by John Steinberg, DPM
PRESENT Editor
Assistant Professor,
Department of Plastic Surgery
Georgetown University
School of Medicine |
Be True to Your School
This past week I traveled to Orlando for the 25th Anniversary Celebration of my podiatry school alma mater, Barry University. It was a great occasion and was well attended by all walks of our profession. During the event I could not help but think about the irony of just how much of a "Love / Hate" relationship most of us have with our universities and training institutions. Graduation is always one of those events where your eyes are focused on the future and we have a tendency to never look back.
Many graduates from podiatry schools hold significant grudges against their school, the administration, and perhaps even the faculty that they worked with. While I would certainly not doubt that there is some merit to many of these cases, I would challenge you to take another look at just what those foundational years did for you and your professional life. There can be no doubt as to the enabling power we all derive from our professional degrees and there can also be no doubt that this achievement is hard earned.
Sure, I have plenty of stories / gripes / complaints about my training, but I am also quick to realize that these are the EXCEPTION rather than the rule. I would challenge you to recall the positive influence that you have derived from your education over the years and especially from your podiatry school.
In closing, I would ask how many of you give back or plan to give back to your school? I bet it is a low percentage and I bet that many of you are still too fresh-out from that experience and cash strapped from residency to consider it. You should reconsider this decision. Even a small token contribution to a student scholarship program at your school says a lot and can do a lot. By giving directly to a student scholarship program, you have the benefit of knowing your money is being used directly by the students when they need it the most and you show your interest in forming the future of our profession. It seems cliché, but the better students we can recruit and keep in our schools with scholarships, the stronger we will be in the coming decades!
John Steinberg, DPM
PRESENT Editor
Assistant Professor,
Department of Plastic Surgery
Georgetown University School of Medicine
[email protected]
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