"If you strip away labels and think of treating medical and surgical conditions of the foot, you're left with podiatry or orthopedics. Orthopedics covers a wide spectrum--all of the musculoskeletal system, so I chose podiatry because I wasn't interested in being a 'generalist' for the foot, but a specialist of and for it."

This is an interesting question, in that it labels podiatry as different from 'mainstream' (allopathic) medicine. Thus, the interviewer wants to know why you, having recognized this dichotomy, chose podiatry instead of what is considered mainstream medicine. Instead of reading this question as possibly insulting, you should be proud of your expertise and indicate in your answer that there are no inferiority issues such as those propagated by the self-appointed 'mainstream' physicians.

"To me, being a DPM really is mainstream medicine--no different from an ophthalmologist for the eye--compared to any other MD or DO. It is also not considered an alternative approach, since it uses sound evidence-based medicine as its rationale in the things that are treated."