Joseph Baker

by Joseph Baker

For many students looking for a career in healthcare, allopathic medical school is the only option that they have considered. While information exists on podiatry as a professional career choice, it can be missed behind the stacks of information on allopathic and osteopathic medicine.

Podiatry school, or podiatric medical school, is very similar to its allopathic and osteopathic medical school counterparts, with some key differences.  The biggest difference is the degree earned.  A graduate of podiatric medical school receives a doctoral degree of podiatric medicine, or a DPM.  This degree certifies the graduate to be a complete and specialized physician of the foot and ankle.

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by Laura Turner
SDN Staff Writer

Based on a series of polls conducted by the Student Doctor Network, students generally understand the current salaries they can expect to receive as a health professional.

The polls asked SDN users to select the salary range for an occupation “without Googling” to find the correct answer.  The results of the polls are available in the SDN poll archive.

Students were most likely to select the salary range into which the actual mean annual wage falls for all occupations except Dentists and Optometrists.  Actual wages used for comparison were determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and are accurate as of May 2007. Read the full story

by Sarah M. Lawrence
SDN Staff Writer

Lee C. Rogers, DPM is the director of the Amputation Prevention Center at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, IA. Dr. Rogers graduated from podiatric medical school at Des Moines University and completed a residency in foot surgery at Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn/Queens in New York City.

He completed a fellowship in diabetic limb salvage and research at Scholl’s Center for Lower Extremity Ambulatory Research (CLEAR) in Chicago, IL. Dr. Rogers has approximately 50 publications, in press or in print, including scientific articles, book chapters, and editorials concentrating on the treatment and prevention of foot complications in diabetes. Read the full story

By American Podiatric Medical Association
SDN Partner Organization

Dr. John Codwell III, a Detroit native, always wanted to be a doctor but didn’t know what kind of doctor he wanted to be. While earning a B.A. at the University of Michigan, Codwell met a podiatrist whose practice focused on sports medicine and who worked with the university’s basketball team. Having been an athlete himself for most of his life, playing football even into his college days, he understood the importance of good foot and ankle care for an athlete.

After graduation, Codwell attended Texas Southern University in Houston for post-graduate work in biology. While there he met a fellow classmate who was planning on attending podiatric medical school. “Podiatry grabbed me in two ways — with the ability to pursue sports medicine and with the uniqueness of the field,” stated Dr. Codwell. “You can do so many different subspecialties in one specialty… that’s what made me gravitate towards podiatric medicine.” Read the full story

Dr. Jane Andersen is a podiatric physician and surgeon practicing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She and her husband share a private practice where they treat a wide variety of patients, including athletes, children, adults and the elderly.

Dr. Andersen is board certified in foot surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery, serves on the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Public Education and Information Committee, and is on the executive board of the American Association for Women Podiatrists.

After receiving her undergraduate degree in biology from Indiana University, Dr. Andersen obtained her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree from the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco, California, and completed residency programs at Stanford University Medical Center and at DVAMC Palo Alto. In addition to these professional accomplishments, Dr. Andersen is also the mother of two young daughters. Read the full story

Most of us grow up emulating sports figures or great athletes like Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, or Peyton Manning. But once we put aside our aspirations to be just “like Mike,” we realize that pursuing a career in sports medicine is one great way to combine a love of sports with a career in medicine.

In podiatric medicine, a number of avenues are available to doctors to pursue both the love of sports and a degree in medicine. Many podiatrists, who practice sports medicine, for example, were once athletes, so they are familiar with the devastating effect an injury can have on an athlete.  Many sports medicine podiatrists are also involved with teams on all levels, from high school teams to professional organizations.  Read the full story

By SDN Staff

Crystal Holmes, DPM is a podiatric physician practicing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She graduated from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in 2002, and already her professional career and media resume have taken flight.

Currently, she is a clinical instructor at the University of Michigan Medical School, serving in the Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes Division. Dr. Holmes earned her undergraduate degree at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Describe a typical day at work
Every day for me is different, and that is what I like the most about what I do. There really is no “typical” day. Some days I’m at the V.A. Hospital, and others I’m at the University of Michigan Hospital in my clinic. Most of my patients have diabetes. However, I see patients of all ages with a wide spectrum of pathology. That is why I think my job is so much fun.

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