Debbie Park, mentored by PPMA Board Member Alicia Canzanese, DPM, knew she wanted to study medicine but wasn’t sure which medical profession to pursue. After her shadowing experience with Dr. Canzanese in Glenside, PA, and seeing firsthand what the profession has to offer, it became clearer which direction she wanted to go. 

“Dr.Canzanese really helped me solidify my decision to apply to podiatry school,” says Debbie.

Debbie found Dr. Canzanese through the AACPM’s Mentor Network (mentioned in the July/August issue). She registered as a student and requested to shadow Dr. Canzanese. It was the firsthand experience that sealed the deal for Debbie, “I learned how to read X-rays, I learned the mechanics of the foot, and I also learned new medical terminologies.” 

Some highlights for Debbie while shadowing Dr. Canzanese: 

The variety of patients that came for an appointment because of either—foot pain; for a post-surgery checkup; ingrown toenail; for orthotics; or to have leg plastered. Special bond that was formed between Dr. Canzanese and each patient.

Learning about the treatments available for certain podiatric problems Dr. Canzanese noted that many of the students had no idea what podiatry is and therefore don’t think about it as an option, and concluded, “Many students only find out about podiatry by direct interaction.” She likes educating the students and finds enjoyment in answering their questions, viewing it as a chance to pass along some basic podiatric knowledge. 

 

Some of the questions students have asked:

Most of the students she has mentored found the process of evaluating a patient; obtaining and reviewing X-rays with the patient; and discussing fracture care/treatment options very impressive. Other aspects of podiatry they commented on: orthotics, biomechanics, and working with athletes and runners.

“You get to educate someone one-on-one about podiatry, and that person in turn will likely talk about that experience to people they know,” Dr. Canzanese says. 

 

Gerald Gronborg, DPM (PPMA Past President), has been mentoring students for as long as he can remember; nurturing and instructing them about a potential podiatric career. Take for instance mentoring Isaac Kline for the past year. Isaac just started at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM) in August. “Those going into medicine are highly motivated, which makes it easy to teach them,” Dr. Gronborg says.

 

The students he mentored were most interested in:

According to Dr. Gronborg, he demonstrates his passion for the profession while students shadow him in the manner he interacts with his patients. “If you are enthusiastic about their [patients] care and project a positive attitude, it reflects on their [patients] attitude towards their care,” he says.

Dr. Gronborg’s mentee Isaac Kline couldn’t agree more, “Having a mentor that loves what he does and projects that onto you is a step in the right direction.” He credits his shadowing experience as one that, “led me to where I am now.”

Dr. Gronborg received flying colors from Isaac:

 

Isaac says that his experience at The Foot and Ankle Institute “sealed the deal” for his decision to start at TUSPM. He liked the fact that there are so many possibilities with podiatry, like the option of becoming a podiatric surgeon and encountering a variety of pathologies. “I think someone has to be exposed to something before they can decide whether or not to pursue it for the rest of their life,” he explains.

He can’t say enough about his one-on-one time with Dr. Gronborg at his practice, and the flexibility he showed to accommodate his schedule that ultimately led him to start a 
podiatric career. 

 

 

1) Be Positive about the profession. Always. It would be counterproductive to denigrate the profession while mentoring students who may be interested in podiatry as a career.

 

2) Be Available. Students have a lot packed into their schedules these days. Not that a practicing podiatrist has lots of free time, “but being flexible helps to maximize their access,” says Dr. Gronborg. 

 

3) Become a Mentor. Our future depends on it. As reported in the July/August issue of this newsletter, podiatric student enrollments have been in the red, and it is imperative to take action before the profession dwindles to the point that other medical practitioners have to fill in the gaps.

 

Frequent Goldfarb Foundation speaker Jason Miller, DPM, says he mentors and recruits students in order for the profession to survive. One of his students he’s mentored, Quinn Tran, is leaning in the direction of becoming a podiatrist and credits Dr. Miller because as he says, “I would have had no idea what I was missing.” He admits he had no clue the extent of a podiatrist’s scope of practice in caring for the lower extremity.

Many of Dr. Miller’s students commented on the similarities between podiatry and the orthopedic profession, although they soon realized how podiatry was much more specialized. Their interest was piqued by the blend of surgery and medicine; as well as the three-year residency requirement. Dr. Miller says that mentoring/recruiting, “helps you to stay young,” and discussed with students the flexible life-style podiatry offers in practice type, intensity, and ability to pursue hobbies (like travel, outdoor sports, and restoring cars).

Among the highlights for Quinn were Dr. Miller’s sense of humor while treating patients; shadowing along with his residents, as it made the days go faster; and his personal touch and positive attitude with patients. “I hope this program continues,” says Quinn. 

Dr. Miller, who mentored early on in his career and recently came back to it in the past five years, is now working on arranging talks with the middle-school level students. He encourages his peers to do the same. “We need to discuss what to expect in school, rather than just shadowing,” he says. 

 

So isn’t it about time that you consider showing local students what they’ve been missing?