Thinking about Podiatry, but worried about self abilites

[harkkam]

Guys I am 24 years old and I am just graduating undergrad, took a few extra years because of maturity issues.

I am seriously considering applying to Pod school but the thought of 4 years schooling plus three years of residency is scaring me very much.

Its not so much the work, that I am worried about, but not knowing how much time I will have to dedicate per day to my studies.

I will be up front and honest that I enjoy my hobbies and free time very much and I love talking walks and driving around the city and seeing new places and things.

I am a average student with a GPA of 3.22 and sgpa of 3.32.

I also get very discouraged and down about life esp. when I had to study for Orgo in undergrad I ended up with a B+ both semesters. I see people outside living their life and I feel like I am a slave to my work and I just want to be free.

I am posting this here so that maybe some Pod Students can relate.

I read some posts about what the study schedules are like for POD students and it kind of goes like

0630 - wake up
0800 - class
1200 - end class
1:00 - lunch
1:30 - start study
8:30 - end study
8:45 - workout
9:30 - Dinner
10:00- Study
12:00 - sleep

Right now I have something like on an average which I call my study days.

10:00 am wake up
11:00 -eat breakfast
12:00 - watch tv/play guitar
3:00 - end relaxation
3:00 - start study
12:00 - end study (procrastinated study)
12:00- relax
2:00 - sleep

I dont know if I can handle the rigors of Pod school for four years and then followed by 80 hr/wk in residency.

I worked a 40/wk for a whole summer and I cant imagine working more than that for anything in life.

I really do enjoy helping people but I do feel their is a limit to my capacity or so it feels. I really do want to be a POD but I am very much leaning toward becoming a PA. Its less time to become one.

I just feel like I might feel unrealized as a PA, and that as a POD the potential to earn higher income is there while PA's max out at 120k.

How do you know if you are up to the task?, I would love to do POD, because I enjoy surgery and really love working with my hands and I know Ill be helping people out of their pain. Also the salary is a plus point.

I dont want to go to POD school if i get accepted and then quit because I cant hack it.

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[215353]

It's good that you are realistic with yourself and not pretending or in denial about who you really are. Never ever pursue something for the money. Sure you might make more money as a podiatrist but you know you will be miserable. No amount of money will ever change your spirits.

In all honesty, if you can't handle more than a 40 hr work week should you even pursue anything in healthcare? Most healthcare professional positions have relatively demanding schedules.

Don't believe the hype that Pods can work "as little as they want". EVERYONE has to hustle once they are done with their residencies so that they can build up their practices as quickly as possible. Your job may depend on it if you work within someone else's practice!

Lastly, your current schedule of studying and activities would certainly doom you in Podiatry school. Some schools have classes AND labs several times a week and its not uncommon to start your academic day at 8am and have it last till 4pm. Then you have to study after that!

All schools have club sport teams, gyms, etc that give students an outlet but you are basically there to learn and study your ass off. I have a lot of friends who have entered MD/DO/DPM programs and the common story amongst them all is that their lives are not nearly the same as they were in undergrad.

If you really want to do this then you must be willing to sacrifice in some way, shape or form.

 

[illegallysmooth]

Try being more productive for one week. See how it goes. Give yourself 8 hours of sleep, but start doing something productive within 1.5 hrs of waking up. Take breaks for meals, and give yourself one day off to enjoy all those things you love to do.

Personally, I used to be really lazy. I'm much more productive on average now. Actually, when I'm in a "productive mode" I find it really difficult to sit around and watch TV or do something passive like that. For example, if I've been up since 8, had meetings and work all day, and then did the grocery shopping and cooked dinner, I generally won't sit around the rest of the evening. I'll find something else to do.

Maybe if you give yourself some time to adjust, you'll find that you can do it.

 

[harkkam]

Yeah, thats what I wonder, what If im just being lazy and I can find a way to work hard. I think Im going to try that.

Im going to try and follow a Med student schedule and see how I feel after that.

When med student study do they procrastinate in any way? Like watching youtube or TV and consider that studying because then I can easily see how 8 hours can be unproductive.

Are we talking 8 hours straight of like one 10 minute break and not lifitng your head up once.

 

[g squared 23]

Yeah, thats what I wonder, what If im just being lazy and I can find a way to work hard. I think Im going to try that.

Im going to try and follow a Med student schedule and see how I feel after that.

When med student study do they procrastinate in any way? Like watching youtube or TV and consider that studying because then I can easily see how 8 hours can be unproductive.

Are we talking 8 hours straight of like one 10 minute break and not lifitng your head up once.

You definitely have to take breaks unless you are a machine. Youtube for a while, chatting with someone, even going to the bathroom are perfectly acceptable . The key is to keep them a set amount of time. Give yourself 10 minutes and that's it. Then turn off the wireless on your computer, and be productive for another 50-60 minutes. Then another short break and repeat the cycle.

For the record, during undergrad I was a lazy piece of excrement just like yourself and skated by with minimal effort. That won't work here. Changing your habits is possible if you really want it. Really challenge yourself and see if you're capable. Since undergrad is fairly easy, try to set nearly impossibly high goals (like a 100% on your test few tests) and see if that increases the pressure and intensity. GL to you sir.

 

[hightower]

Its good you are evaluating the decision seriously. I think those who fail out of school don't realize the time you must put in to studying each day. Generally speaking I find that the subject matter in Pod/med school won't go over your head most of the time. It is not that difficult as far as understanding the material. What is very hard is trying to learn such a large amount of material in a short amount of time. Just before my first year started a faculty member (or someone) said its like drinking from a fire hose and I think it was a great analogy. I find that many, if not most of the weeks of pod school feel like a finals week in undergrad. You are always studying for the next upcoming test, and many times there are two or three tests over a 5 to 7 day period. The good thing is you are so busy it flies by. I can't believe my first year is almost done. Another good thing is that you get sort of used to it. I like my hobbies too but I have have maybe gone fishing once during my first year (I will make up for that big time over the summer). Yes, you will have slow weeks here and there and most people find time to go do fun things. That is actually good for you and I probably did not give myself enough "me" time this first year. You don't want to burn out, but you need to learn to get right back at it when the time comes. Second year is more enjoyable so I hear since we are doing more pod related study. But the nature of the profession makes you always be a student and learning new things and applying new knowledge. When you practice there will be certain cases in the back of your mind and you have to get used to having to deal with and carry it around with you. Overall though I think it is going to be a very rewarding career with a lot of opportunity in the future (hopefully the healthcare thing can work itself out). Don't go in it for the money as has been said, it doesn't matter how much money you make if you are miserable going to work every day.

 

[spo01]

You already put up a post like this in the D.O. forum. Your answers aren't going to be any different here. What you are faced with is a condition common to us all, it's called "growing up". Doubts, cold feet, feelings of isolation and missing out on life while everyone around you is getting married and having kids? We all have this. Every med student on earth has this. Does it consume you? No (atleast it shouldn't). And the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

The schedule you posted is not the norm. People also do not study 8 hours straight w/o looking up. We all need breaks. Take whatever you read and hear with a grain of salt. That's not to say it's not difficult here, ofcourse it is. But like anything if you balance your time you will have enough time for hobbies and such. But if you want the high salary and prestigious title of 'doctor' yet don't want to put in the hard work and dedication it's simply not gonna happen.

 

[hightower]

You already put up a post like this in the D.O. forum. Your answers aren't going to be any different here. What you are faced with is a condition common to us all, it's called "growing up". Doubts, cold feet, feelings of isolation and missing out on life while everyone around you is getting married and having kids? We all have this. Every med student on earth has this. Does it consume you? No (atleast it shouldn't). And the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

The schedule you posted is not the norm. People also do not study 8 hours straight w/o looking up. We all need breaks. Take whatever you read and hear with a grain of salt. That's not to say it's not difficult here, ofcourse it is. But like anything if you balance your time you will have enough time for hobbies and such. But if you want the high salary and prestigious title of 'doctor' yet don't want to put in the hard work and dedication it's simply not gonna happen.

Some great advice here. Yes, the grass is not greener on the other side. My family and I have loved it out here in Iowa and we would have not had this great experience if I decided to not to continue my education. You have to live each day to the fullest and not think too much about the future when "everything will be better" because you are a practicing physician making the big bucks. There are always stresses in life no matter where you are. Managing these stresses and enjoy living in the now is much better. "Live only for tomorrow, and you will have a lot of empty yesterdays today" Balance is the key, and although you will spend a lot of time studying it is important to make time for yourself and friends/family. Ok, sorry to beat this to death but yeah podiatry school is not all doom and gloom. I will really enjoy my summer however