Choosing Podiatry

By Danelle Boone, Career Counselor, UCLA Career Center

As a pre-health student at UCLA, you are constantly confronted with decisions you must consider: Which classes do I need to take? What series? Which professors? Should I take summer sessions or commit the entire summer to research, volunteering or working in a medical office? Which healthcare profession should I pursue? Allopathic medicine? Osteopathic? Dentistry? Pharmacy? What about podiatry?

What is podiatric medicine anyway? According to the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM),“ a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) is to the foot what a dentist is to the mouth, or an ophthalmologist to the eye --- a doctor specializing in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of foot disorders resulting from injury or disease. A DPM makes independent judgments, prescribes medications, and performs surgery. The human foot has a complex interrelation with the rest of the body which means that it may be the first area to show signs of serious conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Since the podiatric physician is often the first to detect symptoms of these disorders, he or she becomes a vital and sometimes lifesaving link in the health care team.”

“Podiatric medicine is a GREAT field – it can be anything you want it to be and it is so easy to make your own hours,” said Dr. Marlene Reid, DPM, and President of the American Association of Women Podiatrists. “There is great demand for the field and a growing recognition of the profession.” Indeed, many women are gravitating towards podiatry because it offers the opportunity to enjoy a career in medicine, without the long hours that are often required of MD’s.

Chul Kim, a third year student at Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and alumnus of UCLA (Psychobiology, class of 2002) advises the following to anyone considering a medical profession, “MD's are not the only doctors. You can specialize early in different aspects of medicine such as dentistry or podiatry. Other health professions are available, especially if grades are keeping you down.” When asked why he chose podiatry, Kim stated, “At first, podiatry pursued me.  I received letters from podiatry schools since freshman year. They showed me a different aspect of medicine that I did not know before.  Podiatric Medical School allows you to be more specialized than other medical areas because we start very early.  All of the education during the didactics gears you toward podiatric medicine.  Clinical experience also starts at second year (compared to third year in medical school).  In terms of career, it is a growing profession.  Almost everyone will have jobs after they graduate and make comparable income to the MD's.  Many areas of the United States are in demand for podiatrists, contributing to a good job market.”

		Dr. Michael DeGere, a practicing DPM and graduate of Scholl College in Chicago explained, “As an undergraduate pre-medical student at University of Madison Wisconsin, I was focused on a future career in medicine but found that though there were many specialties that appealed to me, few were as inclusive as podiatry. The practice of podiatry has dimensions of surgery, primary medicine, orthopedics, sports medicine, pediatrics, dermatology, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, among many others, depending on the practice preferences of the podiatrist.Because of that broad range of disciplines within the specialty of foot and ankle medicine and surgery, I knew podiatry was the right career choice for me.
After investigating all my options and researching the multiple routes one can pursue a career in medicine, podiatry easily emerged as the right path for my professional future. I didn’t have to make any changes to my pre-med preparation, as I was already scheduled to take my MCAT. The application process also was similar to that that of allopathic and osteopathic medical schools.” For Dr. Reid, the decision to choose podiatry was clear from the beginning. “Podiatric Medicine was my “Plan A.” The flexibility and diversity that the field has to offer was what interested me. From sports medicine to surgery to pediatrics, every podiatry practice is different. I was also an artist and knew that if I went into medicine that I would want to be in surgery.”

Requirements for admission to podiatric medical schools are similar to those of allopathic medical schools, except that in some cases the GRE can be substituted for the MCAT and the average MCAT for admitted DPM students is an approximate combined score of 24, compared to an average of 30 for U.S. MD programs. Grade point averages for admitted podiatric applicants are approximately 3.0 – 3.2, compared to an average of 3.6 for allopathic medical schools. Overall, some 85% of applicants to DPM schools are admitted, whereas less than 50% of applicants to allopathic programs are admitted.

Other benefits to choosing podiatry include a lower cost of tuition compared to private or out-of-state medical schools. At Scholl College, for example, DPM students pay $22,000 yearly for tuition compared to $30,000 annually for the average US Private Medical School. Podiatrists such as Dr. Reid and Dr. DeGere, also site the benefits of available scholarship money, shorter residency terms, and fewer weekly hours of practice than your typical MD school or practice.

Dr. DeGere explained, "After podiatry school, I served a three year residency in podiatric medicine and surgery in Chicago, which provided a superior preparation for private practice. Now two years into practice, I still have no regrets at all about choosing podiatry. I have a very well balanced practice and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle that allows for the most important part of my daily life: time with my family.”

According to Dr. Reid, “Top students can probably write their own tickets for scholarship money. Many if not all the schools offer full scholarships for the most qualified students as they know they have to lure them away from the allopathic programs. This profession allows the exceptional students to really shine and stand out in the profession.”

If you’re considering a medical career, you definitely want to consider all of your options. Podiatry may be one of them. There is a mentor organization offered through the AACPM where you can talk to practicing podiatrists or current DPM students to find out more about podiatry. The best way to determine if this profession is right for you is to "shadow" a podiatric physician in his or her office and observe the work that they do. If you want a medical career that allows you the option to perform surgery, create your own hours, and earn an average net income of over $130,000 per year, you may just find that podiatry is for you.

If you are interested in applying to podiatry programs or any graduate or professional schools, come in to the UCLA Career Center for a drop-in appointment to speak with a counselor. We offer individual counseling, workshops on personal statements and pre-professional planning, and mock interviews to assist with your exploration and application process.

For more information on Podiatric Medicine, visit these websites:

American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
American Podiatric Medical Association
Occupational Outlook Handbook Online (keyword search: podiatry).