pod?

Yes. As with MD/DO, look at specific schools' websites to double check requirements.

 

[Sweatshirt]

What are your 3 favorite Pod schools and what separates them from the rest?

I didn't visit them all, but out of the ones I visited my top 3 were Kent, Des Moines, and Scholl. All the schools are good, but these schools caught my eye because they have really nice, newer, state-of-the-art facilities. Some of the other schools I visited were older and bland, which I didn't enjoy. The education at all the schools is basically the same, but I like more modern things so I chose based on that. I've heard good things about the Arizona school but I never visited that one

Since you switched from med to pod, may I ask what was all required in terms of the switch? If one switches from med to pod, do all the prereqs align and they should shadow a pod?

Yeah all the pre-reqs are virtually identical for pod and med school. I didn't have to go out of my way to take extra classes. They do require a letter of req from a podiatrist, but those aren't hard to get because you need shadowing hours anyways. Like the above posted said check with each school individually though

 

[PodiatryStudent2]

I also did Podiatry as a backup and got over the fact that it’s not MD/DO quick. When you’re in school working hard you don’t think about that stuff. I’m at a school where we take classes with DO students so I’m getting the education in systemic medicine that I wanted and that helps.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Do you find that the DO students and the pod students are held to the same standard, education wise? Do you find them to be held to the same respect as well? I visited 2 schools with Pod/DO classes taught together and noticed that one school’s students treated each other as equals and one school’s DO class thought themselves better.

Have you had a lot of students drop out?

I also did Podiatry as a backup and got over the fact that it’s not MD/DO quick. When you’re in school working hard you don’t think about that stuff. I’m at a school where we take classes with DO students so I’m getting the education in systemic medicine that I wanted and that helps.

 

[PodiatryStudent2]

Do you find that the DO students and the pod students are held to the same standard, education wise? Do you find them to be held to the same respect as well? I visited 2 schools with Pod/DO classes taught together and noticed that one school’s students treated each other as equals and one school’s DO class thought themselves better.

Have you had a lot of students drop out?

We are held to the same educational standard because classes taken together are exactly the same, exams are exactly the same. I’ve never at any point felt less respected because I’m a podiatry student, not by a professor or a DO student.

 

[Gilakend]

Can any pod choose how they practice? I feel like going surgical pod is a better option that someone who is ortho or bust going to a DO school.

Not that there is anything wrong with DO (I am applying to them) but there is a still a stigma against them particularly in those hyper-competitive specialties like ortho.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Can any pod choose how they practice? I feel like going surgical pod is a better option that someone who is ortho or bust going to a DO school.

Not that there is anything wrong with DO (I am applying to them) but there is a still a stigma against them particularly in those hyper-competitive specialties like ortho.

Something like 80% of med students change their minds about specialty during med school. I wouldn’t say no to DO because you think you want to do ortho. No offense to pods.

 

[Gilakend]

Something like 80% of med students change their minds about specialty during med school. I wouldn’t say no to DO because you think you want to do ortho. No offense to pods.

That's true, I didn't consider that.

 

[GypsyHummus]

I would say its about 10% of pods could have gone MD/DO but decided on pod route. Goes up to about 20% when you get to the top tier programs. I know of 2 people who had 3.6 and 505+ who specifically chose Pod school over DO school for those very reasons (one got into a state MD school, the other got into 2 DO schools). They wanted surgery without risking it in the match.

I also know of many more that picked pod because it was the only option, but there are a number of reasons to go down the pod road besides couldnt get into MD school.

If pod was a regular medical specialty, I think it would be middle tier. Think about it, mix of clinic and surgery, not as grueling of hours as other surgical professions, good pay (PCP level), and satisfaction of instant relief for the patient. Podiatry incorporates all aspects of medicine with the exception of OBGYN and Psych. Want derm? Lots of warts and weird skin diseases. Want general medicine? Lots of diabetics and life style consulting. Want Ortho? You got reconstructive foot/ankle surgeries and bunions. Emergency medicine? You got gas gangrene and other insect bites of the lower extremities.

Podiatry is quickly becoming the most rapidly evolving field in medicine and the legality lines are being drawn before us all. People who cant get into medical school should seriously consider pod school before more borderline candidates find out about it.

Can any pod choose how they practice? I feel like going surgical pod is a better option that someone who is ortho or bust going to a DO school.

Not that there is anything wrong with DO (I am applying to them) but there is a still a stigma against them particularly in those hyper-competitive specialties like ortho.

 

[mwsapphire]

Something like 80% of med students change their minds about specialty during med school. I wouldn’t say no to DO because you think you want to do ortho. No offense to pods.

And DO"s can be orthopods, if they have what it takes to do it.
Isn't it something like 1/3rd of MD's go into primary care, and half of DO's?
You have better chance going to a DO program and becoming an orthopod than staying committed to surgery throughout pod school? I can't imagine not changing my mind.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Its more than a half. Its more like 70-80% of DOs go into primary care, which is why podiatry is an appealing option for people who want to do surgery but could only get into a DO school.

If you are a rock star and get into a DO school instead of MD, by all means, go for it. There are DOs who go into Ortho or surgery, its just you gotta be on top of your game.

And DO"s can be orthopods, if they have what it takes to do it.
Isn't it something like 1/3rd of MD's go into primary care, and half of DO's?
You have better chance going to a DO program and becoming an orthopod than staying committed to surgery throughout pod school? I can't imagine not changing my mind.

 

[mwsapphire]

Its more than a half. Its more like 70-80% of DOs go into primary care, which is why podiatry is an appealing option for people who want to do surgery but could only get into a DO school.

If you are a rock star and get into a DO school instead of MD, by all means, go for it. There are DOs who go into Ortho or surgery, its just you gotta be on top of your game.

I'm p sure @Goro can answer this question for us.
Not to mention that lots of DO's do IM specialties like immunology/endo. and such.
Edit: I also found this neat website that lets you find DO docs in different areas with different specialties and you can literally find everything. ( not to make my point just now, but for my own research on DO programs in case that's what I end up with)

 

[Goro]

Its more than a half. Its more like 70-80% of DOs go into primary care, which is why podiatry is an appealing option for people who want to do surgery but could only get into a DO school.

No, it's more like 50-60%.

 

[Geo16]

There is more to podiatry than just surgery, but like dentistry or optometry it is limited in scope and people should do their research before committing. I think someone should only do pod as backup if they actually find it interesting.

My "back-up plan if you don't get in" answer would be SMP & earn paramedic certificate then try again or go into Pod.

 

[mwsapphire]

No, it's more like 50-60%.

And doesn't that include those that go into IM residencies and then sub specialize into endocrinology/ immunology/rhuemotology, etc. ?

 

[Goro]

And doesn't that include those that go into IM residencies and then sub specialize into endocrinology/ immunology/rhuemotology, etc. ?

That we don't have data for, since subspecialties imply a fellowship being done. All we can gather from data is that IM is considered Primary Care, and as such, those who go to an IM residency are considered PC.

But you correct in thinking that sub-specializing, in say, Rheumatology or Peds Endocrinology may actually lower the % of DOs counted as being in PC.