Step 1: Become Active

From the moment you start your time as a podiatric medical student, one of the most pressing questions you probably ask yourself is “How do I gain a residency spot with a top-notch program?”

ACFAS wants to make this process less stressful for you by providing guidelines to follow throughout your four years as a student that will help you:

• Establish Yourself in a Program you are Comfortable in;
• Get Acceptance by a Program that you can be Proud of; and
• Find the Path that Gives you the Biggest Boost to the Next Step in your Career- as a Practicing Foot and Ankle Surgeon.

The College also believes strongly in the continuation of the educational process by completion of a specialized Fellowship after residency. 

Students Years 1-2:  Become Active in Podiatry

Things to Do to Prepare Yourself for Residency
During the first two years of podiatric medical school it can be easy to become “lost” in the didactic basic science courses. It is important to keep in touch with the podiatric side of your training as much as possible during this time. One of the easiest ways to do this is to get involved and find mentors, both among the faculty and upperclassmen. Although you may feel like you are in a unique situation, it is almost certain that someone else has been through similar circumstances. Take advantage of their experience.

You should also attempt to start gaining clinical experience during your first and second years. Although your formal clinical training probably won’t begin until the third year, there is nothing stopping you from heading down to the school’s clinic, shadowing a local podiatrist or visiting a nearby residency program. You will quickly find that the majority of your learning will come from direct patient encounters, and not from any class or textbook. The overall goal of your four years should be to learn as much as possible, from as many patients as possible, so that you are better able and more prepared to help the next patient you encounter. This is best accomplished by getting an early start.