Get Real

Dear Bashers and Hypers of Podiatry:

I am not a DPM nor an MD. For some of you this might disqualify me right off the bat from saying what I have to say. For several weeks now I have been monitoring this board as I am contemplating a career in podiatric medicine. I work in a hospital now as a volunteer running around moving patients, handing out magazines and shadowing MD/DO, RNs ect. Medicine is a tough career choice no matter what job one does. I have seen good docs and puffed up docs who are jerks.

On occasion and in the midst of the chaos that is the ER I stop and think how greatful I am that we all work together, the Docs, Nurses, PAs, Volunteers, Paramedics. It really is a team effort.
The bottom line is I have respect for those that do their job well no matter their job.

I've never understood how a person with any self respect could attack another's hard earned degree or specialty of healthcare. We all work together here for the sake of those we serve.

MDs can't do what podiatrists can do. They could try, but it would be unethical and outside of the scope of their practice to treat disorders of the foot. None of them would do this. Now I know some of you bashers will moan that an orthopedic surgeon can do more advanced stuff than a podiatrist. Sure okay, but an orthopedic still can't deliver the primary foot care, orthotics ect. of a good podiatrist, he's not trained to do so and a podiatrist is. Just the same the Podiatrist wouldn't attempt to treat systemic disease. A professional Podiatrist would refer. A professional MD would refer too.

I can only say to those who tout MD over Podiatry out there that MD ain't all it's cracked up to be.

Let me tell you something about life in the hospital as a physician from what I see everyday.

1)The hours are long and night work is more than often the case.

2) The patients didn't come to you seeking help the same way a podiatrist patient's come to him/her. A podiatric patient comes with a certain level of respect and understanding and ready to pay cash to a podiatrist. Most MDs get scraps from the HMOs. They also get to deal with indigents, senile elderly, crazy people ect.

3) A podiatrist can hang out a shingle and open an office, be a small business owner right after a residency. Most physicians just don't do this anymore.

4) A podiatrist can take time off to play golf, attend a son's graduation, go fishing, ect. Many an MD has to answer to a hospital administrator before he does this.

5) Corns, calluses, hammertoes, and bunions maybe aren't superglamourous stuff, but whatever guys, to someone in pain these are pretty darn important, feet are pretty important to your everyday quality of life. Imagine if you couldn't walk properly, play golf or pick up your kid cause your foot hurt?

For anyone to say that podiatry isn't important or cool enough is equavalent to telling someone with a painful bunion that their medical issue is just not important enough. That's wrong and if that's your attitude stay out of medicine entirely. The professionals that are Doctors of Podiatric Medicine are important in the eyes of their patients and MARK MY WORDS- that's the greatest validation of your work you'll ever get.

So in my humble opinion, be proud of helping people, be proud of your hard earned education in medicine, don't ever qualify your career choice for anyone, say right away that you are a podiatrist. Live your life, work hard at podiatry, make good money and give back to your patients and community.

I'm out.

-Tony