Katie's First Blog

All about me!

I was born and raised in wonderful Oklahoma.  As the sole representative of the Sooner State in my entire class, I have some big shoes to fill.  It’s not all tornados and teepees after all! I graduated with a degree in Zoology from OU (and that’s The University of Oklahoma NOT Ohio University).  After graduation I made a career move and went to work as a sales and event coordinator for a boutique hotel in my hometown.  One of the coolest parts of my job was working with tour managers as artists and their crew came through town.  So if you’re ever interested in which artists have the craziest requests, I’d be happy to share!  However, after two long years, I decided to wave good-bye to my brides (and good riddance to those demanding tour managers!) and go back to school!  Having worked and studied in the medical field I knew I’d always come back, I just wanted a little break before buckling down the next few years.

 
On a random note, I have a dog named Penny and I tend to talk about her too much.  She’s perfect… at least in my eyes, although I’ve lost a few rental deposits, a pair of Ray-Bans, countless shoes, and set of blinds due to her mischievous ways.  So I apologize in advance, I’ll try to keep the Penny comments to a minimum.

 The Profession:

Why podiatry you may ask?  To me (and my fellow classmates) the answer is obvious! Podiatric Medicine is a four-year program followed by at least a three-year residency.  Sounds like all other medical programs, right? Well it’s better! While other medical students stress over being matched with a residency, I know all along that my ultimate field will be podiatry.  Plus the percentage of podiatry residency placement is significantly higher than other residencies! In podiatry, we get to focus on a variety of medical applications from dermatology, to orthopedics, to neurological, to pharmacology, to surgery and the list goes on!  I have the choice to work in so many fields, from pediatrics to geriatrics, from sports medicine to diabetic care.  For those entrepreneurs, you can even open your own practice. And you know what? Not too many people die from seeing their podiatrist… so we tend to be a happy bunch.  All of that, plus the increased need for podiatrists across the country, makes podiatry a no-brainer!

The School:

I am a first year student at the newly established Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine in Independence, Ohio.  Now that’s a mouthful!  Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, which originated in 1916, just merged with Kent State University this summer.  What this means for us is greater access to libraries and research facilities, the opportunity to pursue additional degrees, and all of the athletics and sports medicine that come with the University.  This fall we have close to 130 incoming students and I am so excited to get to know each of them!  When we graduate in 2016, the school (through its name changes) will celebrate its hundredth birthday!  

I will be posting from time to time about my fellow classmates and myself.  And I swear it’s not all boring school stuff! So check back soon!

 

Katie