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I need some help and advise please !

 

I completed my DPM (podiatry) degree last year (2011) and the issue is.....NO RESIDENCY!!! I have sat out 1 year already, reapplying to residencies. There is a shortage of residencies in podiatry.

 

I was thinking of switching over to PA so that I can practice medicine. My cum and science GPAs are at least 3.0 maybe a hair higher. I would have to take the GRE since I have only taken the MCAT and that is not accepted at any schools that I know of and its over 5 yrs old.

 

1. I was wondering if my month long clinical rotations in Int Med, Emergency Med, Gen Surg, Radiology, podiatry rotations x6 at various hospitals (Detroit, Florida, Illinois) would count as hours toward healthcare experience? Of course there was direct patient care (suturing, phy exams, rounding on assigned patients, diabetic wound care, dressing changes, injections, etc)

 

2. I also just completed a paid 35-40 hr per week 10 month preceptorship in podiatry....treating patients, scrubbing into surgery, shadowing podiatrist in his private practice. Would this count as healthcare experience?

 

3. 13 years as laboratory technician in hospitals prior to podiatry (paid, fulltime)...count as healthcare experience?

 

4. Are there any other part-time programs besides Drexel?

 

5. Best options for schools I should apply to? I am open to relocation

 

6. Do I need to shadow a PA?

 

7. Proposed LORs: Preceptor (DPM) at recent preceptorship, academic professors at podiatry school

 

Thanks for any insight :=D:

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I need some help and advise please !

 

I completed my DPM (podiatry) degree last year (2011) and the issue is.....NO RESIDENCY!!! I have sat out 1 year already, reapplying to residencies. There is a shortage of residencies in podiatry.

 

I was thinking of switching over to PA so that I can practice medicine. My cum and science GPAs are at least 3.0 maybe a hair higher. I would have to take the GRE since I have only taken the MCAT and that is not accepted at any schools that I know of and its over 5 yrs old.

 

1. I was wondering if my month long clinical rotations in Int Med, Emergency Med, Gen Surg, Radiology, podiatry rotations x6 at various hospitals (Detroit, Florida, Illinois) would count as hours toward healthcare experience? Of course there was direct patient care (suturing, phy exams, rounding on assigned patients, diabetic wound care, dressing changes, injections, etc)

 

2. I also just completed a paid 35-40 hr per week 10 month preceptorship in podiatry....treating patients, scrubbing into surgery, shadowing podiatrist in his private practice. Would this count as healthcare experience?

 

3. 13 years as laboratory technician in hospitals prior to podiatry (paid, fulltime)...count as healthcare experience?

 

4. Are there any other part-time programs besides Drexel?

 

5. Best options for schools I should apply to? I am open to relocation

 

6. Do I need to shadow a PA?

 

7. Proposed LORs: Preceptor (DPM) at recent preceptorship, academic professors at podiatry school

 

Thanks for any insight :=D:

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I need some help and advise please !

 

I completed my DPM (podiatry) degree last year (2011) and the issue is.....NO RESIDENCY!!! I have sat out 1 year already, reapplying to residencies. There is a shortage of residencies in podiatry.

 

I was thinking of switching over to PA so that I can practice medicine. My cum and science GPAs are at least 3.0 maybe a hair higher. I would have to take the GRE since I have only taken the MCAT and that is not accepted at any schools that I know of and its over 5 yrs old.

 

1. I was wondering if my month long clinical rotations in Int Med, Emergency Med, Gen Surg, Radiology, podiatry rotations x6 at various hospitals (Detroit, Florida, Illinois) would count as hours toward healthcare experience? Of course there was direct patient care (suturing, phy exams, rounding on assigned patients, diabetic wound care, dressing changes, injections, etc)

 

2. I also just completed a paid 35-40 hr per week 10 month preceptorship in podiatry....treating patients, scrubbing into surgery, shadowing podiatrist in his private practice. Would this count as healthcare experience?

 

3. 13 years as laboratory technician in hospitals prior to podiatry (paid, fulltime)...count as healthcare experience?

 

4. Are there any other part-time programs besides Drexel?

 

5. Best options for schools I should apply to? I am open to relocation

 

6. Do I need to shadow a PA?

 

7. Proposed LORs: Preceptor (DPM) at recent preceptorship, academic professors at podiatry school

 

Thanks for any insight :=D:

 

1. No, training does not count in HCE

2. No

3. Maybe, depends on the school

4. Yes, though I cannot remember them of the top of my head.

5. A lot is all I can say.

6. Yes

7. As long as they say great things about you, those are fine. Many require and MD or PA though.

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I need some help and advise please !

 

I completed my DPM (podiatry) degree last year (2011) and the issue is.....NO RESIDENCY!!! I have sat out 1 year already, reapplying to residencies. There is a shortage of residencies in podiatry.

 

I was thinking of switching over to PA so that I can practice medicine. My cum and science GPAs are at least 3.0 maybe a hair higher. I would have to take the GRE since I have only taken the MCAT and that is not accepted at any schools that I know of and its over 5 yrs old.

 

1. I was wondering if my month long clinical rotations in Int Med, Emergency Med, Gen Surg, Radiology, podiatry rotations x6 at various hospitals (Detroit, Florida, Illinois) would count as hours toward healthcare experience? Of course there was direct patient care (suturing, phy exams, rounding on assigned patients, diabetic wound care, dressing changes, injections, etc)

 

2. I also just completed a paid 35-40 hr per week 10 month preceptorship in podiatry....treating patients, scrubbing into surgery, shadowing podiatrist in his private practice. Would this count as healthcare experience?

 

3. 13 years as laboratory technician in hospitals prior to podiatry (paid, fulltime)...count as healthcare experience?

 

4. Are there any other part-time programs besides Drexel?

 

5. Best options for schools I should apply to? I am open to relocation

 

6. Do I need to shadow a PA?

 

7. Proposed LORs: Preceptor (DPM) at recent preceptorship, academic professors at podiatry school

 

Thanks for any insight :=D:

 

1. No, training does not count in HCE

2. No

3. Maybe, depends on the school

4. Yes, though I cannot remember them of the top of my head.

5. A lot is all I can say.

6. Yes

7. As long as they say great things about you, those are fine. Many require and MD or PA though.

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Also I would wonder about the legalities and details of being a licensed practitioner able to perform surgery, yet also being a PA.

 

When one is functioning in the capacity of a PA, they are bound by the limits of the scope of practice of their SP and their DSA protocols regardless of the fact that they hold a Doctorate or license for that matter. For instance, a chiro turned PA can't start cracking backs at the OB/Gyn office they work at as a PA.

 

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Also I would wonder about the legalities and details of being a licensed practitioner able to perform surgery, yet also being a PA.

 

When one is functioning in the capacity of a PA, they are bound by the limits of the scope of practice of their SP and their DSA protocols regardless of the fact that they hold a Doctorate or license for that matter. For instance, a chiro turned PA can't start cracking backs at the OB/Gyn office they work at as a PA.

 

Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using Tapatalk

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Pod school must have cost you a fortune.... Pa school will cost you a fortune. I know pod can be hit or miss as far as wages, but I think there is potential to do well. Financially, are you prepared to pay back tuition for TWO professional schools based on the wages the average PA makes? Sure, there are those that make bank, but be realistic about it. If you landed a pod residency while in the middle of pa school, would you jet out of school to take it? Im not seeing how taking 2 years off to become a PA puts you farther ahead than going super hard towards a pod residency. Beg if you have to. I just can't see how turning your back on that much education puts you ahead in the game.

 

Just curious...We're you a lab tech, or we're you a med tech?

 

Yes it did cost me a fortune. I was a medical technologist, still am actually, certs are still active and valid. Oh yes, the potential for a good income as a podiatrist is there. But if I can't get a residency then not a whole lot I can do with the degree. Can't get on with any insurance companies bc they require residency training, even though there are a FEW states that grant a license without a residency.

 

The problem that with the shortage AND competing with new grads, programs are more apt to snatch up the new grads before previous grads. The farther out from graduation you are the less likely you are to match to a program. the cycle coming up is the class of 2013, so that puts me at a major disadvantage :( So looking back, I probably would have made different choices but it is what it is.

 

I was hoping to possibly get into a Tx program since I have Hazelwood exemption that will cover tution costs in a Texas school. Hazelwood only covers Tx schools otherwise I def would have tried to use it for pod school to help defer the costs.

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Pod school must have cost you a fortune.... Pa school will cost you a fortune. I know pod can be hit or miss as far as wages, but I think there is potential to do well. Financially, are you prepared to pay back tuition for TWO professional schools based on the wages the average PA makes? Sure, there are those that make bank, but be realistic about it. If you landed a pod residency while in the middle of pa school, would you jet out of school to take it? Im not seeing how taking 2 years off to become a PA puts you farther ahead than going super hard towards a pod residency. Beg if you have to. I just can't see how turning your back on that much education puts you ahead in the game.

 

Just curious...We're you a lab tech, or we're you a med tech?

 

Yes it did cost me a fortune. I was a medical technologist, still am actually, certs are still active and valid. Oh yes, the potential for a good income as a podiatrist is there. But if I can't get a residency then not a whole lot I can do with the degree. Can't get on with any insurance companies bc they require residency training, even though there are a FEW states that grant a license without a residency.

 

The problem that with the shortage AND competing with new grads, programs are more apt to snatch up the new grads before previous grads. The farther out from graduation you are the less likely you are to match to a program. the cycle coming up is the class of 2013, so that puts me at a major disadvantage :( So looking back, I probably would have made different choices but it is what it is.

 

I was hoping to possibly get into a Tx program since I have Hazelwood exemption that will cover tution costs in a Texas school. Hazelwood only covers Tx schools otherwise I def would have tried to use it for pod school to help defer the costs.

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It sounds like you are in a tough spot. But I think finding a podiatry residency will be easier (though I realize not easy, as you point out) than applying to and going to PA school. I think adcoms will look a bit askance at not finishing your training for podiatry. If I were you, I'd do whatever it takes to get a residency unless you just don't want to do it any more.

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It sounds like you are in a tough spot. But I think finding a podiatry residency will be easier (though I realize not easy, as you point out) than applying to and going to PA school. I think adcoms will look a bit askance at not finishing your training for podiatry. If I were you, I'd do whatever it takes to get a residency unless you just don't want to do it any more.

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It sounds like you are in a tough spot. But I think finding a podiatry residency will be easier (though I realize not easy, as you point out) than applying to and going to PA school. I think adcoms will look a bit askance at not finishing your training for podiatry. If I were you, I'd do whatever it takes to get a residency unless you just don't want to do it any more.

 

Believe me I want to complete a residency. But I am also being realistic about my prospects as well. Landing a podiatry residency isn't as easy as for MD/DOs who can do a transitional year if they don't match or whatever. If you have no residency you're done. You can keep applying but chances get slimmer every year due to what i mentioned before. I would rather apply and lose application fees then sit out another year with nothing again, which is a very HIGH likelihood. If admitted, at least I would be on my way to a program

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It sounds like you are in a tough spot. But I think finding a podiatry residency will be easier (though I realize not easy, as you point out) than applying to and going to PA school. I think adcoms will look a bit askance at not finishing your training for podiatry. If I were you, I'd do whatever it takes to get a residency unless you just don't want to do it any more.

 

Believe me I want to complete a residency. But I am also being realistic about my prospects as well. Landing a podiatry residency isn't as easy as for MD/DOs who can do a transitional year if they don't match or whatever. If you have no residency you're done. You can keep applying but chances get slimmer every year due to what i mentioned before. I would rather apply and lose application fees then sit out another year with nothing again, which is a very HIGH likelihood. If admitted, at least I would be on my way to a program

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Try it. Why not? I think a lot of schools would count your clinicals as experience. You ARE doing patient care, aren't you? Sure some schools might say no but you don't want to go to those schools anyway. Some schools DO count MCAT. Some don't require GRE if you already have graduate degree. Some don't require GRE at all. Still if you finished your DPM, GRE should not be that much of a problem.

 

Also this maybe a stupid question, but if you are willing to give 2-3 years to PA education, why not just give 4 to med school education? Wouldn't some med schools exempt you from some classes since I am sure some are similar to those you took in podiatry school?

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Try it. Why not? I think a lot of schools would count your clinicals as experience. You ARE doing patient care, aren't you? Sure some schools might say no but you don't want to go to those schools anyway. Some schools DO count MCAT. Some don't require GRE if you already have graduate degree. Some don't require GRE at all. Still if you finished your DPM, GRE should not be that much of a problem.

 

Also this maybe a stupid question, but if you are willing to give 2-3 years to PA education, why not just give 4 to med school education? Wouldn't some med schools exempt you from some classes since I am sure some are similar to those you took in podiatry school?

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Believe me I want to complete a residency. But I am also being realistic about my prospects as well. Landing a podiatry residency isn't as easy as for MD/DOs who can do a transitional year if they don't match or whatever. If you have no residency you're done. You can keep applying but chances get slimmer every year due to what i mentioned before. I would rather apply and lose application fees then sit out another year with nothing again, which is a very HIGH likelihood. If admitted, at least I would be on my way to a program

 

It doesn't sound like you really want to be a PA...you just can't get a residency for Pod...13yrs as a lab tech would count at most PA schools but your GPA is very low....now PA schools want that high GPA b/c the pance is so difficult....high pass pance rate reflects well on the school...

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Believe me I want to complete a residency. But I am also being realistic about my prospects as well. Landing a podiatry residency isn't as easy as for MD/DOs who can do a transitional year if they don't match or whatever. If you have no residency you're done. You can keep applying but chances get slimmer every year due to what i mentioned before. I would rather apply and lose application fees then sit out another year with nothing again, which is a very HIGH likelihood. If admitted, at least I would be on my way to a program

 

It doesn't sound like you really want to be a PA...you just can't get a residency for Pod...13yrs as a lab tech would count at most PA schools but your GPA is very low....now PA schools want that high GPA b/c the pance is so difficult....high pass pance rate reflects well on the school...

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It doesn't sound like you really want to be a PA...you just can't get a residency for Pod...13yrs as a lab tech would count at most PA schools but your GPA is very low....now PA schools want that high GPA b/c the pance is so difficult....high pass pance rate reflects well on the school...

 

Thanks for the negativity..not necessary. Btw, you don't know what my GPA is. As I said, it is 3.0 but may be higher but i am not here to explain to you.

 

Just like any prospective applicant, I had a question. No need for the smart a$$ remarks

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It doesn't sound like you really want to be a PA...you just can't get a residency for Pod...13yrs as a lab tech would count at most PA schools but your GPA is very low....now PA schools want that high GPA b/c the pance is so difficult....high pass pance rate reflects well on the school...

 

Thanks for the negativity..not necessary. Btw, you don't know what my GPA is. As I said, it is 3.0 but may be higher but i am not here to explain to you.

 

Just like any prospective applicant, I had a question. No need for the smart a$$ remarks

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Try it. Why not? I think a lot of schools would count your clinicals as experience. You ARE doing patient care, aren't you? Sure some schools might say no but you don't want to go to those schools anyway. Some schools DO count MCAT. Some don't require GRE if you already have graduate degree. Some don't require GRE at all. Still if you finished your DPM, GRE should not be that much of a problem.

 

Also this maybe a stupid question, but if you are willing to give 2-3 years to PA education, why not just give 4 to med school education? Wouldn't some med schools exempt you from some classes since I am sure some are similar to those you took in podiatry school?

 

Alot of med schools don't give credit for classes taken at pod schools, although some courses are taken along side med students.

 

Thanks for the encouragement Purplez! Unlike some posters who replied with negativity, if I chose to apply it's my choice. :)

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Try it. Why not? I think a lot of schools would count your clinicals as experience. You ARE doing patient care, aren't you? Sure some schools might say no but you don't want to go to those schools anyway. Some schools DO count MCAT. Some don't require GRE if you already have graduate degree. Some don't require GRE at all. Still if you finished your DPM, GRE should not be that much of a problem.

 

Also this maybe a stupid question, but if you are willing to give 2-3 years to PA education, why not just give 4 to med school education? Wouldn't some med schools exempt you from some classes since I am sure some are similar to those you took in podiatry school?

 

Alot of med schools don't give credit for classes taken at pod schools, although some courses are taken along side med students.

 

Thanks for the encouragement Purplez! Unlike some posters who replied with negativity, if I chose to apply it's my choice. :)

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Thanks for the negativity..not necessary. Btw, you don't know what my GPA is. As I said, it is 3.0 but may be higher but i am not here to explain to you.

 

Just like any prospective applicant, I had a question. No need for the smart a$$ remarks[/quote

 

Well evidently you didn't give us all the info...you said your GPA was 3.0...would you think of applying to medical school with a 3.0? PA school is actually harder to get into...and if your core is 3.0 you're going to have to retake a lot of classes anyway....long road ahead of you..

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Thanks for the negativity..not necessary. Btw, you don't know what my GPA is. As I said, it is 3.0 but may be higher but i am not here to explain to you.

 

Just like any prospective applicant, I had a question. No need for the smart a$$ remarks[/quote

 

Well evidently you didn't give us all the info...you said your GPA was 3.0...would you think of applying to medical school with a 3.0? PA school is actually harder to get into...and if your core is 3.0 you're going to have to retake a lot of classes anyway....long road ahead of you..

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When one is functioning in the capacity of a PA, they are bound by the limits of the scope of practice of their SP and their DSA protocols regardless of the fact that they hold a Doctorate or license for that matter. For instance, a chiro turned PA can't start cracking backs at the OB/Gyn office they work at as a PA.

 

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What if the OB/GYN doc is a DO? (serious question)

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