Match day 2024

[Robin-jay]

Cause its PMSR...
It's already terrible investment to do this and even worse when there's no shot in hell to get RRA if you don't go to an RRA program.

I don't fully understand what PMSR is (without RRA), and it's challenges for students in terms of certification.

I know it means the residency can only do forefoot, but does that mean that after residency, the podiatrists is actually not credentialed to do RRA? As in, they don't have a certification to legally do rearfoot or something?

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[Reverdin green]

I don't fully understand what PMSR is (without RRA), and it's challenges for students in terms of certification.

I know it means the residency can only do forefoot, but does that mean that after residency, the podiatrists is actually not credentialed to do RRA? As in, they don't have a certification to legally do rearfoot or something?

I asked same question and this is what I got based on the answers. PMSR means program is busy with several clinic and few cases so need help. With PMSR you will not be certified for rearfoot or ankle privileges ever after residency. In some states like Iowa, you can’t even do surgeries with just PMSR. PMSR programs need to be shut down and it is illegal. It’s only in NY you see crap like PMSR

 

[JustAPedicurist]

I asked same question and this is what I got based on the answers. PMSR means program is busy with several clinic and few cases so need help. With PMSR you will not be certified for rearfoot or ankle privileges ever after residency. In some states like Iowa, you can’t even do surgeries with just PMSR. PMSR programs need to be shut down and it is illegal. It’s only in NY you see crap like PMSR

Agreed not sure why PMSR programs are allowed to exist

 

[Feli]

Agreed not sure why PMSR programs are allowed to exist

It's done to avoid residency shortage... to make it look like there is a surplus.

...meanwhile, anyone with their eyes open knows at least half of the "RRA credential" programs don't have enough RRA cases either. Quite a few have barely enough... with creative logging... using soft tissue cases and limb salvage for much of the RRA req.

 

[footshazam]

Off topic question… what’s the best way to prepare for 3rd year… what resources do people really need to use… asking for my friend that’s entering 3rd year… I didn’t look at anything so I couldn’t really tell them what to do… plus I don’t think I had access to what my classmates had access to

 

[Robin-jay]

Off topic question… what’s the best way to prepare for 3rd year… what resources do people really need to use… asking for my friend that’s entering 3rd year… I didn’t look at anything so I couldn’t really tell them what to do… plus I don’t think I had access to what my classmates had access to

To be successful in 3rd year is to just have past resources for all the mini-exams we had during rotation, and then to also just exist at clinic. 3rd year is the time to ask any stupid question you want because after all, its your first year in clinic. I honestly think everything you learn in 3rd year clinic can be learned in your 1st month of externships passively.

 

[PTPuser]

Off topic question… what’s the best way to prepare for 3rd year… what resources do people really need to use… asking for my friend that’s entering 3rd year… I didn’t look at anything so I couldn’t really tell them what to do… plus I don’t think I had access to what my classmates had access to

I'm neurotic. I knew that I had to be better in order to land a decent residency, which thankfully I did, because of mediocre pre-clinical grades.

I made sure I read a lot, i.e. whatever topic we were learning during 2nd and third year in regards to surgery I read the corresponding chapter in Mann's.

It was alot at the time but I don't think it was overkill cause it set me up well for externship cause I had a strong foundation.

 

[TriiPod]

# of Programs Applied: 12

# of Programs Ranked: 5

# of Interviews Attended: 7 (3 of them just as a practice/show of respect)

Matched at my #2

 

[footshazam]

To be successful in 3rd year is to just have past resources for all the mini-exams we had during rotation, and then to also just exist at clinic. 3rd year is the time to ask any stupid question you want because after all, its your first year in clinic. I honestly think everything you learn in 3rd year clinic can be learned in your 1st month of externships passively.

Aren’t you a first year though?

 

[Robin-jay]

Aren’t you a first year though?

I was thinking 3rd year student, not resident.

 

[GroundGripper]

If this question pertains to being a 3rd year student, don't take it lightly. Go in and actively learn. You aren't on externship so its a great time to really hone in on skills you need to work on while being comfortable asking questions and messing up. Whether it be typing up notes, doing proper exams, being in the OR, take the time to learnt these things in yr 3 so you hit the ground running when you start externships. Most reasonable programs will understand when you're a brand new 4th year and elevate your skills but a lot of places won't have the time to teach you the basics that you should already have picked up during yr 3 clinicals. You gotta give them something to work with! Good luck to your friend!

 

[footshazam]

I was thinking 3rd year student, not resident.

Yeah I was asking for a 3rd year student but I was saying aren’t you a 1st year student lol?

 

[ThePodFather]

OPEN RESIDENCY POSITIONS - The American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (AACPM)

aacpm.org

22 PGY1 if I can count correctly. But much of them are the PMSR only or the notorious ones (wykoff ect)

That list is not completely accurate as Loyola is completely full and it’s some how showing it has 1 open slot.

 

[ThePodFather]

Quick question. Is it possible to transfer from PMSR residency to a PMSR/RRA program? Would the PMSR have to start all over as a PMSR/RRA PGY1?

 

[med2345]

That list is not completely accurate as Loyola is completely full and it’s some how showing it has 1 open slot.

It’s accurate as far as yesterday, literally. Loyola scrambles. Who knows. This comes from the programs directly.

As far as you PMSR transfer to PMSR/RRA go look on CPME website. There’s literally a whole section specifically discussing this if you just do some googling.

 

[Robin-jay]

Yeah I was asking for a 3rd year student but I was saying aren’t you a 1st year student lol?

I graduate podiatry school in a month homie...

 

[footshazam]

I graduate podiatry school in a month homie...

Oh dang ok my bad. congratulations!

 

[FutureToeBro]

# of Programs Applied: 9
# of interviews attended: 7
# Programs Ranked: 5

Matched

Matched my #1

 

[ResPod]

# of Programs Applied: 9

# of Interviews Attended: 7

# of Programs Ranked: 5

Matched.

Best of luck to those going into MPII. Seems like there are some really good programs on the list from what I see.

Matched #1.

Best advice I can give to those who will go through this process next year is to be normal. Obviously, know your stuff and be diligent. Oddly enough, a lot of students who go on externships just aren't normal and ruin their chances at programs despite being good applicants on paper. Being normal gets you ahead of most people. Personality is important as far as fit but it is character that matters most in my opinion. Residents and directors want people who they can at the very least work cordially with. But it's even better when they get residents who are actually normal, hard-working, teachable, and easy to work with.

If you're interested in a program, don't be afraid to go after it. Keep in contact but don't be overbearing and be sure to visit. Best of luck to all who will be in this position next year!

 

[Dr. Heart]

# of Programs Applied: 11

# of Interviews Attended: 11

# of Programs Ranked: 8

Matched!

Matched at my number 1 program! Pretty much knew it was going to happen but no matter how many assurances I got, it always felt like you never really know until you see it in writing

 

[TriiPod]

# of Programs Applied: 12

# of Programs Ranked: 5

# of Interviews Attended: 7 (3 of them just as a practice/show of respect)

Matched at my #2

Best advice to give to those going through the interview/ranking process in a year or so is to do your best to show interest to a program. Don't blindly trust a single program just because you gave 120% of your efforts to them. All programs play some type of game, some dirtier than others, some focus only on GPA rather than personality, so don't put all your eggs in one basket. Rank all the programs you see yourself in. It is a rank for a reason and you do not have to love every single aspect of the program, just think of pros and cons and which cons can be tolerated, and go from there. Also remember that some programs have certain requirements they need to check such GPA, how the candidate fits with the other residents, personality too. Some programs like their diversity and even though this is sad that they still value this more than proficiency, if you do not fit their requirement they may pick the next best candidate. So keep your options open, show interest and try to learn as much as you can out of every single program you extern/visit. You can message me if you need advice on study materials/preparations.

 

[I Drink Riesling]

"Congratulations to everyone who has matched! Good luck to those entering MPII. Here are my results:

# of Programs Applied: 7

# of Interviews Attended: 5

# of Programs Ranked: 5

Matched at my # ___. Will update next week!"

@I Drink Riesling

Matched at my #2!

 

[Dr. Heart]

My piece of advice for next year:

1) What to look for in a residency? I was looking for strong surgical training while also having some form of structured academics. With surgery I looked at number of cases, case diversity, attention to detail in each case, and efficiency in the OR. It was a red flag for me to see cases that should take 2 hours tops stretch out to 4 hours or more. Complications can happen so if it happened once in a blue moon, I let it go. If it happened pretty regularly I was immediately not interested.

2) Try to find information about programs before externing there: sometimes you are not a good cultural fit with residents even though your work ethic is solid. Never change who you are to try to mold yourself into what a program wants - it will look disingenuous. But if you realize this throughout your externship just make the most of the learning experience and move on. This happened to me at one program and even though the residents were decent and the director was fantastic, I just didn’t fit the culture they were cultivating. Still worked hard and gave my best effort and made the most of the experience.

3) “Don’t be weird” - this is something that’s been repeated throughout the process of applying to externships. What I realized is it’s also a two way street - you’ll work with some residents who you think are weird or something is off about them and that leaves a bad taste when you think about ranking that program. One of the significant factors I looked at was could I see myself working well with the uppers. I did not want to get stuck with an upper that I didn’t like or respect or did things I thought were questionable. Also a small red flag for me was when residents would vent to me about their co-residents / uppers. I get that stuff happens between them but an externing student should not be the person to vent to - it’s a bad look for the program.

4) I had one externship that I truly did not enjoy my time and felt it was a waste of a month. I hope someone has better advice than me bc I’m not sure how the best way to navigate this. I took a few days off here and there but you might be able to use that time to visit other programs in the area. I just toughed it out but in hindsight I wish I visited different programs where the learning experience would have been better. Not sure how many days off you could take without it impacting your grade but I would try to get as close to that number as possible.

5) I made it clear to my number 1 program (both the residents and the director) that I was making them my number one and was honest about it. They reciprocated their interest before, during, and after interviews. Still, the period of silence between interviews and match day is deafening. Make the most of that time, go to the gym, start running, do anything to take your mind off of it. No matter how many assurances I got there was always some doubt left in the back of my mind even though I was told it was a sure thing. Anything can happen in this process and my advice here is to tread carefully. Try to find out from upper classmates which programs led them on but ultimately they didn’t match there and try to find out why.

6) Just some general things I looked for and appreciated as a student: I liked big hospitals that were newer and building out. Really liked free food and programs that had access to the lounge with some form of free coffee somewhere. Pay attention to what practice setting the director works out of - that’s part of the allure in that you can learn how to
model your future way of practicing based on that.

For any future students, feel free to reach out anytime. There’s still a lot I’m probably leaving out but also feel free to disagree with any of this. This is just my perspective throughout the process and I am very happy with how everything ended up. As a student I looked through SDN frequently for insight and wanted to give something back to the community.

 

[PTPuser]

If you're going to be externing at "top" programs, make sure you're at the top of your game too.

Way too many people are sliding by and getting stellar grades because of question banks and past exam, looking good on paper but can't tell their ass from their elbow at all.

They invited you cause they think you have potential so show them that.

I'm a firm believer of mixing some reach programs and "mid-tier" sleeper places cause you just never know.

 

[Bored Snorlax]

If you're going to be externing at "top" programs, make sure you're at the top of your game too.

Way too many people are sliding by and getting stellar grades because of question banks and past exam, looking good on paper but can't tell their ass from their elbow at all.

They invited you cause they think you have potential so show them that.

I'm a firm believer of mixing some reach programs and "mid-tier" sleeper places cause you just never know.

I’d imagine it’d be easy identifying the competent people and weeding out the malpractice lawsuits?

IMO big programs have their rep on the line- can't have incompetency slipping through the cracks.

 

[I Drink Riesling]

I’d imagine it’d be easy identifying the competent people and weeding out the malpractice lawsuits?

Oh the stories I have to tell you…

 

[PTPuser]

I’d imagine it’d be easy identifying the competent people and weeding out the malpractice lawsuits?

IMO big programs have their rep on the line- can't have incompetency slipping through the cracks.

No.
I'm saying this more as a caution for the student not the program.

Programs that rely heavily on gpa will go off based on that because they don't know who's who.

But as a student, you need to bring that same energy and knowledge. If not, you're gonna be externing at top programs that expect you to run with them when you can barely stand because you cheated your way through pod school and slipped through.

And in that scenario, you have a high gpa student possibly scrambling.

Overall, you need to be honest with yourself. Not everyone is JPS, Swedish etc material.

You can't fill your list with all those places when you can't even tell gas on an x-ray cause that's just a slow motion train-wreck.

It's good to go to those places and learn but you have to think about yourself and your own capabilities. You need to have some low hanging programs that are within reach and some power house etc for learning or you need to visit places and get yourself out there.

 

[Bored Snorlax]

No.
I'm saying this more as a caution for the student not the program.

Programs that rely heavily on gpa will go off based on that because they don't know who's who.

But as a student, you need to bring that same energy and knowledge. If not, you're gonna be externing at top programs that expect you to run with them when you can barely stand because you cheated your way through pod school and slipped through.

And in that scenario, you have a high gpa student possibly scrambling.

Overall, you need to be honest with yourself. Not everyone is JPS, Swedish etc material.

You can't fill your list with all those places when you can't even tell gas on an x-ray cause that's just a slow motion train-wreck.

It's good to go to those places and learn but you have to think about yourself and your own capabilities. You need to have some low hanging programs that are within reach and some power house etc for learning or you need to visit places and get yourself out there.

Good point and thank you for the clarification. If people can’t deliver what they have on paper, then it increases their risk of scrambling. I haven’t thought about this before.

There's gotta be a better way to screen out these red flags and put the more competent students into the correct residencies. We have the APMLE Part 2, but everyone passes that exam and there's no numerical score like USMLE Part 2.

 

[Feli]

Good point and thank you for the clarification. If people can’t deliver what they have on paper, then it increases their risk of scrambling. I haven’t thought about this before.

There's gotta be a better way to screen out these red flags and put the more competent students into the correct residencies. We have the APMLE Part 2, but everyone passes that exam and there's no numerical score like USMLE Part 2.

You have to realize not every good student wants a top program. Many do not.
Some will pick just fair or good program near family, where spouse wants to work, etc.
It's not the best method ever, but quite a few go that route. "Correct residencies" is what the students desire.

The best strategy is generally to pick the most/all of the best programs in one's desired area, visit or interview some others, and rank accordingly. I don't think it's worth picking clerkships at easy-to-get (relative to your skill/gpa/knowledge) programs. Those programs will be there with just a visit or interview; I would not waste more than maybe one clerk month on those types of "backup" programs. For those ones, you'll be head and shoulders above their clerks and most of their other interviews... that's exactly why they are average programs.

...For example, if somebody wanted southeast for their pod residency, it'd be smart to clerk PI, Orlando, Westside, ... possible "backup" month or another pick among Wake or JFK or UF Jax or Palmetto or whatever else, based on preference. However, there is absolutely no point to do a whole month at the DVA programs in that region, Larkins, Jacksons, Aventura, etc... those will be there and available to all but the very worst students with a day visit, a good interview, or even in the scramble. It is that way in all regions: best programs get much/decent interest, and many others get virtually no interest. The lesser programs also don't offer as much in terms of learning and prep for other rotations or boards.

It's critical to realize that podiatry has huuuuge diversity among quality levels of its residencies. We have many turd burgers of "accredited RRA" residences, unfortunately. Good vs avg/poor programs are the difference between quad or single/double scrub and 0 or 1 or 2 good attendings vs a dozen or more solid teachers/mentors. This is critical for passing real boards (ABFAS) and getting a solid skill set. Podiatry 3yr program is NOT roughly equal to another podiatry 3yr program... as it is in MD world.

 

[FutureToeBro]

1) Has anyone successfully transferred before the start date?
2) I haven't received a contract yet from my program, when is everyone else's?

Not sure about the first question.. but I’ve already been contacted with contracts and checklists with tasks to complete.

 

[ResPod]

1) Has anyone successfully transferred before the start date?
2) I haven't received a contract yet from my program, when is everyone else's?

Also not sure about the first question but I’ve received my contract and have started the onboarding process for my program.

 

[iridocyclitiss]

1) Has anyone successfully transferred before the start date?
2) I haven't received a contract yet from my program, when is everyone else's?

i heard of a classmate who was able to transfer... that being said the program has to also agree to let you loose which they have no obligation to.

also looking at the list of programs i don't know if you're gonna get anything good.

best of luck.