what's it like being a student (workload, etc)?

[medsomething]

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Hey everyone,

I'm currently a nursing student that hates nursing. After this semester, I'm switching to Political Science and graduating next spring. I think Podiatry might be a good fit for me and I was wondering what the general student experience is like. Is the admission process competitive (compared with MD, DO, pharm, etc)? Is DPM school competitive? What's the stress level like?

Thanks for your input!

 

[jconway]

hi..quick answer..
admission isnt really competitive, if you have a b average it shouldnt be a problem at all, just do your prereqs and take the mcat, write an essay, get some recs, get an interview,thats pretty much the whole process....
especially if you have a nursing background, acceptance should not be an issue

however the workload is pretty tough
i mean im only a first year but ive been busting my butt
and its supposed to get harder

im actualy studying now so i cant get to in depth feel free to pm with any questions
ill try and get back to you later in the week
-j

 

[medsomething]

Hmm...sounds pretty good...looking further into it....thanks for your help!

 

[Aggie622]

Hey medsomething.

I am also looking at podiatry. I will be graduating in August with a degree in economics and have been accepted to law school but I'm trying to decide which route to take. I've looked for a long time trying to find mean GPA/MCAT, etc. but I can't find anything except people saying it's not that competetive to get in. I have talked with a lot of podiatrists and they have said that it's not hard to get in, but once you are in it's a pretty tough load. Hope this helps. If you find any info, let me know.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by Aggie622
Hey medsomething.

I am also looking at podiatry. I will be graduating in August with a degree in economics and have been accepted to law school but I'm trying to decide which route to take. I've looked for a long time trying to find mean GPA/MCAT, etc. but I can't find anything except people saying it's not that competetive to get in. I have talked with a lot of podiatrists and they have said that it's not hard to get in, but once you are in it's a pretty tough load. Hope this helps. If you find any info, let me know.

Apologize for hijacking the original intent of the thread, but have either of you considered dentistry? It might be worth at least a look.

 

[medsomething]

Actually I've moved on to optometry. My dentist keeps telling me not to be a dentist. But I hear the hours are great! I'm just a naturally stressed out person so I'm looking for something a little more low key. Hopefully optometry will be a good fit for me. Best of luck to you in dental school!

Holly

 

[Brachial_Plexus]

Originally posted by medsomething
My dentist keeps telling me not to be a dentist. But I hear the hours are great! I'm just a naturally stressed out person so I'm looking for something a little more low key.
Holly

More low key than dentistry!?!?! About the only thing I can think of is McDonalds.......

 

[thelost1]

Unless you have the time and $ to waste don't become a Pod.

 

[dpmdoc]

I don't know if I would call dentistry low key. Maybe the hours, but I am sure that school is no piece of cake. I don't consider podiatry low key, though the possibility exists for me to open my own practice, be my own boss, and set my own hours. Stress is relative. To many people, working fewer hours is less stressful. For others, being able to work for someone and bring home a check and not worry about the buisness aspect of things is less stressful. There are many other factors. It soulds like you are comfortable with optometry. Like with anything else, do your homework on the profession and shadow an optometrist and see if you really like what they do. good luck to you.

 

[box29]

I don't know what everyone is meaning by low key...what I have to add is that I was in pod school and it just wasn't for me. Is it easy? That too is a relative term...If you have a good work ethic and can absorb a large amount of material and process it in a decent manner, then you'll do fine. I have known biochemistry majors to fail out of pod school. For me, it wasn't that hard as I have had an extensive backgorund in the medical sciences...Did I study? Yes, but not as much as most people...Did I get A's, yes, but more B's just cuz I didn't have my heart into it and mostly studied the couple of days before an exam.

The point of my post is you have to WORK for it. Concentrate your efforts to do the best that you can and you should do well. Discipline yourself...which I did not do. I think the mistake that most pod students make is that they just need to PASS (=C's) which is NOT what you want to do to get a good residency! Some or most externships even have a minimum GPA requirement and want to see transcripts along with class rank...this also applies to the residency programs to which one will apply!

Nothing is truly easy in life, you have to work for it. It only appears to be easy when you love what you are doing!

Just my $0.02

 

[jconway]

I don't know what everyone is meaning by low key...what I have to add is that I was in pod school and it just wasn't for me. Is it easy? That too is a relative term...If you have a good work ethic and can absorb a large amount of material and process it in a decent manner, then you'll do fine. I have known biochemistry majors to fail out of pod school. For me, it wasn't that hard as I have had an extensive backgorund in the medical sciences...Did I study? Yes, but not as much as most people...Did I get A's, yes, but more B's just cuz I didn't have my heart into it and mostly studied the couple of days before an exam.

The point of my post is you have to WORK for it. Concentrate your efforts to do the best that you can and you should do well. Discipline yourself...which I did not do. I think the mistake that most pod students make is that they just need to PASS (=C's) which is NOT what you want to do to get a good residency! Some or most externships even have a minimum GPA requirement and want to see transcripts along with class rank...this also applies to the residency programs to which one will apply!

Nothing is truly easy in life, you have to work for it. It only appears to be easy when you love what you are doing!

Just my $0.02

truer words were NEVER SPOKEN
goodluck box
-j

p.s.
just remember to send your friends in podiatry some referrals from time to time

 

[box29]

No worries J...will definitely do...during my 2 years of pod school, I have learned A LOT and realize just how much more DPMs know about the lower extremity. I am grateful for my experiences there and never have regretted it.

Good luck to you too!

 

[diabeticfootdr]

Although admission may not be difficult, 1/3 of my class failed out after the first year. Podiatry school is difficult. You could "skate by", but you have an obligation to your future patients to learn as much as possible about lower extremity disorders and the systemic diseases that affect the lower extremity. When you graduate you will be a specialist. You get referrals from MDs and DOs. All these dentists (and other specialities) who are bashing podiatry wouldn't be able to tell you the first thing about the pathogenesis of diabetic neuro-osteoarthropathy. Podiatry is a necessary part of a multi-disciplinary medical field. You give up treating hearts, bowels, and bladders to concentrate on feet and ankles. If any of these "nay-sayers" developed a foot problem, I'm sure they'd want a specialist treating it.

 

[spodok]

When you graduate you will be a specialist. You get referrals from MDs and DOs. All these dentists (and other specialities) who are bashing podiatry wouldn't be able to tell you the first thing about the pathogenesis of diabetic neuro-osteoarthropathy. Podiatry is a necessary part of a multi-disciplinary medical field. You give up treating hearts, bowels, and bladders to concentrate on feet and ankles. If any of these "nay-sayers" developed a foot problem, I'm sure they'd want a specialist treating it.

1. Have you actually practiced in Podiatry?
2. Why do have claimed to have graduated from Des Moines University Medical School? If you went to a medical school, why are you a DPM instead of a MD?
3. Does Des Moines University Medical School even exist?

What are the ramifications of claiming to have graduated from a Medical School that does not exist?

All one has to do is Google your name to read about all this in the 'North Missourian' newspaper.

Why do you make these claims? Does all this not mislead the students?

 

[box29]

So true. Getting in to pod school is not difficult but STAYING in can be quite challenging. After my first year, I think we lost 9 who failed out and 3 went to DO school. We started out with 87. The class of 2007 has lost a bunch of people as well.

Like I said before, for some, the material may be not as challenging but for others, it may prove to be really difficult. Just stay focused while in school and maintain the discipline!

 

[box29]

Des Moines University is a health sciences university that has a College of Osteopathic Medicine and College of Podiatric Medicine along with the college of health sciences. Here is the link:

http://www.dmu.edu/index.htm

 

[dpmdoc]

box29 you are quite right about low key, well put.

 

[dpmdoc]

spodok, I'm glad you are reading journals, this is good. But there is no need to attack someone like you are doing. This is a copy of what I posted in the other thread where you attacked Dr Rogers.

I have to intercede for diabeticfootdr. I know Lee and he is a forth year student that graduates next weekend from the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at Des Moines University. He does have the residency that he described and that is the pay. One more thing. Dr Rogers is a very accomplished student and now resident. I have learned many things from him, and someday you will read a lot about his work in diabetes care. Good luck Dr Rogers

I hope this clears up any misconceptions

 

[spodok]

spodok, I'm glad you are reading journals, this is good. But there is no need to attack someone like you are doing. This is a copy of what I posted in the other thread where you attacked Dr Rogers.

I have to intercede for diabeticfootdr. I know Lee and he is a forth year student that graduates next weekend from the College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at Des Moines University. He does have the residency that he described and that is the pay. One more thing. Dr Rogers is a very accomplished student and now resident. I have learned many things from him, and someday you will read a lot about his work in diabetes care. Good luck Dr Rogers

I hope this clears up any misconceptions

There is no attack.
1. The school he claimed to have attended in the article does not exist.
2. He claimed he went to Medical School.
3. He is not a doctor but a student. He has not graduated.

Misleading the public is fraud. Does he not know what kind of school he went to ? Does he not know the name?

Again, I fail to find an attack here. All I see are lemmings.

 

[ProdPod]

You have to be a short guy! Pimples, the whole 9!

 

[dpmdoc]

just curious. what school do you attend and what is your chosen profession?

 

[spodok]

just curious. what school do you attend and what is your chosen profession?

SCPM so I guess that makes me a Podiatrist huh? What school are you in?

 

[spodok]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently a nursing student that hates nursing. After this semester, I'm switching to Political Science and graduating next spring. I think Podiatry might be a good fit for me and I was wondering what the general student experience is like. Is the admission process competitive (compared with MD, DO, pharm, etc)? Is DPM school competitive? What's the stress level like?

Thanks for your input!

Here is an excerpt from an article to help you understand:

The National Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners and its testing agent, The Chauncey Group International, refused last summer to validate the scores of hundreds of students from four of the nation's seven podiatry colleges because of worries about cheating.

 

[dpmdoc]

Did you graduate from SCPM? Obviously you are upset about with podiatry. What happened?

 

[diabeticfootdr]

1. Have you actually practiced in Podiatry?
2. Why do have claimed to have graduated from Des Moines University Medical School? If you went to a medical school, why are you a DPM instead of a MD?
3. Does Des Moines University Medical School even exist?

What are the ramifications of claiming to have graduated from a Medical School that does not exist?

All one has to do is Google your name to read about all this in the 'North Missourian' newspaper.

Why do you make these claims? Does all this not mislead the students?

I'm sorry spodok, I have no idea of your background or what makes you an expert in podiatric medicine. Upon acceptance to Des Moines University (which is an accredited medical school), I recieved a letter that read, "Student Dr. Rogers, congratulations on your acceptance to medical school."

The article in the North Missourian was written by the editor of the paper in my home town. I'm sorry if he offends you with my graduation announcement.

Best regards,

 

[spodok]

I'm sorry spodok, I have no idea of your background or what makes you an expert in podiatric medicine. Upon acceptance to Des Moines University (which is an accredited medical school), I recieved a letter that read, "Student Dr. Rogers, congratulations on your acceptance to medical school."

The article in the North Missourian was written by the editor of the paper in my home town. I'm sorry if he offends you with my graduation announcement.

Best regards,

Are you a licensed Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, or do you just use DPM to please yourself?