Western University...Thoughts?

[IlizaRob]

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So I have been hearing rumors about Western U in Cali opening up a college of podiatric medicine so I decided to go online and check it out. Its true. Anyone else heard of this? They plan on opening the college in 2009 along with college of dentistry and optometry. They currently have a DO, DVM, and some health science programs available (PT, PA etc). They will begin construction of a 250,000 square foot building this summer to accomadate the new colleges. What does everyone think about this? I personally think that having another program fully integrated with other health professions (especially DO) will help to educate others about podiatry as well as increase the quality of education for podiatric medical students. Although, CSPM might not be thrilled about it.

What do you think?

Here is a powerpoint with some info
http://www.westernu.edu/bin/cape/10 yr strategic plan.ppt

 

[Catayst]

Need one in Texas

 

[cool_vkb]

So I have been hearing rumors about Western U in Cali opening up a college of podiatric medicine so I decided to go online and check it out. Its true. Anyone else heard of this? They plan on opening the college in 2009 along with college of dentistry and optometry. They currently have a DO, DVM, and some health science programs available (PT, PA etc). They will begin construction of a 250,000 square foot building this summer to accomadate the new colleges. What does everyone think about this? I personally think that having another program fully integrated with other health professions (especially DO) will help to educate others about podiatry as well as increase the quality of education for podiatric medical students. Although, CSPM might not be thrilled about it.

What do you think?

Here is a powerpoint with some info
http://www.westernu.edu/bin/cape/10 yr strategic plan.ppt

iam just wondering wud addition of another 80-100 seats cause more seats to applicants ratio increase and bring back the 1999 days where there were so many seats but low applicants.

 

[funfeet]

iam just wondering wud addition of another 80-100 seats cause more seats to applicants ratio increase and bring back the 1999 days where there were so many seats but low applicants.

They wont have 80-100 seats. AZPOD only had like 15 for their first class (correct me if i'm wrong). They have to limit their seats for the first few years i believe.
I think its awesome they are opening a new school. I like how they are opening it with the optometry and the other schools, because a more vareity of healthcare ppl will be able to get an insight of podiatry. When applicants to the other schools come to see the new school, they will also see the podiatry, so I think it can help.

 

[ucrs]

Western U is a good school. I know a ton of people that graduated from their programs (med and pharm). I think that them building a new podiatry program would be a great idea too.

 

[SAFOOT]

iam just wondering wud addition of another 80-100 seats cause more seats to applicants ratio increase and bring back the 1999 days where there were so many seats but low applicants.

no the number of applicants are increasing every year.

 

[jonwill]

The question that needs to be addressed is do we need it? Keep in mind that there are a limited number of residency spots. I would much rather cap enrollment and make it more competitive than screw people after they graduate and are 100k+ in the hole. Podiatry has already done this and these people make up a large portion of the "podiatry haters".

 

[IlizaRob]

The question that needs to be addressed is do we need it? Keep in mind that there are a limited number of residency spots. I would much rather cap enrollment and make it more competitive than screw people after they graduate and are 100k+ in the hole. Podiatry has already done this and these people make up a large portion of the "podiatry haters".

I agree. Its good that health universities are starting pod programs. I think that it raises the bar a little with regards to education. But there definitely needs to be a cap on enrollment so that the number of students do not exceed the number of residency slots. I think that the cap should be set based on the number of residency slots.

 

[whiskers]

In my opinipn, competition in the training and educational aspect will help increase the standards of all the schools and the profession in general.

But I wonder what will become of we the old pods when and if the scope of practice is lifted for the new graduates.

Will we be the new relics?

 

[defboy]

I believe that it is 2 edged sword. As stated -the DO integration will make it more competitive, credible, and increase the overall training of Pods at that particular school. But also the numbers increase is such that, I fear admissions criteria at maybe; repeat MAYBE sacrificed. I do believe that more schools are needed as the general practicing pod pop. is growing older and the newer "relics" will need to step up the care for the boomers.
A school in Texas would be great. I'm from arkansas and having one here for our bare footed hillbillies would be great! that's like getting a dental school here-all were need is a good dental tech.😀

 

[cool_vkb]

out of the present 8 schools, how many are associated with DO/MD schools.

 

[Podman]

out of the present 8 schools, how many are associated with DO/MD schools.

What do you mean by associated? Most if not all schools are "associated" with and MD or DO program through a clinical or basic science facculty. However, if you are asking for "integraded" then its only Arizona and DMU - and to a lesser extent scholl.

 

[Celeripedean]

i think it's great that there is another school opening because that will most definately help with recognition of our field, at the same time its a 2 edged sward, we just need no monitor the number of students we let in as that will also help to make this a more competitive field, i feel alittle competition in getting in now is needed. but this field has to grow as a whole, meaning that yes we need to grow in schools and seats, but at the same time must grow in number of resident opportunities. overall i feel it's a good small step in the right direction. other thoughts??

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

Personally, I do not see a need for another school. I think that CSPM would be well served by leaving Samuel Merritt and integrating w/ Western. If that occurred it would be a shift in policy b/c all pod schools West of the Mississippi would be integrated w/ DO programs. I think it would be major pressure on the Eastern schools to adapt.

So I say yes to CSPM moving to Western but no to another independent pod school

 

[cool_vkb]

are there any real extra advantages in terms of accredition of school or getting residency for students if a school is integrated with DO school.

And wat does it mean by itegrated and associated.

 

[Celeripedean]

Personally, I do not see a need for another school. I think that CSPM would be well served by leaving Samuel Merritt and integrating w/ Western. If that occurred it would be a shift in policy b/c all pod schools West of the Mississippi would be integrated w/ DO programs. I think it would be major pressure on the Eastern schools to adapt.

So I say yes to CSPM moving to Western but no to another independent pod school

i dont think it's pressure to adapt, i think it's those programs just wouldent be able to make it on their own so they then must integrate. i think being independent/ private is good. it ,if you have the ability, lets you get a for lack of a better term "customized" medical education for pod med.
i think later down the road as pod med grows the other school would benefit from going independent if possible. before i get myself in trouble i am not discrediting the "western" school for integrading. i think that if that's what you have to do then do it, we're all here for the same reason, as long as we get there. now i dont know, but do the schools that are with D.O.s, do they have a semester of lower, or is it all just one gross class??

 

[Celeripedean]

i heard some word about a couple of school's, (one if florida) that took 4th year DMP's. gave one more year of classes and gave them D.O.

also, any new's on changing DPM to PMD, when i visited NY, one of the girls who was with apmsa said some talk on that.???

this should prob be a new thread

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

i dont think it's pressure to adapt, i think it's those programs just wouldent be able to make it on their own so they then must integrate. i think being independent/ private is good. it ,if you have the ability, lets you get a for lack of a better term "customized" medical education for pod med.
i think later down the road as pod med grows the other school would benefit from going independent if possible. before i get myself in trouble i am not discrediting the "western" school for integrading. i think that if that's what you have to do then do it, we're all here for the same reason, as long as we get there. now i dont know, but do the schools that are with D.O.s, do they have a semester of lower, or is it all just one gross class??

I am 100% in disagreement. If you remember the foot bone is connected to the leg bone and so on. Therefore a solid medical education is key to success. Integrated programs such as DMU an AZPOD generally are at the top of the board scores b/c they go to medical school not just podiatry school.

At DMU, we take all of the basic science classes w/ the DO's in the 1st year. In the second year, we take systems classes similar to that of our DO counterparts and in the second semester we concentrate on podiatry classes (i.e. Lower limb anatomy, biomechanics of the LE, pod surgery, ect). We do take further LE classes in the 3rd year but the concentration is on clinical basic training.

In my opinion this basic structure is how all podiatric medical schools should operate. Having pod specific classes in the 1st year interrupts the basic science education on which the podiatric education must be built.

If you'd like more info on how integrated programs work, I would check out the DMU and AZPOD websites and contact their admission's departments to answer any ?s.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

i heard some word about a couple of school's, (one if florida) that took 4th year DMP's. gave one more year of classes and gave them D.O.

also, any new's on changing DPM to PMD, when i visited NY, one of the girls who was with apmsa said some talk on that.???

this should prob be a new thread

Barry does have a DO/DPM dual degree program, but it is I believe 7 years not 5. I would check the Barry website if you want more info.

 

[Celeripedean]

I am 100% in disagreement. If you remember the foot bone is connected to the leg bone and so on. Therefore a solid medical education is key to success. Integrated programs such as DMU an AZPOD generally are at the top of the board scores b/c they go to medical school not just podiatry school.

At DMU, we take all of the basic science classes w/ the DO's in the 1st year. In the second year, we take systems classes similar to that of our DO counterparts and in the second semester we concentrate on podiatry classes (i.e. Lower limb anatomy, biomechanics of the LE, pod surgery, ect). We do take further LE classes in the 3rd year but the concentration is on clinical basic training.

In my opinion this basic structure is how all podiatric medical schools should operate. Having pod specific classes in the 1st year interrupts the basic science education on which the podiatric education must be built.

If you'd like more info on how integrated programs work, I would check out the DMU and AZPOD websites and contact their admission's departments to answer any ?s.

i totally see your point and with most i agree, by "customized" medical education for pod med, i just ment the introduction of pod med in the first year, pod med 1, and lower in the first year, and mabe a couple others, so that by third year in clinic you have got that great base already. pod med is med no matter DO or MD, we are all physicians and in agreeing with you, yes that medical base of "medicine" must be there. wether it's integraded with DO, or independent. do you agree with that?

 

[ucrs]

Barry does have a DO/DPM dual degree program, but it is I believe 7 years not 5. I would check the Barry website if you want more info.

Barry does not have a DO/DPM program. None of the schools do. they do have a MBA/DPM.....Unless things dramatically changed in the last couple of months.

 

[gustydoc]

Just to clarify the DO/DPM program is through Nova Univerity in Florida and is not affiliated with Barry. Upon completion of a DPM degree at any of the podiatric medical schools you can apply for the DO?DPM program at Nova. It is essentially a four year residency during which you take OMM and complete the necessary rotations to sit for the comlex exam. At the end of four years you are granted the DO degree and recognized as completing a PM&S 24 residency. Also an interesting point is that unlike other podiatric residencies you are not paid at all and in fact must pay DO school tuition during the four years. The first residents were excepted into the program last year so it will be interesting to see how it works out. I personally don't see the benefit of paying another 100 grand for a DO degree and if there ever is a unrestricted scope of practice (which the APMA is working towards via vision 2015) I would feel pretty stupid for wasting four years and another $100,000.

 

[doclm]

Barry does not have a DO/DPM program. None of the schools do. they do have a MBA/DPM.....Unless things dramatically changed in the last couple of months.

NOVA has the DPM/DO program. However, you will not have any additional residency training besides a PM&S-24. So how would that DO degree help anyone?

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

i totally see your point and with most i agree, by "customized" medical education for pod med, i just ment the introduction of pod med in the first year, pod med 1, and lower in the first year, and mabe a couple others, so that by third year in clinic you have got that great base already. pod med is med no matter DO or MD, we are all physicians and in agreeing with you, yes that medical base of "medicine" must be there. wether it's integraded with DO, or independent. do you agree with that?

My thought is DPMs are moving toward the MD/DO education and away from the autonomous style of DC/OD programs. So the question remains why would a podiatric class need to be part of the 1st year?

If we want to be physicians and have unlimited scope, we need to receive an education that is equivalent of DOs/MDs. So as I stated before, all schools will be pressure to change to an integrated program.

 

[cool_vkb]

If we want to be physicians and have unlimited scope, we need to receive an education that is equivalent of DOs/MDs. So as I stated before, all schools will be pressure to change to an integrated program.

hey wat do u mean by unlimited scope. i didnt understood that.

 

[Dr_Feelgood]

We've discussed this in other areas, there has been some discussion to work w/ the AMA and follow the track that our DO counterparts took in the 1970s. Integration w/ MDs/DOs would mean a universal legal unlimited scope of practice. It is called Resolution 2015.

It would not really effect podiatric practices b/c podiatric medical students would not be able to enter any medical residency. They would still be limited to podiatric residency training.

 

[cool_vkb]

It would not really effect podiatric practices b/c podiatric medical students would not be able to enter any medical residency. They would still be limited to podiatric residency training.

So then wats the profit of it? and when it says Resoultion 2015. Does it mean it will come in effect in 2015 or its just a number like James Bond 007 .

Lol!