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dpm vs pa/np?
- Thread starter abc245
- Start date
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deleted664048
How can you compare DPM with PA or NP?
DPM is a surgeon of the lower extremity: planning pre-op, post op and doing complicated surgeries in the ankle and foot bones, and soft tissue up to the knee. DPM degree gives you unique expertise in Biomechanics as well if you really do not want to do surgery. Every student after 4 years of Podiatry school has to do 3 or 4 years of surgical residency and after can do a fellowship. In many residencies DPM work together with orthopedic surgeons, scrubbing in knee and hip surgeries.
DPM is not "easy way" to become a doctor. It is a unique specialty.
It is true that MCAT and GPA often much lower in people who get to Podiatry School, but they all get kicked out in the first 2 years, especially after Boards. You do need to take 3 Board Exams.
Classes are hard and very oriented on lower extremity.
A lot of DPMs open own practice and make over 500 000$. Of course it is not a rule, but it is possible. There are some DPMs who go around the world and give lectures about biomechanics and sport medicine, many DPMs write books, do lots of research. DPM degree has so so so so many opportunities in different field.
If you want an easy doctorate degree, DPM is not a way. It is as hard as any MD program, but for many people it is even harder because schools accept poor applicants that never should up started to begin and they drop out.
There very few people drop out from MD schools but many drop out from DPM.
To sum up: if you are DPM: you can own your own practice, you can work in the large hospital, you can do biomechanics research, you can see clinical patients and not do surgery, you can join orthopedic surgery group, you can do wound care, can be professor and do research... and you can be sport medicine doctor... endless possibilities.
DPM cannot really be compared to PA or NP. It is opposite: DPM is super narrow field, you will be great in one field. PA or NP is a broad specialty with not much research opportunities, or little opportunities for own business.
DPM is a surgeon of the lower extremity: planning pre-op, post op and doing complicated surgeries in the ankle and foot bones, and soft tissue up to the knee. DPM degree gives you unique expertise in Biomechanics as well if you really do not want to do surgery. Every student after 4 years of Podiatry school has to do 3 or 4 years of surgical residency and after can do a fellowship. In many residencies DPM work together with orthopedic surgeons, scrubbing in knee and hip surgeries.
DPM is not "easy way" to become a doctor. It is a unique specialty.
It is true that MCAT and GPA often much lower in people who get to Podiatry School, but they all get kicked out in the first 2 years, especially after Boards. You do need to take 3 Board Exams.
Classes are hard and very oriented on lower extremity.
A lot of DPMs open own practice and make over 500 000$. Of course it is not a rule, but it is possible. There are some DPMs who go around the world and give lectures about biomechanics and sport medicine, many DPMs write books, do lots of research. DPM degree has so so so so many opportunities in different field.
If you want an easy doctorate degree, DPM is not a way. It is as hard as any MD program, but for many people it is even harder because schools accept poor applicants that never should up started to begin and they drop out.
There very few people drop out from MD schools but many drop out from DPM.
To sum up: if you are DPM: you can own your own practice, you can work in the large hospital, you can do biomechanics research, you can see clinical patients and not do surgery, you can join orthopedic surgery group, you can do wound care, can be professor and do research... and you can be sport medicine doctor... endless possibilities.
DPM cannot really be compared to PA or NP. It is opposite: DPM is super narrow field, you will be great in one field. PA or NP is a broad specialty with not much research opportunities, or little opportunities for own business.
After a second read through, I actually agree with almost all of the above. DPM is ridiculously easy to get into as far as school, but from there, you are dealing with fairly robust curriculum. I'm speaking from what I've heard from friends. I think that one has to really hustle to make money like a physician, but I know of a few successful PODs that seem to have all the appearances of success.
It really is a narrow field, and one of the things giving me pause when I considered it was the fact that the competition is orthopedic surgeons. I don't know how all that plays out in reality, though.
NP business opportunities are there, but you have to be ambitious to go out and open a practice and find a niche where you can function without a solid connection to a physician. For instance, an NP could open up a derm focused clinic, but how much value can you offer to a patient when you don't have the proper scope of practice to offer more in depth care. Primary care and psyche are the areas I've seen NPs running their own practice. I've yet to see a DPM partner with physicians, but I've seen plenty of DPM practices and DPM's hired by ortho practices as employees. DPM's can work in a lot of different settings. Private practice seems to be where you find most of them.
It really is a narrow field, and one of the things giving me pause when I considered it was the fact that the competition is orthopedic surgeons. I don't know how all that plays out in reality, though.
NP business opportunities are there, but you have to be ambitious to go out and open a practice and find a niche where you can function without a solid connection to a physician. For instance, an NP could open up a derm focused clinic, but how much value can you offer to a patient when you don't have the proper scope of practice to offer more in depth care. Primary care and psyche are the areas I've seen NPs running their own practice. I've yet to see a DPM partner with physicians, but I've seen plenty of DPM practices and DPM's hired by ortho practices as employees. DPM's can work in a lot of different settings. Private practice seems to be where you find most of them.
