So You Want to Be a Podiatrist...

Tonight I would like to share some thoughts on our chosen profession. Much of the following stems from a recent visit to Barry University in which I was asked to be a guest lecturer to the 1st Year Podiatric Medicine Class of 2010. Before my formal lecture, I took 20 minutes to answer random questions they had about the profession, practice, residency, future outlook, etc. They had many of the same questions that we probably did in that time frame, but I was very pleased that I could provide them with very upbeat answers to most, if not all, the questions…

I graduated with my DPM degree in 1995 and following residency and a fellowship, I have been practicing in academic medicine for 7 years. I believe with great confidence that there has never been a better time to be graduating into this profession than NOW. Thanks to the work of many before us and many current leaders, the profession is in a position now to cultivate the rewards of truly being key members of the health care team. From diabetes to trauma, and from pediatrics to geriatrics, DPM’s are an integral part of healthcare delivery, education, and research. Graduates today can direct their careers to full time research labs, or they care choose to work in a practice setting ranging from private practice to partnership in large multi-specialty groups. Graduates can seek out hospital based practices or venture into academic medicine at numerous institutions.

No, everyone will not get their top choice for residency, and no, everyone will not make millions. However, if you are willing to work hard and you are an ethical practitioner, you stand to do very well in today’s podiatric profession.

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John Steinberg, DPM
Editor - PRESENT