Clinical Rotations and Residencies: Your Path From Student to Practicing Podiatrist
Your journey from student to skilled podiatric physician happens through hands-on clinical experience. At Des Moines University’s College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, you’ll progress through carefully designed rotations that build your expertise and prepare you to compete for residency positions at programs nationwide.
Your hands-on clinical experience starts in June at the end of your second year and continues until graduation. You’ll spend two years immersed in real-world patient care, working alongside distinguished DMU alumni and expert clinicians who are invested in your success.
Third-Year Clinical Rotations
You’ll complete 40 weeks of clinical rotations in Des Moines and surrounding communities, building the foundational skills every podiatric physician needs.
Where You’ll Train
You’ll gain diverse clinic experience across premier health care facilities, including:
- Des Moines University Clinic — Foot and Ankle
- Central Iowa Veterans Administration Medical Center
- Iowa Methodist Medical Center
- Iowa Clinic
- Capital Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
- Regional hospitals and clinics
What You’ll Master
Your third-year rotations are designed to develop specific competencies in basic podiatric medicine, podiatric radiology, podiatric surgery, and podiatric orthopedics/biomechanics. You’ll rotate through a variety of patient care facilities whose patient populations vary in terms of socioeconomic and cultural diversity. In addition, you’ll:
- Develop basic clinical skills to evaluate and manage the podiatric patient properly.
- Develop diagnostic skills and perform common office-based procedures.
- Observe and participate in outpatient and inpatient operative protocols.
- Complete your third-year clinical objectives after clinical faculty members observe you successfully interacting with patients and supervising the delivery of medical care.
Fourth-Year Clinical Rotations
You’ll complete 11 months of advanced rotations beginning in June of your final year, with opportunities at over 25 affiliated medical centers throughout the United States, which serve as core hospitals.
Your Required Rotations
- Six months: Podiatric and surgical rotations
- Three months: Core hospital rotation (must include one non-podiatric specialty rotation)
- One month: Internal medicine
- One month: Podiatric private practice
- Podiatric radiology
- Electives that can include pediatrics, global health, dermatology, orthopedics, emergency medicine, vascular surgery, a DMU-CPMS academic medicine clerkship and a DMU research clerkship.
You’ll work directly with our associate dean for clinical affairs to establish your rotation schedule.
The College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery at DMU embraces the paradigm shift through extensive external affiliations with medical centers nationwide. While osteopathic and allopathic medical institutions have used this model for years, we’re leaders in bringing this approach to podiatric medical education to support your learning experiences.
Your Residency Placement Success
A podiatric residency is your advanced training phase as a licensed podiatric physician, specializing in one or more aspects of podiatric medicine through a hospital- or college-based program.
Your Residency Timeline
During your fourth year, you’ll apply and interview for residency programs at the same institutions where you complete clinical rotations. You’ll begin the residency shortly following graduation.
100% residency placement rate for 23 consecutive years. DMU’s College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery has an outstanding record of residency placement into the finest programs in the United States.