Podiatric Residency Crisis - Where are We? (Ivar E. Roth DPM, MPH)
From: Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM
Your offer proves that there are still gracious doctors out there who would go out of their way to help with this crisis, any way they can. Dr. Roth, I would not take the "run around" you are receiving, personally. I can only imagine the panic these students are living. The "run around" you are experiencing is proof how scared they are. Without a doubt, a year preceptorship could provide invaluable experience, but they are still not moving any closer to getting their license.
I am frightened for these unmatched grads, because I see the huge failure that falls squarely at the feet of the colleges, APMA, and CPME, with their inability to solve the problem, that we all know, is going to grow. In the now seemingly blind quest for parity, these unmatched grads are facing the unintended consequences of Vision 2015.
I can't really blame the residency directors for all of this. They jump though many hoops to keep CPME happy, as it is, and may feel somewhat unappreciated by our leaders. I propose that residency directors be given VERY SPECIAL BADGES for all conferences they attend, so the profession can identify who our true heroes are. Further, though residency directors are the last ones needing additional CME, since their teaching far exceeds all state CME requirements, they should be comped registration fees for state and national conferences. Maybe a show of appreciation will nudge them in the direction of adding one more residency slots, along with CPME's modification of some of the requirements.
Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM, Schaumburg, IL, Doc@FootSportsDoc.com
.gif)
