Podiatry Arena members do not see these ads

I have a podiatry degree, I have a 2:2, which is not fantastic, but pretty good, I worked for 11 years in blighty before moving to the texas a few years ago.

I obviously cannot use my degree for podiatry over here, but I thought it would count for SOMETHING!, boy was I wrong.

I got a credential evaluation from WES (do not use them they are slow, rude and incompetent), and my evaluation came back as "3 years of professional study", it is not even considered a bachelors degree, not even considered an associates degree (2 year degree over here, similar to a HND).

I asked them to look again at my degree, seeing as it is full time, and I have honors (2nd class but still honors), this was their reply.

"as stated in our report, we consider degree in podiatry awarded by universities in UK and India equivalent to professional study in the united states.
because of the nature of the program, professional study, including clinical training, we do not consider it a bachelors degree"


so there, that is what we are worth over here - zero

Tweet

Share

Yes, it's a shame the is no degree of reciprocity between the international podiatry groups. If a US DPM wishes to work in the UK, they too will have to sit our UK BSc Podiatry degrees - and if they want to do surgery, they will have to go through our surgery system - 6-8 years on top of the undergrad!

Yeah, well i agree thats the USA for you - seems quite petty to me!! I wouldnt work there in a million yrs!

Hi All,

Well who wants to work in America anyway! They have terrible weather. Terrible Health problems and besides their holiday beaches are covered in oil because they drilled out of their depth in the sea. Besides that who needs a degree to cut old ladies toe nails!

Well at least my degree permits me to bury them if their toe drops off!

Regards,

Colin.

PS. The Sun is shining. The birds are singing when I put my hearing aids in and I have my teeth for toast on my marmalade and butter!

There remains a simple truth, namely that in the U.S.A., podiatry training equips the graduate to practice with a wider scope of professional service provision for their patients. I have often wondered about the availability here (U.K. and Ireland) of X-Ray examination in the surgery, rather than having to refer the patient to their G.P.(Family Doctor) for referral on to a hospital Radiology Department, subject of course to appropriate training and approval of equipment as being suitable to purpose. Also, the rather opaque area of prescribing medication for foot conditions - I've never come across a case of Lamisil (terbinafine) as a drug of abuse - has anybody? I think the problem rests more with the disparity between the training anomolies which still persist and the wide variation in individual competence to provide a full professional service. Fix this and things would be much improved.

Re the above reference to Lamisil (terbinafine)- I mean the 1% Cream for topical application, not the 250mg tablet for oral administration. In Ireland, a doctor's prescription is required for 15mg and 30mg of the cream, while 7.5mg tubes of the cream are available over the counter from the pharmacy.

Hi C.W.Kerans,

To lift the prospects and skills of podiatry in England one must first examine the market demand of patients seeking medical help for their feet.

The Podiatrists are not usually at the same level and rank as the Orthopaedic Surgeon for a start are they?

In the main those of the Society of Podiatry live in rare air governed by what their NHS. employers want rather than what the public, the patient wants in the main for their feet!

I wonder whether you or some other senior Podiatrist here would venture to define just what a podiatrist does for a living in the NHS. these days!

As a Chiropodist in the private sector I can spend a lot of time on,

1. Cutting old ladies toe nails.

2. Removing/curing corns and callus.

3. Frightening to death the occasional verruca in passing.

Detecting the occasional skin cancer/new diabetic and thyroid troubles/illness, all Three or more need the attention first from their family doctors after I have detected them!

So where is this lucrative market of patients eager to give us their money and for what?

Regards,

Colin.

PS. What in fact does a podiatrist in England do that warrants a degree and place in a monster like the NHS. The NHS. which appears to be full of pen pushers and managers. The new Government appears to be about to ah-so some of it for starters as economy cuts.

We need more general nurses and doctors to run our NHS. and private sector not academics with degrees which do not answer the patients needs perhaps nor know how to empty a bed pan but that is just a little aside from where this Thread was intended to go I suspect?

I can't wait for the Americans to wake up and read some of these posts

__________________
“Body: A thing of shreds and patches, borrowed unequally from good and bad ancestors and a misfit from the start”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Afternoon Peter,

Location: Co Durham and shows a picture of the Sunderland colours! What tablets are you on?

Regards,

Colin.

Look again, and see the Stoke City badge on the shirt of Denis Smith. you must be off the drugs!

__________________
“Body: A thing of shreds and patches, borrowed unequally from good and bad ancestors and a misfit from the start”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

You guys are all right. Why would anyone want to be a podiatrist in the US? I mean we prescribe our own drugs, perform our own x-rays, do every type of foot and ankle surgery that one can imagine, take emergency room call, work in multi-specialty medical groups, give injections daily, and are respected members of the greater medical community. And here in Sacramento, the weather is sunny most of the time, we can drive to Yosemite National Park in 3 hours, go skiing at one of the many fabulous Lake Tahoe ski resorts with a 2 hour drive, can be in San Francisco in 2 hours and we have Arnold the Terminator as our governor. Trust me, you wouldn't want to live here.

My advice?? Stay home!!!

__________________
Sincerely,

Kevin

**************************************************
Kevin A. Kirby, DPM
Adjunct Associate Professor
Department of Applied Biomechanics
California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt College

e-mail: kevinakirby@comcast.net

Private Practice:
107 Scripps Drive, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95825 USA
My location

Voice: (916) 925-8111 Fax: (916) 925-8136
**************************************************

I agree!

__________________
Graham Curryer

None of us know what we are doing, but some of us know more about what we are not doing than others!::

All these comments are both annoying and boring. The truth is there is a great deal of disparity within the profession of podiatry...I am working in Canada with a UK degree and can understand why the U.S. podiatrists 'look down' at our qualification.
While I have been here (2 years) I have been shocked by how much I knew, how much I should have known (if I'd have studied properly), and how much more there is!
However, we are in this situation, and my opinion is that we should use the education that we have and continue to improve. Toe-nail cutting is the activity, whichever professional is doing it, but the scope of podiatry is far greater. CPD, or further education/learning new skills is mandatory and available to all of us.
Finally, I do agree, will there ever be a coherent decription of our profession? Or does it matter?

Too true.

The fact is that the UK degree, whilst a good basis for higher study, is overkill for basic palliative care, and not anywhere near enough to achieve parity with medicine (for example).

We have a huge problem in the UK with fragmentation of the foot health industry.
Seems we have the same problem world-wide.
................ divided we fall.....

Dr. Kirby,

The narrow-mindedness of some of my colleagues, as evinced by SOME of the views expressed here; is not representative of the opinion of the majority of Pods in this country.

Personally, I would have donated my left testicle for the standard of Podiatry education that is available in the U.S.

Sacramento? Trust me, I would like to live there.

Regards,

Nick Curry.

To whom?? Is there still a market for human sweetbreads in Birmingham, Nick? I've heard of some strange dishes in Ladypool Road, but haven't seen this on any menus...... Jalfreizi or Vindaloo?

__________________
www.mark-russell.net

"citing an indisposition due to special circumstances"

My location

Sounds like a case of sour grapes. The reality is that the level / standard of podiatric education, training & practice is widely variable throughout the world and in some cases even between different states / territories within a country. Like anywhere else, you submit you academic qualifications & experience which is then compared against the standard for that particular country / state / territory. In this case they have assessed that your qualifications / experience are well below the standard of a DPM. Perhaps instead of denigrating the American system / standard you should perhaps look at the country in which you recieved your qalification and experience and ask why is it that your qualifications and experience are regarded so low in comparison. You might be surprised at the answer you get.

Regards
David Kelly
Australia

Hi All
Following this thread with interest.
Yes the standard of pod education should be high but why on a par with Medics ?
I sometimes wonder if the drive for ever higher academic qualifications benefits the profession's perceived status but not necessarily the patients.
Many patients simply require a high standard of basic podiatry and, in my experience this seems all too often not provided. Maybe some pods feel that routine, everyday foot care isn't glamorous enough.
I see a lot of patients with biomechanical problems and prescribe orthoses but I derive enormous satisfaction from providing as high a standard of basic podiatry care as I can to patients. I have no desire to become a foot surgeon or mini- doctor.
The American pods have a more medicalised training than UK pods but maybe good basic care is forgotten there too.
A two tier system is possibly better with foot care practitioners providing quality, routine care and referring the more complicated work to the podiatrists.
BTW- I have a patient who visits regularly from the USA and comes to see me for treatment.
He says my podiatry treatment is far better than my American counterpart, his feet are comfortable for longer and I am much cheaper !

Regards
Deborah

I think that's the problem, they already know the answer they're going to get and they just don't like it!

Hi all

This thread reads to me of a USA vs rest-of-world pod education tussle. Every pod outside of the US is envious as to how far in fact podiatry can go.

The true disparity exists not in their training and ability but in the rest-of-the-worlds lack of further advancement (or barriers to entry) and as Kevin says so succintly "prescribe our own drugs, perform our own x-rays, do every type of foot and ankle surgery that one can imagine, take emergency room call, work in multi-specialty medical groups, give injections daily and are respected members of the greater medical community."

What constantly surprises me is that when reading through the threads posted here, users and commentators (from every corner of the globe) more-or-less keep up with each other regarding current podiatric trends.

For things to change, in the UK, Oz or here in SA and in every other country, there needs to exist a conserted effort for change. The truest disparity exists amongst each other.

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got". Dr Phil.

Oh and just to stir, SA Pods can prescribe a limited number of drugs, refer directly to radiology for xray's and ultrasounds (not MRIs), cannot take ER work, can work in multi-disciplinary practices, give injections daily, and are not as respected within the greater medical community as we deserve to be - Cape Town is a awesome place to live. Outside my office window, I look upon Table Mountain.

You are all welcome. You may have to sit our exams though, but you are still welcome!

Regards

Brandon

Hmmm...well I work in the UK and in the dreaded NHS!! I wish we had the money to give the treatments that you describe in the US. I feel that since being in the NHS i have been de-skilled somewhat due to the lack of funding and permission I have to seek if I want to do something alittle more challenging or away from the norm. I wanted to move over to the US to follow my partner as he is going to be doing his PhD there but I wont have qualifications to find work! Plus by the time I have done the conversion he will more than likely to finished and returning home!!! I wanted to go into surgery after I got my degree and had some experience under my belt but I have just some to realise I am missing some vital male organ to be accepted it seems, a mans' world it is here....think i might just have to try harder and show them I mean busy and what to do more than 'cut old ladies toes nails' as some so nicely put it, or as my partner calls it my 'foot butchering'!!!

Regards,

A very bored Natalie!

Hi Natalie,

Yes I am afraid when Academia and or pen pushers get hold of a monopoly like the NHS. there is a distinct possibility that initiative and something of the like will be strangled at birth.

But not to worry Mr. Cameron says he can not afford them so you never know a foot butcher who actually knows what he/she is doing will get to actually doing it!

And glad to hear you say you are a Natalie, when you mentioned partner you had me worried there!

Yours,

Colin.

Hi,

Does anyone know if there's an overview (a document or website) where the demands of the podiatrists training per country is available (the knowledge and skills they are trained for)?
If so please let me know.

Kind regards,

Maureen

contact F.I.P they might have something

__________________
Mike Weber.



Crazy Mary

Hi Michael,

I've been on there website several times, because that's the place I expected this kind of information. But I couldn't find anything. Maybe you're right and I just need to contact them.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Maureen

[quote=C Bain;157330]Hi All,

Well who wants to work in America anyway! They have terrible weather. Terrible Health problems and besides their holiday beaches are covered in oil because they drilled out of their depth in the sea.

BP (British Petroleum) Actually drilled out of their depth. The CEO still gets his 1000000 for resigning and 500000/ year for the rest of his life.

US Pods have the quals but they also have more responibilities, and more STRESS

so I am happy the way things are, also Id love to have Arnie as "Govenator".

Be Happy

Joe

It offical who would want to work in the US as a pod!! I reckon though that in a few years the way of thinking will change and we will also be able to work there. It has long been known that America likes to be different and makes it hard for any foreign alliens to emigrate!!