|
|
|
|
Search
06/20/2013 Brian Kiel, DPM
Scholl Professor Sues Associate Dean for Defamation
I feel I must respond regarding the recent lawsuit filed by a professor at the Scholl College. It seems that in our profession nothing has changed in the past 35 years. In 1970, we, the students at ICPM (Scholl) went on strike to protest the inadequate education and the dictatorial behavior of the administration at that time. The dean, Donald Anderson and his minions used multiple methods of punishment to maintain their control over the school. They defamed students, they expelled students, and threatened anyone who challenged their opinions.
Led by Martin Stoller and several professors, including Lowell Weil and Steve Smith, we left the school, formed our own classes and demanded and eventually forced a change, not only in the administration but a change in the education of future podiatrists. It seems that we have gone full circle and that the present administration of the same school is trying to shut down any dissent from their own opinions. The inadequacy of the those supposedly leading this profession, as shown by the recent residency crisis and the apparent refusal by the educators to admit their inability to plan for any thing other than their own benefit is criminal.
I am not one who has a grudge against podiatry. In fact, I love being a podiatrist. It has given me and my family an amazing standard of living while affording me the ability to help others. I do have a grudge against those in my profession who would and in my opinion, are, destroying podiatry as a result of policies that are meant to benefit them and their friends.
It is time that we, the podiatrists in the field, demand that changes be made. This includes all of the organizations that claim to do things to help us but in reality exist only for one purpose, to justify their own existence. We should refuse to supply funds to all of these organizations until changes are made.
I will not continue except to say good for Dr. Hrywnak. The voice of dissent should not be muted by those who have the most to lose from that dissent.
Brian Kiel, DPM, Memphis, TN, Footdok4@gmail.com
Other messages in this thread:
06/20/2013 Jon Purdy, DPM
Scholl Professor Sues Associate Dean for Defamation (Lloyd S. Smith, DPM)
I have nothing but respect for Dr. Smith and his vast contributions to podiatry. The last thing I want to be known for is drive-by blaming. I don’t believe I blamed anyone or any entity, but simply stated the schools could do more to prepare students for the real world of medicine.
Years ago, I interacted with the CPME to help form new residency positions and did go through the system, so I’m certainly not an “outsider.” Maybe Dr. Smith is not aware that I spend many of my own dollars and endless hours giving back to the profession every year. I am on the preceptor list to help displaced students among other projects I have either helped create, or which I am involved.
I disagree with the notion that the schools could not keep up with the rapidly changing world of heath care. As a matter of fact, I feel they are obligated to do so. Some of the mentioned items such as EHR, ICD-10, and ACOs did not pop up overnight. It is critical to help prepare the young in our profession for what they will face outside of academia. I applaud what the Ohio college has done in the area of practice management and what Dr. Hrywnak has always attempted to do at the Chicago school.
Compared to year's past, practice is vastly more difficult, but non-the-less rewarding. Medicine has become a monster and near impossible if one is not taught practice management nor keeps up with the changes. I feel for the students in limbo. There need to be mechanisms in place to make sure this never happens again. Podiatry is alive as ever, and anyone that knows me, hears nothing but encouragement and devotion to this profession.
Jon Purdy, DPM, New Iberia, LA, Podiatrist@mindspring.com
06/20/2013 Hartley Miltchin, DPM
Scholl Professor Sues Associate Dean for Defamation
Healthcare will never be the same in the future due to fiscal restraints. The changes will affect every practitioner in every specialty but Podiatry even more so. The initiatives that Scholl College has made make no sense and only prove that they want censorship and not relevant practice information for the students. Assets of a great school lie in the faculty, not the administration.
The administration is responsible to maintain a top notch faculty. In releasing part-time faculty while they are in the middle of a course only further points out censorship. Too add to this there was no feasible plan in place when all the part time faculty was let go. This is shameful.
As an alumni of the Scholl college I am disheartened that the school would take such action. I have invited Dr. Hrywnak to speak many times at our Canadian seminars, he comes and does so at his expense and has always given one of the best presentations. His presentations are dynamic and informative. Registrants always ask me to have him included in our annual conference. If you ask his past students, they will surely all tell you how fond they are of his informative presentations, his availability to help and the fact that he says it like it is without 'sugar coating'.
Dr. Hrywnak sits on the President Clinton's Health Care Initiative committee, is a member of the Illinois health care consortium, is a part of the Mayors task force for the aging but cannot, after 27 years, be on the faculty of Scholl College? Its time for the school or schools to wake up and 'smell the coffee', applicants are down for the schools, not enough residencies and allied health professionals are performing Podiatric procedures. To quote Dr. Hrywnak," If we are going to spend 7 years in training we better not just be limited license professionals, in the same 7 years that it takes to produce one DPM you produce 3 PAs or NPs that are not limited in their scope of practice."
Dr. Hrywnak is right. It's time to seriously think about what we are and where we are headed, As far as this law suit is concerned, good for you Dr. Hrywnak, its time that A DPM run a school, put together a curriculum, evaluate residency programs and do site visits to the Podiatry schools rather than a non DPM. I hope the college realizes the importance of part-time faculty, heading the College by a DPM and providing the students with accurate, truthful information about the future of healthcare.
The Colleges shouldn't be censoring the truth. Otherwise we will have graduating students, without residency placements, loans upward of $300,000 dollars. Flipping hamburgers at McDonalds will not allow them to ever repay the debts.
I believe Dr. Hrywnak and the others were fired as a means of censorship. I sincerely hope this gets resolved without expensive litigation and Dr. Hrywnak and others can get back to what they are passionate about, teaching students without fear of retribution or censorship. Time for non DPM administrators to get their 'heads out of the sand'.
Hartley Miltchin, DPM, Toronto, Ontario, ilovebunions@aol.com
|
|
|
|
|