So I have a unique situation. Finished my undergrad in 2016 with a GPA of 3.84 in a non science major then am in the process of completing a post baccularate pre med certificate with a semester left (fall) my GPA in it currently stands at 4.0 and did MCAT and got a 512(might repeat december cycle). I'm shadowing both an Osteopathic doctor and a Podiatrist during the post bacc. I am torn between podiatry and Osteopathic. Osteopathic appeals to me because it's more of the traditional medical approach with a slightly higher income potential. But I'm worried about the merger of 2020. Podiatry appeals to me from a passion standpoint (family history and issues and personal issues) and it's going to allow me more time to be with my family in the future. Considering I'm already 27, what do you guys think?
What should I do?
- Thread starter Baju12
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2017
- Messages
- 2,500
- Reaction score
- 2,331
Why not include MD schools too?
Purely because of how competitive MD programs are. Being married etc, I'm trying not to leave the NY/NJ/CT area. And my stats are avg considering I'm seeing the GPA avg for MD is 3.8 and MCAT 510. So it seems like an uphill battle to be competing with the young guns prestige chasers. I considered MD and applied to Temple's post bacc/pre-med program that's directly into its MD but did not pan out. A lot of the MD applicants have had their entire lives planned towards getting accepted and for me this is more a career change path
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2017
- Messages
- 2,500
- Reaction score
- 2,331
Are you trolling?
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 3,060
- Reaction score
- 4,295
No not trolling. I'm honestly more intrigued with podiatry. Don't let the grades make you think I am. I genuinely want the information. The whole MD/DO struggle is not something I'm easily willing to put my family through. Podiatry seems like the perfect fit when all things taken into consideration. But I just wanted more information to make the best possible decision
lol nice try
What did I say there was inaccurate? I believe those statistics because they were from my advisor in post bacc
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2016
- Messages
- 3,060
- Reaction score
- 4,295
invest in the msar, you're fine for md schools.
if you're still not sure, then post in premed forum for wamc
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2017
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 284
Choose the career that you want to do every day. Podiatry tends to be more family friendly with the hours but that all depends on what your other choice of specialty would be with the MD/DO route. Are there any specific questions you have about podiatry? Otherwise it's completely a personal choice.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2017
- Messages
- 2,280
- Reaction score
- 2,448
You'd be top 1% at most podiatry schools with those stats.
In a way, I kind of see where the OP is coming from, if its not trolling, because I'm getting a headache just thinking about competing with most MD students. Its a no mercy game with them.
DO and pod students are bit more relaxed.
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2017
- Messages
- 2,500
- Reaction score
- 2,331
OP said post bacc is 4.0
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2017
- Messages
- 2,280
- Reaction score
- 2,448
My bad. yea, it worded weird, most people just say SMP or post-bac., not using the word "certification".
I've been doing a lot of research and reading on these forums about the prospects when going into residency and the potential job market and the general trend seems to be it's a comfortable paying job once you can get a good position. How do you feel about this? Btw which program are you at? Should I apply to all 9?
I've spoken to a lot of people in MD and DO programs especially in new York and they seem very "aggressive" in the way they see their classmates. I understand everyone wants to do the best but there's a balance and being older with a wife and family I need something that's going to allow me a bit more breathing space at present and in the future as compared to DO/MD
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2017
- Messages
- 2,280
- Reaction score
- 2,448
One option for MD/DO is to go out of that area then, even if you don't want to.
Many Pod schools also have nearly an identical curriculum to DO/MD schools for at least 2/4 years, being literally in the same classes and taking the exams as them.
I hope Pod schools don't do NBME exams! I've heard some really rough comments from students about those but I assume also that it can be just tough material. Given my situation the decision to change careers came with the caveat from my wife, I can't leave the tri state area. She's also a law student here so staying together is a core element for us in this decision. I'd be focusing on applying to schools in this area for MD/DO and I think they are super competitive and I don't stand out like the rest of applicants
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2014
- Messages
- 222
- Reaction score
- 310
OP claimed he was 27 and married. As someone on the wrong side of 27, the tolerance for/willingness to engage in this kind of behavior is depleted. It's not really too prevalent at Pod school, in my experience, and those who do gun are well known, and personas non gratas to the rest of their class.
This is honestly so undervalued and rarely considered when students are in the position to choose b/t MD/DO/DVM/DMD vs. The USMLE is a scaled percentage exam. If you have lofty aspirations of doing derm, plastics, ortho, vascular surgery, radiology, or what have you- you need to score at the very least in the top third (67th percentile, roughly 235) and most likely top quarter (75th percentile, roughly 240). And thats just to even have a chance. Your step 1 score can immediately rule you out of a number of specialties. That is why most MD/DO schools have already adopted a pass/fail course curriculum. That score is their alpha & omega.
Whatever gripes you may have with our board exam, and there are plenty to be had, it is pass/fail. Minimum competency. Whether you get every question right or one point above threshold, you're all the same. Studying for that exam was miserable enough as is.
Pod school is a known end game. You are going to be a podiatric physician. You are going to have a surgical residency. Not guaranteed, but our match % is currently better than that of MD/DO. If you have your heart set on one or two MD specialties, you just don't know how the cards will fall. Additionally, compared to the mean medical specialty- Podiatry is much more code friendly- highly procedural- lower liability exposure (again, speaking in generalities). I feel Podiatry is very well positioned for the way healthcare delivery is trending- shifting the cost back to the consumer, incentivizing lower cost/ average bill and higher volume. We also have less liability. The average DPM is sued once every 20 years (source, direct from PICA). Which means there are likely a few getting sued multiple times, and many never experience it.
TLDR; sounds like Pod is the best fit for OP's life circumstances and priorities
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2011
- Messages
- 4,246
- Reaction score
- 2,673
It’s sad to see a lot of the practicing pods self deprecate their degree and the profession as a whole. I very rarely if ever see this on the MD/DO side of things.
Why do you think this is? Is it due to a lack of options for career prospects, lack of respect, etc? There are some that love what they do, and that is super valuable and helpful in the forums, but even the positive pods still say not everything is great. I just don’t hear the same rhetoric from any other forum, besides maybe Optometry and Pharmacy, but with their saturation, I soppose it’s understandable.
Why do you think this is? Is it due to a lack of options for career prospects, lack of respect, etc? There are some that love what they do, and that is super valuable and helpful in the forums, but even the positive pods still say not everything is great. I just don’t hear the same rhetoric from any other forum, besides maybe Optometry and Pharmacy, but with their saturation, I soppose it’s understandable.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2017
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 284
I attend AZpod and apply to whatever schools you want to. Your stats will get you in wherever as long as you have a personality. I'm not worried about the job market in the future to be honest. Yes, there is always uncertainty with any job market but every podiatrist that I have talked to tell me that the market is on the uprise and to just worry about getting through school and residency first. A lot can change in those 7 years. Also for pay wise, seems like what I have been hearing for pay right out of residency for people getting hospital/multi-speciality/ortho group have been getting 200k+ no problem but each area differs. I plan on going wherever the best paying jobs are after residency.
