residency this fall in Pittsburgh, PA. Additionally Dr. Smith has added a Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree to her education in order to understand the population-at-large better, as well as her individual patients.
For students interested in becoming a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), they must complete an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university with concentration in pre-med or science studies; four years at a podiatric medical school; and three years of residency. According to Dr. Smith, her residency training specifically has included direct participation in trauma cases, reconstructive plastic surgery, diabetic wound care, palliative podiatric care, and podiatry office rotations. Her overall studies, she says, “I am being trained to recognize and manage primary pathologies and podiatric local manifestations of systemic disease.”
It’s not unusual for Today’s Podiatrist to attain dual degrees like Dr. Smith, and also for the profession to attract more and more women. “Recent demographic information from the AACPM shows the national enrollment class of 2010 has 280:225, males to females,” says Dr. Smith. She has observed this in her own rotations with an increase of more female residents and attendings.
Today’s Podiatrist doesn’t stop after residency. Depending on what state she will be practicing in, Dr. Smith will be required to obtain a certain number of continuing medical education credits in podiatric medicine every two years for licensure (PA currently requires 50). Also podiatrists are strongly encouraged to become certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS) and the American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine (ABPOPPM), pushing their skills and knowledge even further than what is expected of them. These certifications signify the podiatrist has completed the extended training and passed the comprehensive examinations given by the Boards.
There are also other podiatric organizations to join, like the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) and the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine (ACFAOM). These organizations are tell-tale signs that a podiatrist is making a commitment to lifelong learning for the welfare of his or her patients.
Today’s Podiatrist can seem somewhat like an enigma, but Dr. Smith has noted that a podiatrist’s role is “becoming more and more obvious to the layperson …” For more accurate knowledge and more details on the podiatric profession, visit www.apma.org. “There you can find information about foot and ankle ailments like arthritis, bunion pain, heel pain, etc.,” says Dr. Smith. Also on PPMA’s site, there is patient information under the Visitors section and a way to find a PA podiatrist.
On her rotations, she notes that the most common foot problems she sees are plantar fasciitis (heel pain), symptomatic pes planus deformity (flatfoot deformity), and ankle fractures. In Part II of her Profile, Dr. Smith will go into more detail about treatments used for these common foot problems and helpful tips about these ailments. She also says to “contact your local podiatrist to set up a visit because foot pain is not normal!”
There’s a whole lot more to Today’s Podiatrist for you to get to know. --Susan G. Kramer |
