Podiatry school

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Columbia09

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Have any of you applied to podiatry school as a back up to D.O school? Is it easier to get into? What is the average GPA/MCAT (non school specific) ? What classes do you have to take?
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Ummm no. You do realize being a podiatrist is different from being an MD/DO right? I would much rather go to PA school than to become a podiatrist.
 
So is being a P.A or a nurse. They're still medical related professions and common plan Bs.
 
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Columbia, I have read some of your posts, do you honestly not search before you type what comes to mind?
 
Columbia09 said:
Have any of you applied to podiatry school as a back up to D.O school? Is it easier to get into? What is the average GPA/MCAT (non school specific) ? What classes do you have to take?
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Ive not applied personally, but I did consider it at one point. I may be different, but if I couldnt get into med school, I would probably consider Pod over PA, personally, because of the autonomy, possibility of surgery, and higher pay. But, to each their own.

For pre-req's...they are posted by the schools just like med school. Feel free to google them. Average MCAT scores are quite a bit lower than med school, but GPA, while lower, isn't that much lower, for most Pod schools. Again, they are listed by many schools and there is a Pod section of SDN to check out.
 
Columbia09 said:
Have any of you applied to podiatry school as a back up to D.O school? Is it easier to get into? What is the average GPA/MCAT (non school specific) ? What classes do you have to take?
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I think the classes are the same but their stats are much lower than DO... close to 3.2 cGPA...3.1 sGPA and 21 MCAT
 
advair250 said:
Columbia, I have read some of your posts, do you honestly not search before you type what comes to mind?
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Yes I searched it up. This post was meant to gather other people's experience with applying. The MCAT scores are lower 22 and so is the average GPA 3.0.
 
A lot of people are a shoo in for podiatry school.
 
Pigglyjuff said:
A lot of people are a shoo in for podiatry school.
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Anyone with a pulse and a MCAT score is a shoo in for pod school. I know a few people who have gone to POD school with excellent stats, if they wanted to they could have gotten into D.O. but they liked podiatry better. But for the most part, that is not the case.
 
in4 podiatry > DO

awesome.gif
 
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Columbia09 said:
Have any of you applied to podiatry school as a back up to D.O school? Is it easier to get into? What is the average GPA/MCAT (non school specific) ? What classes do you have to take?
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I actually have cousins who went into podiatry because they couldn't get into any medical schools, so I have a little bit of insight on this. When I talk to my cousin a couple months ago, she said that she regretted going to pod school as a backup at first, but after being in the school and now practicing in the field, she told me she made the right choice.

Pod schools are VERY easy to get into. I know that my one cousin had a 3.2 and 22 mcat, not sure about the other one. They both shot for md and do school and both were rejected twice. But I mean what else are u gonna do with a biology degree?

Personally, I would not apply as a backup. You are limited to the knee down and it is a long time for schooling, 7 years! If I didn't get into an MD or DO school, I would do everything in my power to boost my app and try again.

I personally believe that anyone who Wants to become a physician can be one if they sacrifice everything for it. DO schools allow for grade replacement which helps tremendously, and the MCAT requirements for DO schools are not completely out of line. If someone wants to be a physician they can be.

Even my cousin with the 3.2 22 mcat could have gone to med school. All she had to do was retake the mcat and some classes she got Cs in. But at least it worked out for her in the end.
 
GypsyHummus said:
Personally, I would not apply as a backup. You are limited to the knee down and it is a long time for schooling, 7 years! If I didn't get into an MD or DO school, I would do everything in my power to boost my app and try again.
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Does that include undergrad? Also from the knee down isn't bad at all and it's like you said, what else are you going to do with a biology degree
 
I considered it and would've probably opened up my application had I not gotten in this cycle.
 
Columbia09 said:
Does that include undergrad? Also from the knee down isn't bad at all and it's like you said, what else are you going to do with a biology degree
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Actually no, that's not including undergrad. It's 4 years of pod school and then 3 or residency. In residency you do internal med and surgery.

I would only recommend pod if u REALLY like feet. DO school just give you too many chances to prove yourself to have pod be a backup.

There is always dentistry.
 
Columbia09 said:
Does that include undergrad? Also from the knee down isn't bad at all and it's like you said, what else are you going to do with a biology degree
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They're including residency; pod school is 4 years.

And it looks like we're going to finally have a Pod vs DO :corny:.

Anyways, the only thing that makes Pod harder than DO is lack of grade replacement. Someone with a 2.5 with over 120 credits will have a much harder time in the Pod application than in AACOMAs.
 
darklabel said:
They're including residency; pod school is 4 years.

And it looks like we're going to finally have a Pod vs DO :corny:.

Anyways, the only thing that makes Pod harder than DO is lack of grade replacement. Someone with a 2.5 with over 120 credits will have a much harder time in the Pod application than in AACOMAs.
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And I wouldn't even say harder. Some pod schools averages at 3.0 21 mcat
 
MGMA says the average salary for a general podiatrist is 216k and 270k for ankle/foot surgery. It seems like a decent career, if you don't mind feet...and diabetes
 
cliquesh said:
MGMA says the average salary for a general podiatrist is 216k and 270k for ankle/foot surgery. It seems like a decent career, if you don't mind feet...
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Those seem a little high. I looked on salary wizard and its more in the range of 135k

Columbia09 said:
Can you elaborate on this
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Grade replacement, mcat retakes. If you desire is to get into a medical school, you can get into one through perseverance.
 
GypsyHummus said:
Those seem a little high. I looked on salary wizard and its more in the range of 135k
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It depends where you live. I wouldn't be surprised if those numbers are the norm in NYC. Some even go as high as 350k - 400k depending
 
GypsyHummus said:
Grade replacement, mcat retakes. If you desire is to get into a medical school, you can get into one through perseverance.
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However, some people don't want to wait and want to jump straight into medicine.

I actually think Pods is a smart career choice few people consider. I see PA schools with stats that sometimes rival MD schools and nursing programs are full of competition yet Pods tend to make more on average and have higher autonomy :confused:
 
darklabel said:
However, some people don't want to wait and want to jump straight into medicine.

I actually think Pods is a smart career choice few people consider. I see PA schools with stats that sometimes rival MD schools and nursing programs are full of competition yet Pods tend to make more on average and have higher autonomy :confused:
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Don't worry, with the way the economy is going, applications as well as numbers will surely rise in all post undergraduate schools. Nobody can really do anything with a biology degree
 
I would also consider podiatry before ever going the NP/PA route. I think it's a great alternative for people that don't mind working with feet. You earn decent income (comparable to optometry) with the potential of going into surgery and earning much more. The stats are incredibly low with the top schools having an MCAT average of around 24 but typically 19-22 should get you into where you want to be. As long as your GPA is >3.0, you should be fine.
 
I would go to PA school over podiatry, mostly because feet disgust me. I can deal with occasional exposure to feet in other specialties, but oh god not all feet all the time.
 
darklabel said:
However, some people don't want to wait and want to jump straight into medicine.

I actually think Pods is a smart career choice few people consider. I see PA schools with stats that sometimes rival MD schools and nursing programs are full of competition yet Pods tend to make more on average and have higher autonomy :confused:
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Agreed, (as I stated before as well).

Also, for those thinking that $300K is a stretch for Pods, its not. There are plenty of Pods who make $400-$500K. Its a business and volume/compensation dictates salary. My friends father makes $500K every year as a Pod and also runs a family farm on the side. :thumbup:
 
HalfListic said:
Agreed, (as I stated before as well).

Also, for those thinking that $300K is a stretch for Pods, its not. There are plenty of Pods who make $400-$500K. Its a business and volume/compensation dictates salary. My friends father makes $500K every year as a Pod and also runs a family farm on the side. :thumbup:
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Well, that's the 90th percentile in the profession. It seems 135k to 245k seems where most people would be.

http://www1.salary.com/Physician-Podiatry-Salary.html

It's definitely a great career for those that can work with feet.
 
113 said:
in4 podiatry > DO
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DOs can't do surgery and Pods can. Also, everyone knows what a Pod is so you don't have to explain the last two letters of your name unlike a DO. Pods also get to cruise through college and at least stay at a 3.0 range, study 2 weeks before the MCAT and score a 22 and they get to call themselves a doctor.

Seriously, how is pod not > than DO

(not srs).
 
GypsyHummus said:
Those seem a little high. I looked on salary wizard and its more in the range of 135k



Grade replacement, mcat retakes. If you desire is to get into a medical school, you can get into one through perseverance.
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MGMA is suppose to be the most accurate salary report for physicians. I agree that most of the values seem inflated. Nevertheless, physicians use the mgma data when negotiating contracts.
 
TriagePreMed said:
Well, that's the 90th percentile in the profession. It seems 135k to 245k seems where most people would be.

http://www1.salary.com/Physician-Podiatry-Salary.html

It's definitely a great career for those that can work with feet.
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I think you are looking at base salaries on that website. But, no big deal...main idea is good money is too be had in Pod, and yes, you have to endure feet, haha.

(also, there is likely a large gap between those Pods who perform surgery and those who don't...so the averages can be a bit deceiving of salary potential)
 
I mean, really?
 
If I'm still on the "pre-clinician" track in a few years, and can't get into med school, I wouldn't rule out podiatry. But nowadays you've got to want to do surgery, because I've read that a lot of residency is exactly that. I think it would be kind of cool doing trauma on the ankle/foot, but then again it is a limited scope of practice in that regard (though expanded in other areas, because you do complete care of the lower extremities). Of course, many MDs/DOs who specialize/sub-specialize are going to end up with a similar "limited" scope (read: ophthalmologists, neurosurgery, urology, etc).

Sure, you have to get past the stigma of telling people you work with feet, but I guess I could do that considering I'll probably have my finger/hand/arm up somebody's butt in an MD/DO residency at many points in time lol.

Still, I'm on the MD/DO track and I'm not necessarily planning on changing that...just weighing pros and cons as opposed to being irrationally stalwart.
 
There's a freakin' podiatry subforum on this very site. Why post here?
 
Mehd School said:
There's a freakin' podiatry subforum on this very site. Why post here?
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Because this is a common plan B for most D.O applicants. Also I'm guessing someone with a 3.7 cGPA and a 3.6 sGPA will bust the door down for Pod school? http://www.podiatryschools.com/top_school_rankings/index.html list of top pod schools. There are only 2 in my general area NYCPM and Temple and they're not the highest ranked. Is it still easy to get a residency and a job if you graduate from those schools?
 
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Columbia09 said:
Because this is a common plan B for most D.O applicants. Also I'm guessing someone with a 3.7 cGPA and a 3.6 sGPA will bust the door down for Pod school? Also what are the top Pod schools ? Would NYCPM be considered one of them?
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Ok the last few questions should either be searched for or ask Pre-Pods. Most of us don't know much about pods or really care about it.
 
Columbia09 said:
Because this is a common plan B for most D.O applicants.
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False. I would say it happens, but is not a "common" plan B. Why on earth do they let you start threads still? You've got a terrible track record for starting useless, redundant threads that could easily be avoided with some searching and reading.
 
abolt18 said:
False. I would say it happens, but is not a "common" plan B. Why on earth do they let you start threads still? You've got a terrible track record for starting useless, redundant threads that could easily be avoided with some searching and reading.
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:laugh:
 
:lock:

We have all answered the basic questions. This is just turning into arguments over nothing. Yes some people choose podiatry if they can't get into DO. Some just keep trying DO. Some goto carribean. Some change careers entirely. Everyone does different things. Just do what YOU want to do.
 
I wouldn't and didn't apply to pod school as a back up to DO school, but I did strongly consider it instead of DO school. I took the MCAT a year early and did well on it, but spent another year retaking classes for GPA repair before I applied to DO school. Going a year sooner was appealing then. In the end though I decided that if I didn't shoot for med school I would always wonder "what if." Still, I've got nothing but respect for pods. I would pick podiatry over any health care field except for MD/DO. They have the same level of training and autonomy as MD/DOs. In school the rotate through nearly all of the major specialties, which can't be said for other specialized providers like dentists and optometrists. In practice, they really are more like physicians than allied health professionals. Though they have different degree they are, from a de facto perspective, specialists within medicine.
 
VinceViegel said:
It's not a common plan B because not many people know about it. Personally, I would rather fail to get into medical school on one cycle and then decide on podiatry school then spend 3 application cycles trying to get into medical school with no backup plan. It's a waste of time otherwise.
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There's really no reason to fail 3 application cycles at DO schools. Get an average MCAT score, retake a bunch of classes, and you're good to go.
 
MedPR said:
There's really no reason to fail 3 application cycles at DO schools. Get an average MCAT score, retake a bunch of classes, and you're good to go.
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This is very true. :thumbup:
 
VinceViegel said:
I heard that it isn't really that hard to get a podiatry residency. Just don't be in the bottom 25% of your class and you're good.
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Really? I heard it's not that hard to get a MD/DO residency. Just graduate from medical school and you're good.
 
VinceViegel said:
Well yeah, MD/DO is probably the only career in the universe that guarantees you a job once you get accepted into the school. For everything else, you will still become successful as long as you put in the work while in school.
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I guess I don't really see where you're going with this whole Podiatry thing.
 
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