I hope I can put this crazy thinking to rest.
I am a DPM and, out of sheer necessity, am starting DO school in Pomona.
I don't mean to insult anyone out there who is thinking about pursuing this "dual degree", but why on earth would you want both degrees?? Having your MD or DO gives you instant clout and job opportunities. Having your DPM gives you, for the most part, debt and anxiety. If you've already started your first year of med school, don't even THINK of integrating podiatry into your curriculum. I mean, doesn't the whole thing sound a little fishy? Look at it for what it really is: A supposed back door into real medical school. That's all it is. And, worse, it likely won't get you legally licensed to practice anything BUT podiatry in the U.S. If you love the idea of podiatry so much, but want the flexibility and prestige of being a DO or MD then, for God's sake, just get your DO or MD and specialize in ortho foot and ankle!!! Or are you truly interested in learning how to cut crumbly toenails and make orthotics? I doubt it.
I started pod school in 1994 and this idea was around back then. Naturally, many students in my class were excited at the prospect (in my opinion, because they didn't actually want to be in pod school in the first place). And, like pretty much every other carrot dangled in our faces, this never came to fruition.
My first advice? Do not attend podiatry school unless you've done a whole lot of research. You absolutely need to talk to many, many podiatrists who have had a variety of training. DO NOT be swayed by these ridiculous "average salaries" that you keep reading about. FACT: Nobody who I keep in contact with from my graduating class is making anything near 100k. FACT: You will not be hired as a DPM in a hospital making 120k. FACT: You will most likely be an independent contractor slogging through mountains of toenails for some other DPM with no benefits, no perks and all of the responsibility of paying for your own healthcare, your own malpractice and the extra federal and state taxes that go along with being an independent contractor.
This is not to say that you can't make it as a podiatrist. Of course you can, but it's going to be much more difficult than practically any other field of medicine. Bottom line for me, there aren't any realistic job opportunities for DPM's when they finish residency. Succeeding in the health care industry today is hard enough without any opportunities. Take an hour or so and do some internet searches. Call a few medical headhunters. You're going to find plenty of jobs for MD's and DO's. You'll find tons of jobs for RN's, LVN's, PA's, PT's, OT's, etc. You will find dick squat for pods. Unfortunately, this is the reality.
My second piece of unsolicited advice is ask yourself if what you want is to be a "doctor" (so then you'll accept a spot in pod school, even though there are no standards for admission just to be called "doctor" when you graduate), a podiatrist or a physician. They're all mutually exclusive. To become a physician is a competitive adventure. To become a "doctor" is a sure route to misery. To become a podiatrist is probably a good thing as long as your expectations aren't too grandiose.
Good luck
