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Eastern University Biology
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PRE-PODIATRIC MEDICINE

Coursework
To pursue a pre-podiatric medicine program, you must start planning early by setting out the right course of action geared toward your career goals.  Podiatry schools do not require that you choose a specific undergraduate major.  Therefore, no matter which major you choose, you need to take the following courses (most by the end of the junior year or earlier) to prepare yourself for admission:

Courses (all with labs except for English) Credit hours
Biology 8-12
Chemistry (General or Inorganic) 8
Organic Chemistry 8
Physics (note that Calculus I is a prerequisite) 8
English (writing and literature)
 6-8

Be sure to investigate those schools you are interested in to ensure that you will satisfy all of their prerequisites because some of them are different!

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WHO ARE PODIATRISTS?

“Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) strive to improve the overall health of their patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the foot and ankle. They treat a variety of conditions and employ innovative treatments to improve the well-being of their patients” (from http://www.aacpm.org/default.asp).

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APPLYING TO PODIATRY SCHOOL

Information on eight colleges of podiatric medicine can be found at: http://www.aacpm.org/html/collegelinks/cl_schools.asp
AACPMAS (American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine Application Service) -- Admission Procedures (taken directly from http://www.aacpm.org/html/careerzone/require.asp)

  • AACPMAS begins processing admission applications September 1st each year, for FALL Admission the following year. Deadline Dates are as follows: For priority consideration April 1st of each year for the upcoming FALL admission. The FINAL APPLICATION DEADLINE DATE is July 31st of each year for FALL admission of the same year.
  • Other admission requirements include letters of recommendation, transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended/attending, which are to be sent DIRECTLY to the colleges, as well as personal interviews.  
  • Potential podiatric medical students may be evaluated on the basis of their grade point average (GPA), performance on the MCAT (or the GRE or DAT for some schools), extra curricular and community activities, personal interview, professional potential, etc. Admission criteria may vary slightly by institution; therefore, contact the college(s) of your choice to obtain a copy of its catalog for specific requirements. Undergraduates with liberal arts backgrounds, as well as those with science majors, are encouraged to apply.
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VOLUNTEER AND PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Besides grades and standardized tests, research opportunities and volunteer experience with patients add dimension to your application.  It is essential to shadow a podiatrist/volunteer to gain some real exposure to the field of podiatric medicine.  Students are encouraged to shadow podiatrists in different practice settings (i.e. solo private practice, group, academic, etc.) to explore options.  These experiences are extremely important.

The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine provides a list of mentors for different states who can provide support and a perspective on the field.  Here is the link for Pennsylvania:  http://www.aacpm.org/contactpod/search.asp?state=pa
Summer or Winter Internship Program at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine  (taken directly from http://podiatry.temple.edu/pages/prostdnts/ps.html)

Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine invites you to apply for its free, four-day winter internship program (WIP) or eight-day summer internship program (SIP) which takes place each year in January and June. Interns will attend workshops and seminars on podiatric medicine, as well as shadow and work with podiatric physicians in hospital, private practice, and outpatient clinic settings. A TUSPM student doctor will also work with interns on a case presentation. Topics include: gross anatomy of the foot and ankle; introduction to podiatric medicine; biomechanics and pathomechanics of the foot and ankle; foot screening and evaluation; diabetes; sports injuries; geriatric conditions; pediatrics; and wound healing. Interested students can find an application and the requirements at http://www.temple.edu/podiatry.

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OTHER IMPORTANT WEBSITES

Project MedSend
Project MedSend offers grants to repay student loans owed by healthcare professionals while they serve as medical missionaries in medically underserved areas of the world. Grant Applicants must (1) be under the authority of a collaborating sending agency (an "Associate"); (2) be within 18 months of leaving for career medical missions service; (3) show fiscal responsibility and stewardship maturity; (4) be in the process of paying off their student loans as soon as earning begins (internship, residency, practice). For additional requirements, contact http://www.medsend.org/.

American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
http://www.aacpm.org/

American Podiatric Association
http://www.apma.org/

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