| I know the podo-propaganda machine will still win some of you over despite the severe storm warnings, so... |
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| Remember one thing, YOU are in the driver's seat. Enrollments are down at even the most competitive podiatry schools (I wish I could take all the credit) and they really want to fill their classes. Check your interview against this "Truly Honest" Podiatry Interview One Act Play to see how close your school interviewer came to accurate representation. | ||
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| School: | Well, (Fill in your name here) you seem like a great candidate for (Fill in school name here) podiatry school. Are there any questions you have about the school or podiatry? | |
| You: | Well, yes. Is it true that reimbursements for podiatrists have been steadily declining over the last 10 years and that along with it, the starting salaries and available positions have also declined. I mean is this a good career move for me? | |
| School: | We're not going to lie to you. (Editor's note: "Yeah, RIGHT!) There have been changes in the healthcare industry which have affected all branches of medicine. But podiatry is a great field, and with the aging population, the Baby Boomers getting older, there will be plenty of need for podiatrists. | |
| You: | Yes, but if health insurance companies don't want to pay for aged Baby Boomers, where is the money going to come from? Social Security will have the government in the red by then, as it is they are constantly cutting Medicare, and CERTAINLY you don't expect the Baby Boomers to pay themselves. They are, by definition, the most self-indulgent, spoiled generation in our nation's history. Very few doctors retire every year, and the schools are pumping out 85-100 students per graduating class, let's see, times seven schools, I mean, where is the opportunity? | |
| School: | Yes, umm, have you spoken to any podiatrists out there? Some of them are doing really well. The average income for a podiatrist is $110,000. | |
| You: | Wait a minute...$110,000 after you have been in practice an average of 10 years — that is where that statistic comes from. Do you have any statistics on starting salaries. Did you survey all the people that came out of residency last year? Or the last five years? Where did they all go? What are they making now? Has anyone surveyed those people, because that is what will help me make up my mind. | |
| School: | (Frustrated, eyes rolling) Maybe you could check with the American Podiatric Medical Association. They compile that kind of information. | |
| You: | Oh, so you don't really KNOW about the future of the profession, you just encourage people to go to school, go in debt, and devote their lives to this based on old statistics and scant possibility? | |
| School: | Here's the APMA's number right here. | |
| You: | Will the APMA really help me? I mean, I realize they are SUPPOSED to be the unifying force in the profession, but they seem to go out of their way to divide people. | |
| School: | What do you mean? | |
| You: | Well I read that they have those podiatry conferences where they charge APMA members $300 and nonmembers $1200. Seems to me that if an organization actually works for the benefit of ALL podiatrists, they should not have such disparity. They seem like just another divisive, elitist professional society with a more official name. | |
| School: | (Puts head in hands) Interesting take... | |
| You: | Besides they spent all that money and time to publish a survey that detailed how 96% of the podiatrists surveyed recommend sneakers to their patients, and another 3% casual shoes. Seems kind of obvious to me. What does that last one percent recommend, foot binding and walking in stiletto heels? | |
| School: | Have I mentioned our well respected faculty and our affiliation with a well known city medical school? | |
| You: | Yes, but you know...as they say, those who can, DO, and those who can't, TEACH. As far as the hospital affiliation is concerned, isn't that just a financial maneuver which further serves to illustrate the impending crisis and the fact that you can't raise enough money to run your school with tuition, a clinic, alumni contributions, and other gifts? I mean, what if times get hard? Is that hospital system still going to support the podiatry school? How can you be sure? I thought you belonged to that medical school years ago and then you split away? |
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| School: | (Exasperated) Anything else? | |
| You: | Can you show me a graph of the number of residency positions each year for the last 10 or 15 years? I mean in a way, your job as a school is to prepare me and help me obtain a residency position just like college counselors place people looking for jobs. I figured this would be easy to pull up. My concern is that with the shrinking healthcare dollars a large number of positions can't be supported like before. What do you think? | |
| School: | (More exasperated) I think...that we are running out of time... | |
| You: | Oh, and I didn't get to ask about financial aid. | |
| School: | We have a financial officer that will be willing to take your nonrefundable $500...I mean willing to talk with you about that. | |
| You: | Great. Thanks. Oh, and is it also true that some states have licensing laws so restrictive that there have been legal cases brought against the state boards to allow entry? I mean what kind of profession is that? Sounds kind of nasty. Hey you look kind of sick. | |
| School: | (Mondo exasperated) If I pay for your lunch will you leave now?
(Curtain Falls...with the class size) |
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