06/26/2025    James DiResta, DPM, MPH

Other Non-MD, Non-DO Doctor Healthcare Providers (Rod Tomczak, DPM, MD, EdD)

While I don't disagree with the need for podiatry
to visit more colleges to gain more exposure to
potential applicants, I am more concerned about
the watering down of our applicants' strength to
schools of podiatric medicine. The problem as we
have stated over and over is how can we possibly
get enough qualified students is this diminishing
pool. Schools of osteopathic medicine are growing
exponentially? For example, have you ever heard of
Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine? It has 2
schools in Tennessee now and a third opening in
Florida in 2026. Did you know MSU has 3 campuses
now of osteopathic medical students. How about
Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine in
Maryland? How about The Edward Via College of
Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) now in 4 campuses!

There are 43 osteopathic schools listed but in
reality there are presently 69 campuses and many
more coming. The mean MCAT of all their schools
for 2024 is 502.43 and falling. Several of the
schools are below 500. The mean score at one
school is 497. Unlike AACPM, AACOM is quite
transparent in revealing the data if you are
willing to search for it. A score of 497 puts you
at the 39%percentile and considering half the
class score less than that how the heck is
podiatry going to get enough matriculants to our
schools of limited licensure when you can get an
unrestricted medical license by attending a school
of osteopathic medicine.

I cannot believe that our leadership didn't see
this day coming. BUT no time to place blame. Our
leadership must try to pave a path forward. Listen
to Rod Tomczak, we need to make a deal with
osteopathic medicine to get our students a DO
degree with or without the DPM and to establish a
specialty residency of podiatric medicine and
surgery under their wings. Applicants need an
unrestricted license if we want to stay the 4-4-3
route.

The other alternative is to either keep reasonable
standards for applicants and watch our profession
evaporate or throw all we have accomplished away
and go backwards to a profession of glorified
chiropodists. Drop the MCAT requirements, lessen
prerequisites to 2 years of college and make the
schools of podiatry three years in length. Forget
you ever had parity. The podiatry profession needs
to wake up!

James DiResta, DPM, MPH, Newburyport, MA

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