DPM to DO

If you truly wanted to be a DPM from the "get go" and you were afforded proper training, then you would have no reason to complain. That is, unless you had dreams of making 7 figures. I totally agree with you that the most bitter DPM's are the ones who actually wanted to be MD's or DO's, but didn't get accepted. I've stated time and again to students and wannabe students on this site that you'd better be damn sure it's a DPM that you want to be and not a "doctor".

Thanks for not labeling me a malcontent or a multiple-named poster. I post what I feel and really don't care who's opinions I trample on.

You are also right when you say that my goal all along was to get into MD or DO school (I thought, 10 years ago, that both were acceptable and equivalent). Since I failed to get into either I chose podiatry out of desperation. Mistake. HUGE mistake. I resigned myself to the reality that I wasn't getting any younger (I was 33 when I got accepted to pod school) and I was extremely sick of waiting tables and taking pre-med classes. I also realized that there was little more I could do to make my resume' any more attractive.

Frankly, I was really uncomfortable after the first week of classes. I just didn't feel like I was in medical school. At least the medical school that I imagined. It felt very haphazard and there were many other students who didn't seem 100% ecstatic about being there. As the semester wore on it got even worse. Incompetent professors, rumblings about a lack of residency training, the school becoming insolvent, instructors forever saying things like, "you guys don't need to know this" or, worse, "do you guys need to know this?". As I entered my 3rd year I thought that things might pick up since I was supposed to get into my clinicals. Unfortunately, my 3rd and 4th years only convinced me that podiatry was a sham and that I got duped (though, I know that are others who did not experience this and are perfectly happy with their educations). I pressed on, though, and got outstanding grades. I got solid "A's" in all of my clinics and never missed an assignment. Students often looked to me for answers and information. I was really feeling confident. That is, until CRIP's.

The best descriptions I have for that debacle would be promptly deleted by the webmaster so I'm not going to waste my fingers. Suffice to say that I spent a lot of money that I didn't have and was pimped, ridiculed, humiliated and ignored by a bunch of self-proclaimed podiatry gods. I already hated podiatry by that time, but CRIP's actually dredged up some truly horrible feelings that I never knew existed. I ended up matching with a PPMR (and that came only because the director personally like me and wanted to hang out with me). I think we both know what a PPMR will get you in this day and age. It gets you thinking about changing careers.

I'm sure there are DO's out there who have inferiority complexes. Personally, I think it's ridiculous since there simply isn't any difference between MD's and DO's. DO's can practice any type of medicine in every square inch of the U.S. and, despite what you stated, can practice full medicine just like MD's in many countries (there are only a handful that restrict DO's to manipulation). DPM's can't even transfer a course to a disreputable overseas med school! DPM's cannot practice anything outside of the U.S.! I couldn't even transfer any of my basic science courses to DO school.

I applied to both MD and DO school this time around. I didn't even get an interview at the MD schools I applied to (however, it must be said that I only applied to extremely competitive schools...UCLA, USC and UC San Francisco). The fact is that DO schools have a big interest in admitting older students with real life experiences. MD schools do not. And, if you're thinking that there is a huge disparity in the average GPA's and MCAT's, that isn't true either. It's quite miniscule. Statistically insignificant. DO's also can opt to take the USMLE in addition to or in lieu of the COMLEX when they are in their 4th year. All said, DO's have all of the same rights and responsibilites as MD's and can practice in all disciplines of medicine (the chief medical officer of the U.S. Army is a DO).

And as far as what some MD's might think of DO's?? I couldn't give a rat's gluteus what they think! I'll take on any MD intellectually or any other way they want it (that is, when I'm finished). Hell, I held my own quite well in the 6 months of medicine I did as a pod resident.

I appreciate your thoughts and thank you for the good wishes. I only hope that my marriage survives!