Is burnout real during residency? (not trolling)

[Hybrocure]

Charged and collected are totally different things. What did he collect?

$400

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[dtrack22]

It’s totally possible they were including their clinic production as well.

It’s impossible if they weren’t

Not sure how insurance offsets that charge though and how that affects RVU production.

It doesn’t

 

[Pronation]

1000 RVU/mo is brutal but the awesome income stream will be greatly appreciated by the wife’s boyfriend.

 

[619]

Yup. A non septic osteo patient can be managed completely outpatient. I think hospitals are catching on to pods admitting non septic ulcer patients just to collect rounding money from the residents work every day.

Too many pods have a new ulcer patient come in to their clinic with a red toe and ulcer probing to bone and just call for an admit rather than start oral abx, imaging, or schedule for an outpatient amp.

Most patients cannot be managed outpatient because they have no insurance or they are underinsured or they have state insurance and live hours away. Once you decide to admit them and they agree then it's a one stop shop getting hospitalists (to manage the other unknown diagnosis), ID, vascular, cardiac etc. We have to remember that these patients have a lot of unknown diagnosis. Basically like a walking dead

 

[Feli]

It’s totally possible they were including their clinic production as well. However, one of the cases charged over 6k when they were showing me what they billed and the hospital charges. Not sure how insurance offsets that charge though and how that affects RVU production. Reattaching a partially detached big toe (trauma, healthy patient, hope it survives).

Pro tip: 95% of podiatrists lie about income. 5% are silent on income.

And that is why the income surveys are even sadder than they appear.

...Toe replant is just codes for flexor repair, extensor repair, open fx hallux tx, I&D, etc... all after first CPT would get reduced/denied (open fx would probably be your first line code). I bet it'd pay $2k max for me (so charge $6k maybe), and I have very good insurance area. Replant of entire foot code would pay maybe $3k... wRVU are not too far off usually (less RVUs for the CPT but usually paid around 2x rate of facility RVUs... work RVU sometimes not reduced for multiple CPTs though, so that helps).

 

[Hybrocure]

Pro tip: 95% of podiatrists lie about income. 5% are silent on income.

And that is why the income surveys are even sadder than they appear.

...Toe replant is just codes for flexor repair, extensor repair, open fx hallux tx, I&D, etc... all after first CPT would get reduced/denied (open fx would probably be your first line code). I bet it'd pay $2k max for me (so charge $6k maybe), and I have very good insurance area. Replant of foot code would pay maybe $3k... wRVU are not too far off usually (less RVUs for the CPT but usually paid around 2x rate of facility RVUs... work RVU sometimes not reduced for multiple CPTs though, so that helps).

What about the microvascular repair for wearing loupes

 

[Feli]

What about the microvascular repair for wearing loupes

Doesn't matter... it all pays the same. Loupes pay nothing extra... simply surgeon pref for some stuff.
Doing a fem-pop, AV fistula, replant, etc etc a with loupes or au natural is all the same in terms of pay.
There is a code for repair blood vessel foot (pays about what a first MPJ fusion does in RVU), but only the PT would be possible, maybe DP... any digit ones are not necessary or possible with loupes, you'd need microscope mag and would be wasting time. Trying to bill that code once or twice for a toe lac is beyond... yeah.

There is nerve code 64727 that pays basically nothing (about $200-300) compared to the time it takes (and it requires actual operating microscope, not simple loupes)... many DPMs use it anways for neuromas and whatever, even if the hospital doesn't own a microscope. That'd be a tough challenge to defend.

 

[AttackNME]

What about the microvascular repair for wearing loupes

I scrubbed with a hand surgery team where we replanted a thumb, started at 8pm and took 6 hours with 2 surgeons and a microscope. What is the quality of repair with a single surgeon using loupes?

 

[Hybrocure]

I scrubbed with a hand surgery team where we replanted a thumb, started at 8pm and took 6 hours with 2 surgeons and a microscope. What is the quality of repair with a single surgeon using loupes?

I’m not sure, I was just trolling about pods who throw on loupes and say they did a micro repair just cuz they made it look like they did when all they do is tie a couple pieces of fascia together shrug and say voila

 

[dtrack22]

Pro tip: 95% of podiatrists lie about income. 5% are silent on income.

And that is why the income surveys are even sadder than they appear.

...Toe replant is just codes for flexor repair, extensor repair, open fx hallux tx, I&D, etc... all after first CPT would get reduced/denied (open fx would probably be your first line code). I bet it'd pay $2k max for me (so charge $6k maybe), and I have very good insurance area. Replant of foot code would pay maybe $3k... wRVU are not too far off usually (less RVUs for the CPT but usually paid around 2x rate of facility RVUs... work RVU sometimes not reduced for multiple CPTs though, so that helps).

The reduction of a second CPT code in the OR when private or collections based is absolutely nuts. Thankfully it doesn’t affect me but…

I had open repair of Mets 3 and 4 a month or so ago. Hospital billed around $1300 for each. Private insurance company paid $900 for one and $230-ish for the second. You’re getting hosed in private practice any time you do multiple procedures in the OR.

But here’s why all of us wRVU folks are still getting screwed to some extent. I got 100% of the wRVU value (which is not always the case for employed docs) which was 14.88 wRVU. I was paid right around $54 per wRVU, so $800 total. The hospital got $1100 for my professional fees and another $15-20k for anesthesia (all salaried CRNAs), supplies and facility costs. Had one of our orthopedic surgeons done the exact same case the hospital would have paid them over $1000 based on their $/wRVU rate. Podiatrists making $45 per wRVU, $50 per wRVU, $55 per wRVU are all steals for the hospital or MSG. We are worth $60 per wRVU easy. Unfortunately there is no shortage of DPMs able and willing to work for our current rates. And they will continue to be deflated for the remainder of our careers, if not forever. Bummer.

 

[dtrack22]

I scrubbed with a hand surgery team where we replanted a thumb, started at 8pm and took 6 hours with 2 surgeons and a microscope. What is the quality of repair with a single surgeon using loupes?

Well a thumb is just a little more important from a function standpoint than any toe so…who cares if a toe replant is done well or not?

 

[heybrother]

I got paid $1100 last year for a 11012 on a hallux done in the office. The patient and their insurance should have sent me a Christmas card.

 

[AttackNME]

Well a thumb is just a little more important from a function standpoint than any toe so…who cares if a toe replant is done well or not?

That’s sort of the point, we have no business replanting toes. Either do it right and do it well or not at all

 

[dtrack22]

That’s sort of the point, we have no business replanting toes. Either do it right and do it well or not at all

To be fair we aren’t talking about an actual replant like a hand surgeon might perform. We are talking about a lac/open fx/dislocation, not a severed digit. So all this podiatry attending did was wash it out, stitch some tendon and skin back together and throw a dressing on it.

 

[AttackNME]

Reattaching a partially detached big toe (trauma, healthy patient, hope it survives).

Sounds more than a simple tendon lac to me

 

[dtrack22]

Sounds more than a simple tendon lac to me

Nobody said it was a simple tendon lac, but washing it out, repairing any tendon you can and then re-approximating soft tissue is the only thing there is to do for a toe. Even one that is “partially detached” (which could mean anything to the poster who claimed their attending made $15-20k on call stuff alone). Maybe you throw a wire or two. But it’s still not a replant. And it’s still nothing more than: wash out and suture up what you can, then pray.

 

[HardRoadPaved]

I got paid $1100 last year for a 11012 on a hallux done in the office. The patient and their insurance should have sent me a Christmas card.

And no global on that

 

[DYK343]

My busiest month so far at the new job has been about 600wRVU all in and I was fairly busy...

1200 a month is ~800k salary for that provider. Not impossible but thats long hours.

The person posting said the $15-20k pay was from consults and surgery, “call stuff” only and not clinic. At $55 per wRVU, and $17500 in pay for the week, that’s just over 300 wRVU on nothing but inpatient consults and cases. In one week. There is a 0% chance that it accurate. Even if they got $1000 per day to be on call (they don’t), it’s still 220+ wRVU generated from being on call only. It’s probably a well intentioned post…but it’s bogus

I only have around 80 encounters per week (clinic and cases combined) and I do between 500-600 wRVU. And I’m not busy at all. So I have no problem believing that a 300 wRVU week while on call at a busy hospital is totally possible. I’ve had friends who have had 1000-1200 wRVU months. But that has to include your clinic and scheduled outpatient cases as well.

Just got my 6 month data. I was wrong. Over 6 months I am averaging 710wRVU a month with my first 1-2 months being fairly slow so I am at least 800+ a month now. I dont think the Epic data month to month is accurate. The official numbers are way different.

So im back to my old salary in 6 months time in a lower cost of living area.

 

[Redsting]

What if you do the procedure but it pays less than the 9921x? Can you just document the procedure but just bill the office visit instead? Because an injection pays less than a 99213.

I bill as you do by the way - but it just doesn’t make sense to me if I see a patient for a follow up for PF, and I do an injection, I can only bill the crappy injection code when I could technically just have made more money not giving them the shot but telling them to stretch for another month. Especially when you carry a risk for injections (infection, pain, tendon rupture, calls etc). Why the heck does it pay less than an office visit?

I didn't find a resolution to this. Anyone know for sure?

 

[dtrack22]

I didn't find a resolution to this. Anyone know for sure?

The resolution is to bill the office visit. DYK’s billers won’t do this but, an unplanned visit due to exacerbation of symptoms likely allows for an e/m in many or most cases. Billing the injection alone is when the patient is coming in for a scheduled injection, or maybe in a chronic arthritis patient where your last note says to return as needed for repeat corticosteroid injection and you aren’t implementing additional therapies (ie Rx for AFO). Though, the injection alone wouldn’t pay much less than the scenario you quoted since telling a patient to “stretch for another month” alone is a level 2 visit.

That’s a lot of words to say, if you told the patient to come back for possible injection, and they are back for an injection, and you just give them an injection…you’re stuck getting paid $50-60 for an injection.

Sell them some Vionic shoes from your retail shop in your waiting room. Or some natural tea tree, antifungal nail polish like every other office in this dumb arse profession…

 

[DYK343]

The resolution is to bill the office visit. DYK’s billers won’t do this but, an unplanned visit due to exacerbation of symptoms likely allows for an e/m in many or most cases. Billing the injection alone is when the patient is coming in for a scheduled injection, or maybe in a chronic arthritis patient where your last note says to return as needed for repeat corticosteroid injection and you aren’t implementing additional therapies (ie Rx for AFO). Though, the injection alone wouldn’t pay much less than the scenario you quoted since telling a patient to “stretch for another month” alone is a level 2 visit.

That’s a lot of words to say, if you told the patient to come back for possible injection, and they are back for an injection, and you just give them an injection…you’re stuck getting paid $50-60 for an injection.

Sell them some Vionic shoes from your retail shop in your waiting room. Or some natural tea tree, antifungal nail polish like every other office in this dumb arse profession…

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

 

[Shiyuan]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

Agree with you.... 99202/3 and 11750 all the way.

 

[heybrother]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

There might be something more going on here. I’m not hospital-based, so my level of interest in how they bill is trivial. But hospitals for medicare at least bill g0463 - hospital outpatient visit. Your coding is professional fee only which is trivial when compared to facility. Consider, the hospital gets the big pot. Adding your codes increases your RVU but trivially increases their reimbursement and may increase their cost in paying you. There has also been discussion on other forums that the 2021 rvu values were a drain on hospitals because doctor RVU went up but commercial insurance didn't increase rates. I believe I have read elsewhere on the forum about doctors indicating that their hospitals never agreed to pay at the 2021 rates.

 

[Feeter]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

I am hospital based and I do e&m with matrixectomy and initially I had some pushback but now they allow it.

Do the e&m and ask pt to return for a procedure if they let you schedule a day for just procedures...?

 

[Pronation]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

That is insane.

 

[Hybrocure]

The only time you don’t bill an office visit with 11750 is if it’s a revision on the same toe. Otherwise…always billing w lvl 3 with it

 

[dtrack22]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

I would ask them what the difference is between billing an e/m for an initial exam with 25 modifier and same day procedure vs billing an e/m or consult code with a 57 modifier for the decision to perform a major surgery.

I would honestly start telling patient that the clinic/MSG/hospital will not allow you to address their issue on the same day and that it has to be scheduled. And if they don’t like that you provide them with contact information to administration. Then when admin asks why they are getting all of these phone calls from upset patients, you explain that the billers have forced you to do it in order to be compensated for your work even though there is nothing in the CPT guidelines that supports their position. Then again, I have no problem drawing a firm line in the sand, so to speak, when it comes to having non medical professionals dictate how I practice (or my schedule). Especially when there is no medical or legal reason for the policies.

 

[619]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

This is unheard of in PP. Every new walking soul on the exam chair gets a 99203 or 99204 and then whatever procedure or DME follows. A new patient comes in for hand pain because they took a wrong exit and magically appear on my chair still gets billed a 99203 (for taking a patient slot) and wasting my time.

 

[Pronation]

This is unheard of in PP. Every new walking soul on the exam chair gets a 99203 or 99204 and then whatever procedure or DME follows. A new patient comes in for hand pain because they took a wrong exit and magically appear on my chair still gets billed a 99203 (for taking a patient slot) and wasting my time.

This is also unheard of in the RVU world

 

[Feli]

just did a matrixectomy on a new patient.
11750 is all my billers will allow me to bill.

I dont understand how if I meet a patient for the first time and do a physical exam to verify they are appropriate for minor surgery I cant bill an E&M. So dumb.

If you palpated pulses and checked CFT to see if your matrix would heal, looked at the skin and decided abx start/continue or not, looked for other PMFSH red flags for healing like tobacc or systemic, that's a 99203 for cellulitis and whatever (HAV, etc).

They (billers) have no idea what they're talking about.

I don't even know if you can do a new pt without E&M (I've never tried).

 

[Redsting]

The only time you don’t bill an office visit with 11750 is if it’s a revision on the same toe. Otherwise…always billing w lvl 3 with it

11750 is technically a surgical procedure so I would say a level 4 with the avulsion since a decision is being made on surgery


but what about wound debridement , that's 1.01 wrvus, but a level 3 is 1.3 and a 4 is 1.92. I would rather take the e/m over the debridement code if I could only bill one and had a choice.

 

[HardRoadPaved]

11750 is technically a surgical procedure so I would say a level 4 with the avulsion since a decision is being made on surgery

11750 is minor surgery. Level 3.

 

[Redsting]

11750 is minor surgery. Level 3.

Level 4. Third column. Second bullet. Decision regarding minor surgery.

 

[Adam Smasher]

View attachment 375296

Level 4. Third column. Second bullet. Decision regarding minor surgery.

Second line.
"With risk factors"

So document your risk factors 👍

 

[dtrack22]

View attachment 375296

Level 4. Third column. Second bullet. Decision regarding minor surgery.

With risk factors. Derp.

 

[HardRoadPaved]

With risk factors. Derp.

Yea exactly... The majority of patients getting 11750 are your typical healthy run of the mill patients. Unless PAD, DM, tobacco is your patient jam I'd be hard pressed to hear what risk factors made it a level 4 as your go to

 

[Pronation]

Yea exactly... The majority of patients getting 11750 are your typical healthy run of the mill patients. Unless PAD, DM, tobacco is your patient jam I'd be hard pressed to hear what risk factors made it a level 4 as your go to

Interdigital maceration was noted

 

[Feli]

You hospital dudes really dissect coding... or Epic does

 

[HardRoadPaved]

Interdigital maceration was noted

Decreased pedal hair was noted

 

[Pronation]

Decreased pedal hair was noted

Lvl 5 ez

 

[HardRoadPaved]

Lvl 5 ez

Add on RFC to the remaining nails for extra moolah... Shoot for 1 bullet in class B / C if you can also tack on

"thin and shiny skin texture and thickened toenails"

 

[Redsting]

With risk factors. Derp.

First, no need for that. Why can't someone post something, even if they are wrong and get clarification?

Second it says "with identified patient or procedure risk factors". There are a couple ways to break it down. Why can't I document the procedure risk factors and get it to a 4 with the "minor surgery"? I understand there are not always patient risk factors, but I don't read it that its the patient risk factors. I read it is procedure risk factors.

 

[Hybrocure]

I’ll be honest I’ve definitely seen some gnarly enough ingrowns that I don’t know why those horrible ones wouldn’t be level 4s. Like the pussed out ones the size of golf balls. I bill those as level 3s but in my mind I know I’ve billed less as a level 4 for different conditions.

If you had a really really nasty infected one on a patient with PAD to a point where you need to I&D/avulse it or risk further infection you could argue that as a level 4. But having had the misfortune of managing PAD patients who have had matrixes lead to amps from outside docs I really try to tiptoe around jumping to matrix for those when I can and usually avulse and irrigate instead.

I know you’ll see a lot of mustaches post on PMNews about how they phenol everything even the super infected ones with no problems - but I’ve only been in practice for 2 years and have seen too many matrixes go awry from outside docs being too aggressive whether it’s PAD or phenolizing aggressively with infection so I call BS on that.

 

[dtrack22]

Second it says "with identified patient or procedure risk factors".

Which is why the two people who replied both said “with risk factors”

but I don't read it that its the patient risk factors. I read it is procedure risk factors.

What are the procedure risk factors of a chemical matrixectomy in a healthy 15 year old kid? And of whatever risk factors you list (make up), how frequent do they happen in your practice?

Also, which of the MDM problem points are people using to justify a moderate complexity visit for an ingrown toenail?

 

[HardRoadPaved]

I read it is procedure risk factors.

Ok so in all fairness there really arent any. It's a skin procedure. Are there extreme zebras like osteomyelitis, amputation or death? But for every run of the mill 11750 this is minor surgery. If you are doing it on patients that increase the chance of a bad outcome do you really want to be doing a chemical matrixectomy on them?

Even if you decide that your patient has risk factors of whatever variety, what other categories are you using without ordering and reviewing a test/note. And dont say the pediatrician sent you a referral to trim back the nail.

As for level 4 for narly looking ones... Sadly those have been baking line that for a month or two at least. Most of the time just pop the nail off as antibiotics have little role in fixing granomatous tissue.

Code what's there, not what you feel.

 

[Pronation]

do you really want to be doing a chemical matrixectomy on them?

Do I want to be driving a Ferrari?

 

[Feli]

...If you had a really really nasty infected one on a patient with PAD to a point where you need to I&D/avulse it or risk further infection you could argue that as a level 4. But having had the misfortune of managing PAD patients who have had matrixes lead to amps from outside docs I really try to tiptoe around jumping to matrix for those when I can and usually avulse and irrigate instead.

I know you’ll see a lot of mustaches post on PMNews about how they phenol everything even the super infected ones with no problems - but I’ve only been in practice for 2 years and have seen too many matrixes go awry from outside docs being too aggressive whether it’s PAD or phenolizing aggressively with infection so I call BS on that.

You should bill some/most of those at 10061 (prob level 3 visit)... more $ than 11730 (even with level 4 visit, which is a bit sketch without other issues, Rx, tests, etc) and 10061 is perfectly appropriate if they're the draining ones you have to block, rinse, maybe culture or debride and put on abx. The pedi shop prox nail fold abscess ones where you do a total avulsion + rinse + abx are often fitting for that also.

I agree stay the heck away from phenol (or basically any procedures not absolutely needed) on PAD pts. I have seen all kinds of amp and dry gangrene and weird pyo granulomas and prolonged skin discolor or wound issues from matrixectomy attempts also (never my own, knock on wood).

 

[footshazam]

You will see for yourself out on clerkships. There are the whole spectrum.

Some pod programs are long hours and pretty hard since they legitimately have much work, surgery, inpatients, academics, etc... this is maybe 25% of DPM residencies (usually the best training programs we have, provided they have reasonable variety of cases + attendings).

Some pod programs are long hours and fairly hard just for the sake of being hard (they don't have a ton of surgery but find ways to triple scrub it, take in-house call for nonsense like minimally infected wounds or stable fractures, see consults for dumb derm/nail stuff, etc). This is maybe another 15% of residencies.

Half of podiatry residencies are inadequate and essentially fudge logs, few academics or very low quality ones (yet some of them will find ways to work long hours anyways).

Overall, the majority of our podiatry residencies are a cakewalk compared to nearly any MD residency. That's largely because nearly all of theirs are at teaching centers and univ hospitals with high overall standards and good resources while many of ours for podiatry are at little community centers or VA hospitals with little oversight/accountability. You will see this if you do residency or rotate at major teaching hospital(s). Most MD programs are up early for inpatient rounds (juniors earlier than seniors, but all fairly early), then grand rounds or M&M or board prep or etc... then to legit busy surgery or clinic all day, prepping for boards more or doing research in some afternoons, occasional evening academics also, some residents on call overnight. Call is typically inpatient for at least one resident - esp for surgical specialties. Those type of average MD resident hours and academics and exp would only be seen at our best DPM programs, which are a small minority.

...the best thing to do if you want a country club program is to clerk and see for yourself. The senior/chief residents decide the program culture a bit too, so those might be the pgy1s or the pgy2s depending what time of year you clerk there. If you want a good program, pick accordingly. If you want easy hours, pick a lax place with a largely absent director and senior residents who don't run academics and usually leave early themselves - so they won't even notice if their juniors do. You can plan to be home by 4pm or earlier most days and not have to read much... and also plan to fail ABFAS qual and have limited job options after residency.

In all seriousness, I look at it this way: do the best residency you can get, work pretty hard (but avoid programs that are hard just for the sake of being hard). Later on, it's all downhill afterwards. For me, as an attending...
Going in occasionally for gas gangrene amp or the odd irreducible ankle fx is not bad... I did that 2-5x or more maaany nights as a resident.
Hard cases are not hard. I saw many that were much worse on residency pod or trauma, ortho, etc rotations.
Surgical planning is not bad... I've seen basically any and every type of fixation and implant in residency because I had so many attendings.
Tests are not tough... I simply have to review a bit to get back to a fraction of what I knew in residency when I read almost daily.
Getting up early for surgery a few days per month now is what I used to do almost every single day in residency.
I can do occasional clinic days on a half night's sleep since I did it hundreds of times in residency.
^If I would've chosen a low quality residency, that stuff would seem much harder... or impossible (assuming I could even get privileges).

...and, sadly enough, the real "burnout" comes probably about one year after residency graduation. That is when you face the rough realities of the podiatry job market, financials, and that being an associate is depressing. Don't say SDN doesn't warn you. Out in the real world of podiatry, you are forced to come to terms with the fact that you 95% won't have the opulent "doctor lifestyle" and ~50% might struggle to even have an upper middle class lifestyle. In residency, you can gleefully ignore those things, enjoy good health insurance, pretend you will be different and find a good job, and you don't have much time to spend $ you make anyways. For the first year out, you might not be happy with your job, but you don't realize right away how little ~$100k or $150k is after taxes and student loans. The way to weather that is to have a financially competent partner and/or frugal and realistic expectations. It will hit you hard, though. There is no getting around that for 90% or more of young DPMs.

I thank you a lot for being honest. I’m a third year and it’s hit me that this profession isn’t for me. I have done a lot of reflection on personal matters as well as taking into account the information you guys have provided here because the schools aren’t making us aware of these things. I’m not basing my decision solely on what has been stated on this forum but it is definitely something that I have taken heed to. Again I sincerely thank you all who speak out and are honest.

 

[MoostashPod]

I thank you a lot for being honest. I’m a third year and it’s hit me that this profession isn’t for me. I have done a lot of reflection on personal matters as well as taking into account the information you guys have provided here because the schools aren’t making us aware of these things. I’m not basing my decision solely on what has been stated on this forum but it is definitely something that I have taken heed to. Again I sincerely thank you all who speak out and are honest.

I have a friend who was in DO school and he finished his 3rd year. He's a great student and all. After rethinking about his path and what he has to go through in the future (cons and pros), he quit medical school as it wasn't for him. He's way better off and a much happier person now. He's doing what he loves and that's flying. Everybody has their own choices and it's your future on what you decide to do. Good luck with everything.

 

[newfeet]

I thank you a lot for being honest. I’m a third year and it’s hit me that this profession isn’t for me. I have done a lot of reflection on personal matters as well as taking into account the information you guys have provided here because the schools aren’t making us aware of these things. I’m not basing my decision solely on what has been stated on this forum but it is definitely something that I have taken heed to. Again I sincerely thank you all who speak out and are honest.

Good luck. Once I got married and had kids I knew I could never leave podiatry. You have time to build up a meaningful career doing something else.