What is the magic number for GPA...

[Windom Earle]

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Is there a good benchmark GPA to have in podiatry school to open up doors to most residencies?

Obviously you want the HIGHEST possible, but is there a threshold that program directors look for?

I know there are of course other factors like personality and clinical skills, but what do you think?

 

[de Ribas]

Is there a good benchmark GPA to have in podiatry school to open up doors to most residencies?

Obviously you want the HIGHEST possible, but is there a threshold that program directors look for?

I know there are of course other factors like personality and clinical skills, but what do you think?

I have seen a document where is lists minimums that certain programs have. Obviously, it's better to have higher numbers than their minimums if you want to get in your top choices.

 

[ftdoc11]

Is there a good benchmark GPA to have in podiatry school to open up doors to most residencies?

Obviously you want the HIGHEST possible, but is there a threshold that program directors look for?

I know there are of course other factors like personality and clinical skills, but what do you think?

Above a 3.0 will keep the doors open to all but the most elite residency programs. I've heard multiple residency directors say they look at class rank much closer than GPA because there is a wide disparity between all the schools. A 3.5 at one school may but you in the top 25% and in the bottom 50% at another.

However, more importantly, it's how you before on your clerkship or residency visits that will ultimately land you a residency spot. Just keep your GPA high enough to not get screened out of a pile of 100 applicants at a quick glance and you'll be fine.

 

[wakaflocka88]

I don't care how high your GPA is, if you're weird, you're doomed. High GPA may get you in for a clerkship or interview, but you better be ready to prove you deserve that GPA/class rank.

 

[de Ribas]

so what specific qualities make you stand out during clerkships? what kind of people they like besides test scores and GPA?

 

[GypsyHummus]

Weird as in what? Sucking on patients toes? I never understood that, I mean, the pod schools had an interview for a reason lol.

I don't care how high your GPA is, if you're weird, you're doomed. High GPA may get you in for a clerkship or interview, but you better be ready to prove you deserve that GPA/class rank.

 

[dorsiflexor]

Weird as in what? Sucking on patients toes? I never understood that, I mean, the pod schools had an interview for a reason lol.

Schools interview you for a couple hours. And they don’t really care if you’re willing to pay them. Residencies interview you for a month. You can’t hide who you are for a month. Whether that’s being a little different or just being an ass.

GPA matters but people are right it only gets your foot in the door. However, a lower GPA won’t even give you a chance at programs. Do your best no matter what to leave as many doors open as possible for you. Don’t let something you can control cost you a chance at a program.

 

[GypsyHummus]

What options are there for people who barley pass their classes? Like end up getting a 2.3 GPA?

Schools interview you for a couple hours. And they don’t really care if you’re willing to pay them. Residencies interview you for a month. You can’t hide who you are for a month. Whether that’s being a little different or just being an ass.

GPA matters but people are right it only gets your foot in the door. However, a lower GPA won’t even give you a chance at programs. Do your best no matter what to leave as many doors open as possible for you. Don’t let something you can control cost you a chance at a program.

 

[dorsiflexor]

What options are there for people who barley pass their classes? Like end up getting a 2.3 GPA?

I’m not sure I’m a 3rd year. But I know for my class those people had a hard time passing boards or didn’t pass boards. I get that **** happens and people may screw up on an exam or a semester but if you’re having a difficult time passing every class for 2-3 years I have a hard time buying that you deserve to have the privilege of treating people let alone operate on people.

I really hate these what is the bare minimum I need threads. You just come off as lazy when you ask that question. You’re in a doctorate program that gives you the opportunity to treat and operate on patients. Treat it with the respect it deserves and work your ass off to be the best you can be. Don’t just try and sneak by doing the minimum.

 

[GypsyHummus]

I mean, in other professional schools the mentality is Cs get degrees lol.

Plus, someone has to statistically be at the bottom.

I’m not sure I’m a 3rd year. But I know for my class those people had a hard time passing boards or didn’t pass boards. I get that **** happens and people may screw up on an exam or a semester but if you’re having a difficult time passing every class for 2-3 years I have a hard time buying that you deserve to have the privilege of treating people let alone operate on people.

I really hate these what is the bare minimum I need threads. You just come off as lazy when you ask that question. You’re in a doctorate program that gives you the opportunity to treat and operate on patients. Treat it with the respect it deserves and work your ass off to be the best you can be. Don’t just try and sneak by doing the minimum.

 

[dorsiflexor]

Sure you can say that for MD/DOs but guess what they take a real board exam with an actual score. The people who don’t learn the material are screwed when it comes time to take boards. Those people end up in lower tier specialties or don’t match.
Podiatry boards are minimum competency. They don’t differentiate us. Our GPA/class rank does differentiate us. So they matter more.
But you’re right someone has to be last. But if you’re last because you’re lazy you don’t deserve to match and I don’t feel sorry for you. These threads and these questions only come from lazy people.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Well, wont it also depend on what school you come from? Does someone who is last at AZPOD (30 students) have the same "Lazy" as someone who is last at Kent (100+ students)?

Sure you can say that for MD/DOs but guess what they take a real board exam with an actual score. The people who don’t learn the material are screwed when it comes time to take boards. Those people end up in lower tier specialties or don’t match.
Podiatry boards are minimum competency. They don’t differentiate us. Our GPA/class rank does differentiate us. So they matter more.
But you’re right someone has to be last. But if you’re last because you’re lazy you don’t deserve to match and I don’t feel sorry for you. These threads and these questions only come from lazy people.

 

[dorsiflexor]

Not necessarily. But the person that’s last at Kent or scholl or NY also aren’t necessarily lazy either. I’m saying if a person is last because they are lazy (and asking questions like what’s the bare minimum gpa I need makes you lazy) then those are my opinions.
If you work hard and don’t make the grades but show that you’re a hard worker on clerkships and that you’re willing to learn I think you’ll be just fine. Again I’m not sure as I’m just a 3rd year. But if you’re lazy for 3 years of academics you think you’re going to get to clerkships and turn into a working machine? You think you’re going to scrub cases and go to clinic for 12-14 hours a day then prep for the next days cases or look up the answers to the questions you didn’t know? I have my doubts. But hey prove me wrong. People with 4.0’s scramble and don’t match just like people with 2.3’s. Like I said gpa isn’t everything but I believe it’s a good indicator of work ethic in most cases. There are always exceptions.

 

[GypsyHummus]

Well, some people are just not book smart and can’t remember all the details to do well on tests. Some people might get Cs in their academic years, but have excellent dexterity and can perfectly clean up an ingrown toenails with minimal pain. Some C students might be bad at bookwork and have bad Dex skills, but have a friendly and charming demeanor that makes patients feel at ease and actually look foreword to seeing the doctor, and put the patients at ease about going in a fixing a bone spur.

Some people might be booksmart and have a horrible personality.

Rare individuals have all of it. They end up going to MD school lol.

 

[dorsiflexor]

Well, some people are just not book smart and can’t remember all the details to do well on tests. Some people might get Cs in their academic years, but have excellent dexterity and can perfectly clean up an ingrown toenails with minimal pain. Some C students might be bad at bookwork and have bad Dex skills, but have a friendly and charming demeanor that makes patients feel at ease and actually look foreword to seeing the doctor, and put the patients at ease about going in a fixing a bone spur.

Some people might be booksmart and have a horrible personality.

Rare individuals have all of it. They end up going to MD school lol.

Right because everyone in podiatry school is there because they couldn’t get into medical school and podiatrists just do ingrown nails and shave down little bone spurs.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

Well, wont it also depend on what school you come from? Does someone who is last at AZPOD (30 students) have the same "Lazy" as someone who is last at Kent (100+ students)?

Well, some people are just not book smart and can’t remember all the details to do well on tests. Some people might get Cs in their academic years, but have excellent dexterity and can perfectly clean up an ingrown toenails with minimal pain. Some C students might be bad at bookwork and have bad Dex skills, but have a friendly and charming demeanor that makes patients feel at ease and actually look foreword to seeing the doctor, and put the patients at ease about going in a fixing a bone spur.

Some people might be booksmart and have a horrible personality.

Rare individuals have all of it. They end up going to MD school lol.

I think most of these students with a low GPA are just lazy or procrastinate, they put in the bare minimum work, just pass and move on. Then, there are those who do not belong in a Pod program and most of the times these students are either dismissed or they leave once they realize this field is not for them.

For the lazy students, like Dorsiflexor said above, you can't just magically turn into an A student once clinical begins. You have to be like that from day 1 of Pod school and that same discipline carries over to clinical and residency years. During rotations, besides the GPA factor, the resident or the attending you are under, are basically testing you from the day if they want you in their program or not since most of these are just for a month. A good GPA will open doors to great rotations and thus residency match. And since Pod is a small field, people talk, so your work as a student, good or bad, can be passed on to other programs.

Finally, I think you need to be book smart and be a people's person in order to be a successful Doc. Can't perform surgeries by charms alone..lol

 

[de Ribas]

I think most of these students with a low GPA are just lazy or procrastinate, they put in the bare minimum work, just pass and move on. Then, there are those who do not belong in a Pod program and most of the times these students are either dismissed or they leave once they realize this field is not for them.

For the lazy students, like Dorsiflexor said above, you can't just magically turn into an A student once clinical begins. You have to be like that from day 1 of Pod school and that same discipline carries over to clinical and residency years. During rotations, besides the GPA factor, the resident or the attending you are under, are basically testing you from the day if they want you in their program or not since most of these are just for a month. A good GPA will open doors to great rotations and thus residency match. And since Pod is a small field, people talk, so your work as a student, good or bad, can be passed on to other programs.

Finally, I think you need to be book smart and be a people's person in order to be a successful Doc. Can't perform surgeries by charms alone..lol

so what specific qualities make you stand out during clerkships?

 

[DexterMorganSK]

so what specific qualities make you stand out during clerkships?

Try this thread and others like it in the resident forum..

Success in field vs GPA

 

[dorsiflexor]

so what specific qualities make you stand out during clerkships?

Work hard even when you think the work is meaningless. Be helpful. Answer what you know and be honest when you don’t know. Don’t break sterile. Don’t be an ass. When given a topic to present on or a journal to summarize at academics busy your ass on it.
tips for externs

 

[de Ribas]

Work hard even when you think the work is meaningless. Be helpful. Answer what you know and be honest when you don’t know. Don’t break sterile. Don’t be an ass. When given a topic to present on or a journal to summarize at academics busy your ass on it.
tips for externs

Thank you

 

[Packers4lifeDPM]

Study more.

 

[Sweatshirt]

I was looking at residencies the other day and some good programs have a 3.2 cut off... so that's a good number to shoot for

 

[Windom Earle]

I have seen a document where is lists minimums that certain programs have. Obviously, it's better to have higher numbers than their minimums if you want to get in your top choices.

Can anyone find this minimum list?

 

[DexterMorganSK]

Can anyone find this minimum list?

>3.0 should be the goal

http://www.casprcrip.org/html/casprcrip/pdf/Directory/Dir_MinGPA_crj.pdf

 

[de Ribas]

>3.0 should be the goal

http://www.casprcrip.org/html/casprcrip/pdf/Directory/Dir_MinGPA_crj.pdf

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