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Would you do it all again?

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by anthony watson, Mar 11, 2014.

  1. anthony watson

    anthony watson Active Member


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    hi
    As beginning to think of retirement was wondering would I have done podiatry again.

    It has had many ups and downs but for me yes I would do it all again but would have liked to been a podiatric surgeon.

    Think I always had a fear of the biomec/msk darkside! so may have tried to learn more in that area.

    No been a blast and good fun(most of the time!!)

    what has it been like for you guys? and what would you change?

    Ta
    Anthony
     
  2. Podess

    Podess Active Member

    Chiropody/Podiatry has always made me a good living, so I can't complain. The best part about it is the flexibility you have in self-employment.

    I can't really think of anything else I would rather do.

    Florestry and owning a gift shop do appeal but the work can be very seasonal.
     
  3. Rob Kidd

    Rob Kidd Well-Known Member

    I entered the podiatric world as a student in 1972, largely as a lack of somewhere else to go. While I enjoyed the first two years of my three years diploma programme, I slowly came to realise in my final year that I had chosen the wrong vocation. After a very short time in practice, I went back to school, taught podiatry, became other things, and the rest, as they say, is history, my history. BE quite clear, that does not make my career better than yours, it just makes it mine. What I can say is that, podiatry as a precursor to other things (Geology (Hons)), Anatomy (PhD) was a seriously good baseline; it was a first class starting point for further development. It seems to me, that the greatest problem that many podiatrists have is one of self esteem, or rather, a lack or it. Yet my colleague/friend Cam Kippen did some work on this years ago and found that while pods in general perceived themselves to be "down the food chain", their punters did not. Conversely, while lawyers perceived themselves to be up the food chain, their punters do not. Ask yourselves: when a patient comes into your surgery, nearly crying from the pain of a plantar corn (EG); you do the business; they leave in a pain free state; HOW GOOD is that? So: why the poor self esteem? I do hope that I have not been patronising here - I have not intended to. My advice is - do what you are good at, and be proud of it. Rob
     
  4. blinda

    blinda MVP

    That is my reply, virtually word for word, when I am asked "So, what made you choose this as a career?"

    Cheers, :drinks
    Bel
     
  5. akn102

    akn102 Active Member

    I can honestly say I would do it all again and wouldn't change my life as it is at the moment.

    I'm in private practice doing doms, I keep the type of work I do simple, aiming for quality in what I do rather than getting involved in the complex stuff, I know my limitations and happily refer on to others regularly. I enjoy what I do and love doing doms, some of my clients I've been visiting for over 10 years now - more like visiting friends than clients with some of them. I think its a very fortunate way to spend your life - I don't strive for a lot of money so live frugally on my part time income. When I'm driving between clients I'm driving across beautiful English countryside too!

    Very happy :) although of course I do have my little ups and downs with work just like everyone!
     
  6. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    I went into Chiropody School as a callow 18 year-old in 1968.
    If you'd asked me then what I would rather be - hippy or chiropodist I would have said, with no hesitation whatsover, hippy.
    Lucky for me my parents were smarter than me. They made me cut my hair and everything:D.
    By the end of First Year I knew it was for me.

    Ive loved the work, the excitement of the general inception of LA and nail surgery in the UK (if you weren't there you have no idea of how big a deal this was at the time), the Podiatry Association (and realising that surgery was not for me), the academic work, and the field I'm in now - medicolegal.

    Would I do it all again?
    In a heartbeat!
     
  7. Rob Kidd

    Rob Kidd Well-Known Member

    Its odd that you talk about LA in the UK (A poet who has not found out yet???). While you have a few years on me, I was also there. I could not, and never to this day understand why LA was not a part of the undergraduate course for several years after its legality. I seem to think that it became a part od scope of practice in 1972-3. Yet in 1975, we have to take a post grad course in LA - Why. old timers like PJR made noises along the lines of "we see no reason to incorporate it at this time" Why, or rather, why not?

    I was there with the Pod association, but for many reasons did not seem to fit - maybe like you, I have no interest in being a surgeon. I went to the podiatry module in Southampton in 1977 (Ros was pregnant at the time). I listened at length about foot types and how they compensated. I wonder if that is where my hate-relationship with the so-called forefoot varus started? Those were heady times, David!
     
  8. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    John England produced a "White Paper" for the Society in 1968 or thereabouts, in which he said that he saw no reason for a "properly trained" chiropodist to have to use local anaesthetic. PJR was just parrotting that back. I rather suspect that podiatric surgery as practiced in the USA was even then perceived as a threat to some vested interests, and words were spoken behind closed doors.

    The Schools should have been teaching LA at undergrad level, certainly from 1974. Durham didin't start teaching it until around 76, and even then 1% solution was all that was allowed.

    I think it's fair to say that the PA had it's fair share of BS - although I bought into forefoot varus completely! For about a year, until the penny dropped that all my patients seemed to have a biomechanical problem, even the ones who only came in because of verrucae:D.

    Heady days indeed.

    LA in the UK:D.
     
  9. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member

    Ah the joys of nostalgia! I well remember PJR and his statement that "with a sharp eye and a good scalpel, L.A. is totally unnecessary". Or hang on, do I remember well; it might have been the other way round. I remember also David Hayward (Head of Birmingham) more rationally stating that " we don't see conditions that would necessitate L.A." A circular argument indeed; we didn't because we didn't have it! In fairness, David later became the first of the 'old school' to examine for the P.A. Even when L.A. was taught, initially by the Croydon PG Group and then others, the Society tried to formally restrict it's use to 2ml of 1%! Fortunately, the supporters of the P.A. turned up en masse and outvoted the Society Executive at an AGM.

    All the best

    Bill
     
  10. blinda

    blinda MVP

    Do It All Over Again

    Don't think a few words of mine are gonna make your world go round....

    So, what`s it to be, Tony? Sorry, I mean Anthony ;) Early retirement or starting out in private practice? Your prolific questions on quite basic podiatry protocol suggests the latter, IMVHO. Whatever it is that you are after, I sincerely hope that you find it, but most of all; enjoy it.

    Cheers, :drinks
    Bel
     
  11. anthony watson

    anthony watson Active Member

    ah bel
    I have many years in podiatry and have held many roles from the old senior II to specialist role at band 7 in diabetes.
    I have set up and run a minor surgery unit written many protocols and worked on lots of PGD.
    published and sat on many groups.

    But my love is the fact that as a chiropodist/podiatrist I can do what seems simple things and make big differences to patients lives.
    The place i find the most enjoyment is what most pods call routine work.
    If you want me to post on more advanced podiatric questions I can but find many more pods like you tend to enjoy this more.

    My time on the arena has been interesting even my mate Kev got in on the fun.(TW12)
    I ask basic pod stuff because it seems to give a sense of reality and I enjoy the answers.
    Is it basic pod stuff though? or reality to many pods working both in the NHS and Private.

    I can always get work in the NHS but would like to have tried private work.
    Have started my retirement as only work 3 days a week.

    If you love the profession like I think you do retirement will be as hard for you!

    all the best
    Anthony
     
  12. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    Kicking around on this forum certaily seems to have made you more erudute Anthony.
    Well done us!:D

    My father was a chiropodist in PP. He retired at 79, but only because an aortic stenosis got him - he lived to tell the tale!

    Personally I don't intend to retire - I plan to keep on working, fishing, working with the dogs and generally enjoying life.
    I may allow myself to slow down a little in 20 years or so...........
     
  13. anthony watson

    anthony watson Active Member

    :D
    hope for me yet!

    My dad was also a Chiropodist but went into nursing at the end of the War.
    Still limp from one of his VP treatments as a kid!!!:D

    Will keep kicking around the site as seems to get addictive!!!
    Thanks
    Anthony
     
  14. AH29

    AH29 Active Member

    Ok, would I do it all again?

    Allow me to first present a picture of myself. I qualified last year and after a torrid time looking for a job found one that forced me to relocate 2oo miles. It went down the pan and now I'm jobless.

    The number of complaints you get in chiropody is silly. If I'd known this I would have run a mile before signing up and giving business to podiatry school.

    The managers in the NHS are loco maniacs. The culture of backbiting endemic. Lies are as common as grass, I'd sooner trust a politician or a lawyer than an NHS Manager or one of their stoolies.

    So on balance I would not have done chiropody, I regret my decision, and, in the words of many a patient - 'I was crazy to do feet.'

    Chiropody sucks. And if you're making a complaint.....talk to the hand coz the face ain't listening.

    :mad::mad::mad::butcher::butcher::bang:
     
  15. anthony watson

    anthony watson Active Member

    hi
    What happened to make you feel this way?
    most of us have complaints made our way at one time or another but its what you learn from them that counts.

    could you give us some more info as many of the pods on here have extensive experience and may be able to help.

    complaints can bring positives as well as negatives.

    Anthony
     
  16. Ros Kidd

    Ros Kidd Active Member

    Early days AH29 early days, try to stick at it. I've been in the profession 40 years and have worked with exactly the type of situations you describe. However due to the fact I was lugged around the UK and OZ following my beloved career I took any job there was. This led me to work with some outstanding folks in Rugby and North Derbyshire where I learned a huge amount about man management. In Perth WA back in the early 90's I worked with people who were the epitomy of how to destroy a dept through their own self interest. I then moved to NSW and the rest is history. Liverpool HRFC was born and NSW public podiatry changed forever. There are some fantastic people out there sometimes you have to ask the right questions before you start a job. Would I do it again....only the best times came from experiencing the worst. But then again I met beloved in 1972 and that was the best bit.
    PM if you need advice.
    Ros
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2014
  17. AH29

    AH29 Active Member

    Hi,

    Thank you to Anthony and Ross for their kind words, I feel a bit better now.

    Actually I've just been laid off from an NHS trust in the East Midlands while I was on a probationary contract, I tried my best and had high hopes but they just didn't want to know.

    I guess I should get back on the horse and keep trying. After being burned I'm now interested in dipping my toes in the water with short-term contracts, but those complaints!!! They are unavoidable and they always find something to gripe about, even if I tried really hard.
     
  18. Craig Payne

    Craig Payne Moderator

    Articles:
    8
    This just confirms a "law" I promulgated many years ago:

    The longevity of a graduate in the profession is directly proportional to the quality of their first job.

    This also led to another "law:

    Those who whined the most about a shortage of graduates were the ones who provided those crap jobs and treated new grads badly.
     
  19. anthony watson

    anthony watson Active Member

    what is it that upsets you most about the complaints?
    could you give us an example?

    as you may get some positive suggestions from the guys on here

    how are the people you trained with getting on any support from them?

    thanks
    Anthony
     
  20. davidh

    davidh Podiatry Arena Veteran

    Several years on, retired from clinical work this year - would I do it all again?
    In a heartbeat!

    I have been fortunate in professional life. The NHS paid me a Senior Chiropodist salary in my last year at college.
    They gave me time off to complete a degree update, and paid the fees.
    They gave me time off to do my second degree.
    They've provided a safety-net when business was quiet, and they provided a (small) salary when I was building up my first private practice in the early 70's.

    In 2009 a solicitor left me a bundle of medical evidence to sift through. I accepted his instruction - my first. This year my Expert Witness (Podiatry) company is struggling to stay under the VAT threshold. I don't believe we will.

    The profession is what we make it, and what we make of it.
     
  21. Dieter Fellner

    Dieter Fellner Well-Known Member

    Uhm ... I did do it all again. Would I do that again ? Hmmmm ...... :drinks
     
  22. Dieter Fellner

    Dieter Fellner Well-Known Member

    I did it twice because I believed then, and I still believe now, this is a great profession. It's those 'others' (see above) who seem to find the greatest happiness in the creation of chaos and destruction. There are some very sad, dark souls out there. The trick, I guess, is to figure out a way that will allow you to enjoy the work, in the way you want to practice.
     
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