12/17/2024    

RESPONSES/COMMENTS (PODIATRIC EDUCATION) -PART 1B

RE: Long-Term Improvements in Podiatric Medical Education Needed (Bret M. Ribotsky, DPM)

From: Allen M. Jacobs, DPM

 

No, Dr. Ribotsky, the answer is not money. Real money is made in business, not the "business of medicine". People go into podiatry because they wish to impact lives in a positive manner. They go into podiatry because they wish to do surgery. They choose podiatry because it brings respect. They choose podiatry because they have an interest in science. They may choose podiatry as an alternative to other healthcare professions for a variety of reasons. Guaranteeing $400,000 or more annual income is not the reason to enter medicine. Many, if not most, podiatrists (according to surveys, including PM News) do not earn $400,000 a year.

 

The “complaints” regarding the practice of podiatry are generally no different from the “complaints” of our medical colleagues. Yes, money is important. And having money is nice. However, as Sir William Osler so well noted, that while you entered this profession to earn a living, generating money must always be a secondary concern. This may be difficult in today’s world, but ethically medicine is still a calling and not a business first profession.

 

Allen M. Jacobs, DPM, St. Louis, MO

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