Why...?

[mathlegend]

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Why are pod schools easier to get in that normal allopathic med schools? Aren't they pretty much the same in the first and second year, except pods have classes focused on the foot?

And just wondering, are the schools graduating more pods than there are for job spaces? Since it seems a lot for 500-1000 (sorry didn't look up exact number) pods to graduate every year, and it seems like not that many are retiring every year.

 

[dropfoot]

Why are pod schools easier to get in that normal allopathic med schools? Aren't they pretty much the same in the first and second year, except pods have classes focused on the foot?

And just wondering, are the schools graduating more pods than there are for job spaces? Since it seems a lot for 500-1000 (sorry didn't look up exact number) pods to graduate every year, and it seems like not that many are retiring every year.

It probably comes down to supply and demand; think about it, everyone wants their child to become a doctor, and because allopathic medicine is the oldest and most establised field of medicine, to the mainstream, that equates to MD (not to mention that you have many more options that you can pursue as an MD). With that said, you have a very high number of students applying to allo school each and every year, so the schools can set the standards as high as they want.

I think that if you look at the history of Osteopathic medicine you can pretty much chart the course that Podiatry will one day take. Osteopathic medical schools had a much lower standard (not too long ago), and now the entrance standards are very comparable to allopathic medical school. I believe that in the near future we will see the same thing happen with Podiatry.

And for the second part of your question (not enough jobs...graduating 500-1000 each year), with the baby boomers reaching retirement age, I think that over the next ten years, you will see a-lot of Podiatrist retiring and many new opportunities opening up for young Podiatrists.

 

[PADPM]

Although your post was relatively accurate, without attempting to offend any osteopathic physicians, I still don't believe it's as difficult to gain acceptance into osteopathic medical school as it is into allopathic medical school.

If you are honest, M.D. still holds the most "prestige", and I don't know anyone personally that preferred to go to osteopathic school over medical school. Every D.O. that I know gained acceptance to osteopathic school because they did not get accepted to traditional allopathic medical school.

That is not to say they didn't receive an excellent education or become excellent physicians. However, given the prestige of the M.D. degree, I personally don't know of anyone that chose the D.O. degree as their first choice, though I'm sure someone will dispute my observation.

 

[Darklord]

We should focus on the podiatrists retiring as opposed to entering the field thread as it is the most relevant to pre-pods deciding whether or not they should enter the field.

I agree with PADPM's post. I think there's a statistic that shows the number of MD rejects entering DO programs. Nevertheless, they are both physicians and have the same opportunities (if they work hard).

 

[mathlegend]

Thanks for the info guys. Pod school is as hard as med school, correct?

Darklord, what do you mean "focus on the podiatrists retiring as opposed to entering the field"?

 

[Feli]

There's roughly 20k practicing podiatrists in the US, and around 500 students graduate each year (a bit less in recent years, maybe a few more in coming years). If you consider the average practicing podiatrist career to be about 40yrs (from about age 30-70) that's about right IMO. So, about 500 graduate per year, about 500 retire... more or less.

Addionally, as was mentioned, the profession can also slowly grow to account for general increase in US population... esp elderly and diabetic population sectors.

.... Pod school is as hard as med school, correct? ...

Pod school has always been significantly easier to get into than MD programs, and that's mostly just due to the amount of applicant demand for the programs. However, as you suggested, pod school in itself is difficult and very similar curriculum (esp first two years), so that means that pod school has a lot higher attrition (flunk out or leave) rate than United States MD/DO programs. It may be fairly easy to get into, but graduating is no cakewalk. With pod schools integrating with medical programs, advancement of post-grad residency training offerings, and increasing income for podiatrists, the entrance statistic gaps are narrowing, though.

 

[mathlegend]

Entrance statistic gaps? The entering/dropping out rate?

 

[Darklord]

Yes, I mean how many podiatrists come into the field vs how many retire.

 

[mathlegend]

Okay 😀

Hopefully it will be good for future pods...I won't graduate until 2019 =O

 

[MaseratiGT]

Okay 😀

Hopefully it will be good for future pods...I won't graduate until 2019 =O

I'll be like 900 in 2019. 🙄

 

[G0dFather]

wo0o0o0ow 2019... only god knoes what will happen then lol

 

[Darklord]

I'll be in the pod class of 2016, if I become a pod; it's not that far off. 🙂

The OP is in high school then?

 

[mathlegend]

I'll be like 900 in 2019. 🙄

lol xD

The OP is in high school then?

Yep, currently a high school sophomore 😀

 

[roninishya]

It is very impressive that you already know about podiatric medicine a bit. When I was in HS, I was just trying to get through my classes that year, much less courses 7 years down the road...

But this is a good sign! When I was that young, I didn't even know D.O. and D.P.M. existed. I just thought everything was M.D.

 

[mathlegend]

xD I'd have to thank my broken toe for that. That was when I realized that something like a podiatrist existed, and that's what caused me to look deeper in this career.

Though I didn't know about D.O. until I found this forum

 

[Darklord]

Mathlegend you should be fine.

I'm a high school senior, who likes podiatry and medicine, but I just got into a 0-6 pharmacy program (after being rejected from combined allo programs).

Podiatry is cool, but I would like to be able to practice traditional internal medicine 🙂 and have the option of pursing other specialties besides podiatry.

Thus, I will go back to the DO world. I got hooked up with a DO neurologist who I will be shadowing this summer (along with a pod, but only one day a week).

I feared, after allo rejection, that I was too dumb to get into medical school (but not survive it), but after researching DO entrance stats, I feel more confident. 🙂

Research all of your options mathlegend and then make an education decision about career choice.

If you really like podiatry, I believe Scholl has combined 7 year DPM program. Google it. 👍

 

[Darklord]

http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=6702

It wasn't scholl it was NYCPM, sorry

 

[mathlegend]

Heh np. Also Temple has a 7 year program.

Good luck on your health career 🙂

And too bad CSPM doesn't have an accelerated program or any kind of agreement for one. 🙁

 

[Darklord]

Yuck CSPM 👎

It's all about Barry, Western, AZPOD, and DMU 👍

Thanks. Good luck to you as well. 😎

 

[mathlegend]

Whats so bad about CSPM and so good about the others?

I was thinking about CSPM since I live about 40 minutes away from the college, about 20 min away if I stay at my grandparents house. 😎 I can't think about going far away for college...but I probably will...Ideally for me, UC Berkeley for undergrad then CSPM...but who knows

 

[215512]

Whats so bad about CSPM and so good about the others?

I was thinking about CSPM since I live about 40 minutes away from the college, about 20 min away if I stay at my grandparents house. 😎 I can't think about going far away for college...but I probably will...Ideally for me, UC Berkeley for undergrad then CSPM...but who knows

nothing bad with cspm other than the high cost of living...great residency placements for the last few years, excellent board pass rates, excellent faculty, biomechanics leader IMO, much more. darklord is a high school student so take what he has to say with a grain of salt...take advice AT THE VERY LEAST from someone who already got it.

 

[215512]

got IN*

 

[Darklord]

Getting in is only 5% of it (in podiatry at least 😛), graduating is completely different. 😀

Anyway Mathlegend is younger than me and is a high school sophomore ThetaChi. All of us can have individual opinions regarding pod schools. 🙂

 

[mathlegend]

Thanks for the inputs 🙂

 

[215512]

Getting in is only 5% of it (in podiatry at least 😛), graduating is completely different. 😀

Anyway Mathlegend is younger than me and is a high school sophomore ThetaChi. All of us can have individual opinions regarding pod schools. 🙂

Haha anyways I highly doubt I'll be failing out let alone below top 30% but thanks for the comment. and I do agree that we all can have individual opinions but those of us matriculating in the fall should have more bearing upon regard than those in high school...no offense of course 🙂

 

[Darklord]

Getting into pod school does not make you more knowledgeable than mathlegend or me regarding pod schools. Unless, of course, you have actually attended the school or transferred (attended multiple schools).

Anyway, I don't like CSPM because I'm from So-Cal. Thus, all of nor-cal sucks. 🙂

Since you like talking about matriculating ThetaChi can you enlighten us with your stats and the process of getting into podiatry school?

 

[air bud]

Getting into pod school does not make you more knowledgeable than mathlegend or me regarding pod schools. Unless, of course, you have actually attended the school or transferred (attended multiple schools).?

you know darklord, i was finally beginning to tolerate you, and then you say this. thetachi, myself and others on here have finished college(or soon will do so) and interviewed at multiple schools. This includes personally talking with faculty, current students, as well as other prospective students. Thus, YES, we are more knowledgeable than you regarding pod schools. There are people that are much more knowledgeable than me about some schools, and I am okay admitting that. I know nothing of being student, so I try not to throw my two cents in regarding those topics, and I look forward to contributing to those topics once I am a student (4 months at DMU).

 

[phillypd]

I know nothing of being student, so I try not to throw my two cents in regarding those topics,

Really...........😱

 

[phillypd]

oh air bud....................you slay me..............

 

[air bud]

try is open to interpretation...

 

[Darklord]

This includes personally talking with faculty, current students, as well as other prospective students.

True interviewing is an advantage. 👍

But one has to be careful and distinguish between Pre-Pods who haven't interviewed (like me) from those that have.

I hope you survive DMU airbud.

Perhaps, you could enlighten us with your stats as well.

 

[air bud]

i am a non-traditional student. 28 mcat (10/10/8) and roughly a 3.5 post bacc-science gpa with two non-science degrees. GPA would have been higher but I hadn't taken science classes in 10 years or any school for 3 years (slow initial start) Finished strong with 4.0+ in anatomy, physiology, biochem and genetics.

All this is wiped clean though once school starts. I personally feel like I will initially have an advantage due to my time off from school. This allowed me to gain some perspective and to learn how to manage my time/priorities as well as figure out what study habits worked during undergrad and which ones did not. I assume things will level pretty quickly, and the field will be even. At that point, it gets capitalistic, and whoever is the smartest/hardest worker-studier/naturally gifted wins. This is how i hope it is and should be. game on.

 

[mathlegend]

Anyway, I don't like CSPM because I'm from So-Cal. Thus, all of nor-cal sucks. 🙂

😡 Norcal>Socal!

 

[Darklord]

you know darklord, i was finally beginning to tolerate you

Wow, however, you seem kind of immature online.

Regardless, I hope high school students like mathlegend and me make it to professional school in the end. 😛 In the end, I hope we all make great physicians.

 

[mathlegend]

In the end, I hope we all make great physicians.

Hopefully we will

 

[215512]

high schoolers show a little respect for people that have gone through the process already...otherwise you risk looking a little...you know...and people will certainly not be privy to lending advice.

If you must know my stats are as follows after completion of school in a couple weeks:

3.7 sciGPA 3.9 non science 3.7 cumulative

24 mcat (2nd attempt)

2 research publications

2+ years of varied biological research

150+ hours of hospital volunteering

Junior executive position in fraternity 2 years

Graduating with BS in Bio with Chem minor with honors cum laude

1 poster presentation at statewide undergraduate research symposium

100+ hours of podiatric physician job shadowing

30+ surgeries observed

50+ hours orthopedic physician job shadowing




Is that good enough for you sir/maam?

and norcal has always been better than socal....everyone knows that! 😉

 

[mathlegend]

and norcal has always been better than socal....everyone knows that! 😉

👍

Your stats look pretty good! Just wondering, how did you manage to get some research publications in?

 

[215512]

👍

Your stats look pretty good! Just wondering, how did you manage to get some research publications in?

LOTS of networking, hard work, long hours, and determination! sounds cliche but its true. And you have to be doing research on something that is important enough to get published, of course it also helps to have a physician or phd working with you that is good at writing too!

good luck

 

[Darklord]

Wow ThetaChi. I am impressed.

Highschoolers show respect to people that have gone through the process (except when the act like jerks) 🙄 because obviously we will be doing the same thing.

 

[UW66]

you kids are killing me lol. Whew, when i was in highschool gradschool was the last thing on my mind. Girls, sports, cars, xbox, and getting into an undergrad school were all i thought about.

To each their own though i suppose. Do what makes ya the most happy and ya cant go wrong!

 

[cool_vkb]

high schoolers show a little respect for people that have gone through the process already...otherwise you risk looking a little...you know...and people will certainly not be privy to lending advice.

If you must know my stats are as follows after completion of school in a couple weeks:

3.7 sciGPA 3.9 non science 3.7 cumulative

24 mcat (2nd attempt)

2 research publications

2+ years of varied biological research

150+ hours of hospital volunteering

Junior executive position in fraternity 2 years

Graduating with BS in Bio with Chem minor with honors cum laude

1 poster presentation at statewide undergraduate research symposium

100+ hours of podiatric physician job shadowing

30+ surgeries observed

50+ hours orthopedic physician job shadowing




Is that good enough for you sir/maam?

and norcal has always been better than socal....everyone knows that! 😉

Damn you have good stats bro. any specific reason of going cali.

With your stats you shoud be at AZPOD, DMU or Scholl.

 

[215512]

Damn you have good stats bro. any specific reason of going cali.

With your stats you shoud be at AZPOD, DMU or Scholl.

interviewed at dmu and azpod and cali but decided to go cali for better shot at residency in the pac northwest, i have some family there, love the area, grew up in the area...same old story haha but I felt like cali had the best environment for me to do well. Not to say the others are not great schools! just not for me 🙂

 

[UW66]

just curious theta but how do ya figure going to the cali school will give ya a better shot at nw residency programs?

Ive wondered if certain programs have bias's (good or bad) towards students of a particular school, or if its just that people choose a school in a particular geographic region because they plan on doing their residencies in the surrounding areas/states, and thats where the majority of them apply and work hard to obtain.
The way barry students end up in most of the florida programs for example, bias for the students? students work very hard to obtain those spots? or just students from other schools dont typically apply? I donno something to consider i suppose

 

[Darklord]

Geography plays a role and ThetaChi made a smart move.

I was scouting around local pods in LA to shadow over summer and the vast majority of them went to CSPM.

I guess people like to stay where they are. 🙂

 

[UW66]

the Pacific northwest does not include california in my mind, and if it does it certainly does not extend down to include san fran. But if thats what he meant by pac-nw then id agree he made a smart move if hes trying for a cali based residency afterwards.

 

[215512]

just curious theta but how do ya figure going to the cali school will give ya a better shot at nw residency programs?

Ive wondered if certain programs have bias's (good or bad) towards students of a particular school, or if its just that people choose a school in a particular geographic region because they plan on doing their residencies in the surrounding areas/states, and thats where the majority of them apply and work hard to obtain.
The way barry students end up in most of the florida programs for example, bias for the students? students work very hard to obtain those spots? or just students from other schools dont typically apply? I donno something to consider i suppose

haha well I consider the bay area to be the redneck stepchild pac nw wanna be....but I want to be either in the bay area or in the pacific northwest..I mean its no coincidence that the majority of the programs in the bay area get gobbled up by cspm students. I have no doubt that I could get into something on the "middle" northwest haha, thats my new term, regardless of where I went to school. I just love the regions view on life, politics, etc. The region being sf up through seattle....at least thats what I have experienced 🙂 Plus you make connections with people in your geographic region a little easier since, for example, most of the residency directors and many of the podiatrists in the bay area also have some affiliation with cspm (samuel merritt) so its good to network as well. This is not to say that one can get into a residency in these areas without this, but I want every advantage I can get (barring using adderal or cheating or anything like that of course!!!)

hope that makes some sort of sense...I did ramble a bit

 

[215512]

Ive wondered if certain programs have bias's (good or bad) towards students of a particular school

I'd like to think not, in reference to "bad", but you never know...egos always play a role and students coming from a school that typical have lower stats versus higher or whatever....I just hope they just look at gpa, passing boards, lors, and one's people/clinical/social skills. That's all it should be!

 

[AttackNME]

WesternU is a new school (in pomona, ca) right? I read that their dean is famous in podiatry on their website, and a famous podiatrist (amol saxena from palo alto) said he knew the dean in westernu. I would assume that this school also gives you a good shot at good residency programs in cali too

 

[mathlegend]

Dr. Saxena! I'm planning to shadow him this summer 🙂

Yea WesternU probably would also give me a good chance, but I want to stay in the Bay Area, and CSPM is in the bay area, so it would probably give me an advantage in getting a residency there.