Why podiatry over MD or DO?

[jadabrizi]

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I am a pre-med sophomore trying to decide between a few medical careers. It would really be helpful to hear why other people chose podiatry over MD or DO.
Thank you!!!!!!!

 

[dtrack22]

I'll give you a short answer...
I was drawn to 2 things. First, the hours per work week vs. salary is good. You don't see too many pods working over 50 hours a week (many are between 40 and 50) and you can still be over $200,000 in yearly income. I witnessed this with the pods I shadowed (city of about 400,000 people in Washington State). Second, I liked that you are not limited to one medical specialty/sub-specialty. You are an orthopedic, an endocrinologist, a dermatologist, a pediatrician, a surgeon, etc. who is limited to the foot and ankle. This is opposed to an orthopedic surgeon (MD) who sees multiple bones/joints but is limited in pathologies presented and treatment options (ACL reconstructions have to get old, right?). This goes both ways of course, I just happened to find the former more interesting.

 

[air bud]

let me try my best bahaa impression.

"please use the search function"

 

[KingJ]

my decision was due to a couple factors:

podiatry schools are easier to get into.

a podiatrist's life is much less hectic, less hours, less stress, less malpractice insurance.

income is great, pretty lucrative career.

you can specialize: surgery, limb salvage, sports medicine and so on.

 

[toothsome]

You pick something because you love to do it. Hours should not matter because if you love it you will make it your life and enjoy what you do and not care if you work 80 hours a week.

Get over the $ factor. Go to the dental forum for that nonsense.

 

[dtrack22]

Hours should not matter because if you love it you will make it your life and enjoy what you do and not care if you work 80 hours a week.

Ignorance is bliss toothsome. This must be coming from somebody who hasn't had a relationship with a member of the opposite (or same) sex.

I shadowed at one of the largest and most successful orthopedic surgery centers in the Northwest. 20 MDs, their own licensed surgical center, a PT facility, the works. These are guys who, as far as surgeons go, have a pretty cush job/lifestyle. However, there aren't more than one or two of them who are A) married to their first wife or B) have a wife at all. Look, there are some people (myself included) who could not practice to the best of their ability knowing that they don't have the time to serve their own family. Are there going to be times during school and residency when I have to take time for my career? Absolutely. Are there going to be times when i have to stay late or take calls for my employer? Of course. However, I would like to limit this since time with my future family is necessary for me to LOVE what I do.

I bet I'm not alone...and if it was about the $ I would have been a computer science and business double major. CEO of my own start-up dot com company right out of undergrad? Yes please $$$

 

[G0dFather]

tru tru !

 

[moldovanits]

You pick something because you love to do it. Hours should not matter because if you love it you will make it your life and enjoy what you do and not care if you work 80 hours a week.

Get over the $ factor. Go to the dental forum for that nonsense.

hey tooth arent you a pre dent?

 

[toothsome]

No not Pre-dent. I explored the idea but wasn't for me.

And i've been in a relationship with the same girl for the past 4 years. Shes in law school so we understand we might not see each other as much as we like. And I was a Business major who worked in I-Banking doing currency trading so you can see my decision is not based on money.

If i was singling you out I would have called you out. It's annoying getting people who just want to do this for the money. And the first questions is how much how much. Don't take my post personal, "if the shoe fits wear it i guess?"

 

[air bud]

the schedule was a huge deal for me. my father was a surgeon and never home. two brothers are doctors. one wants a famiy and is a radiologist. one doesnt want a family is a spine surgeon.

 

[phillypd]

hey it's always about money............although people dont want to admit it, money plays a big factor...i don't think no one would do the job for free. So all those who say "I LOVE" it, that's great and all but,,,,you wouldn't do it for 8.50/hr!!!!!!!!!!! would you? HELL NO.. Most people who attend med school have few factors:
1. their parents are physicians so they want to be just like them
2. their parents are forcing them to be something considered successful
3. the student wants some type of prestige
4. the student wants to prove that they can be better than the average
5. the students wants to make lots of MONEY
than there is always that small % of folks who do it cause it was a dream of theirs since grade school....

the fact is no matter how much you LOVE it..you wouldn't go thru 8 to 10 years of higher education for 8.50/hr. I don't think no one loves it that much....😍

 

[air bud]

You pick something because you love to do it. Hours should not matter because if you love it you will make it your life and enjoy what you do and not care if you work 80 hours a week.

I picked this profession so I could have a chance at being a husband and father. If I worked 80 hours a week for myself because I loved it, I gaurantee I would not be being the best father/husband I could be. I am 28 and getting married soon. Had I been making this decision coming out of undergrad, I probably would not have had the same perspective that I do now.

This is just me though. I have no desire to work in downtown new york/chicago and drive 3 hours round trip each way and deal with traffic. i want to live in the suburbs of a medium city and get home to my wife and kids. the doc I followed makes about 500k a year in a town of 80,000. Granted, he has made some great business decisions in regards to his practice. There are 3 other pods with him. When i followed him, we finished the day at 5:45 pm. He had seen 40 or so patients that day. When we walked out of his office, all the lights were off and nobody was there.

I understand this may not be how all practices are. I know residency will require closer to the 80 for a few years. But I am going to kick ass in school so I can put myself in the position to live the lifestyle that is not only best for me (because it doesnt matter if I love it and am willing to work 80 hours a week and have my family hate me) but also for my family.

 

[moldovanits]

people who just want to do this for the money. And the first questions is how much how much. Don't take my post personal, "if the shoe fits wear it i guess?"

I understand where your coming from truly its not always about the money but it plays a big factor. We go into School and leave with about 250k in debt, you should worry about it because with the way economy is going everything is a risk. Trust me nobody wants to be stuck with such a debt thats why everyone worries about the salaries and such. Obviously if one is going into the health field they are doing it for the love because the money is not that much compared to other specialties like banking, trading, or even being a dirty politican.

 

[Gryhu]

let me try my best bahaa impression.

"please use the search function"

Man, I take a little SDN vacation and this place gets crazy!

OP: Please search the forum.